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Carl Gustaf 8.4 cm recoilless rifle

The Carl Gustaf 8.4 cm recoilless rifle (Swedish pronunciation: [kɑːɭ ˈɡɵ̂sːtav], named after Carl Gustafs Stads Gevärsfaktori, which initially produced it) is a Swedish-developed 84 mm (3.3 in) caliber shoulder-fired recoilless rifle, initially developed by the Royal Swedish Army Materiel Administration during the second half of the 1940s as a crew-served man-portable infantry support gun for close-range multi-role anti-armour, anti-personnel, battlefield illumination, smoke screening and marking fire,[1] which has seen great export success around the globe and continues to be a popular multi-purpose support weapon in use by many nations. The Carl Gustaf 84 mm recoilless rifle is a lightweight, low-cost weapon that uses a wide range of ammunition, which makes it extremely flexible and suitable for a wide variety of roles.

Carl-Gustaf 84 mm Recoilless Rifle
Carl Gustaf M4 anti-tank weapon
TypeShoulder-fired recoilless rifle
(crew-served multi-role infantry support gun)[1][2][3][4]
Place of originSweden
Service history
In service1948–present
Used bySee Users
WarsSee Wars
Production history
DesignerHugo Abramson, Sigfrid Akselson and Harald Jentzen
Designed
  • M1: 1946
  • M2: 1964
  • M3: 1986
  • M4: 2014[5][6]
ManufacturerSaab Bofors Dynamics (formerly Carl Gustafs Stads Gevärsfaktori), Howa (license)[7][8]
Unit cost
  • US$20,000
  • Ammo cost=US$500 to
    US$3000 per round[9]
Specifications
MassM2: 14.2 kg (31 lb)[10]
M3: 10 kg (22 lb)[10]
M4/M3E1: 6.6 kg (15 lb)
Length(M2) 1,130 mm (44 in)[10] (M4/M3E1) 950 mm (37 in)
CrewTwo (gunner and loader), but may be used by a single operator at a reduced rate of fire.

Cartridge84 × 245 mm R RCL[11]
Caliber84 mm (3.31 in)
ActionRecoilless, single-shot, breechloader, laterally, percussion fired[12]
Rate of fire6 rounds per minute
Muzzle velocity230–255 m/s (750–840 ft/s)
Effective firing range
  • 350 to 400 m (1,150 to 1,310 ft) against moving vehicles[13]
  • 500 m (1,600 ft) against stationary vehicles[13]
  • 1,000 m (3,300 ft) using smoke and high explosive rounds[13]
  • 2,500 m (8,200 ft) using rocket-boosted laser guided ammunition
Feed systemHinged breech
SightsOpen (iron) sights; optical 3× laser rangefinder; image intensification system

Development of the initial model started from 1946 as one of the many recoilless rifle designs of that era, based on the experience from the earlier Carl Gustaf 20 mm recoilless rifle and the success of man-portable rocket launchers during World War II, such as the Bazooka and Panzerschreck. Production of the initial model was handled by Carl Gustafs Stads Gevärsfaktori led by Försvarets Fabriksverk (FFV) and the weapon received the designation 8,4 cm granatgevär m/48, (8,4 cm grg m/48 – "8,4 cm grenade rifle", model 1948) in Swedish service. FFV would continue to further develop the weapon for the international market, later being merged into Saab Bofors Dynamics which handles development and export today. While similar weapons have generally disappeared from service, the Carl Gustaf is still in production and remains in widespread use today.

Name edit

The weapon goes under many names around the globe. It is most frequently called the "Carl Gustaf" or similar for short. British troops, for example, refer to it as the "Charlie G", while Canadian troops often refer to it as "Carl G".[14] In Australia, it is irreverently known as "Charlie Gutsache" (guts ache, meaning stomach pain), or "Charlie Swede".[14]

In U.S. military service, it is officially known as the M3 Multi-Role Anti-Armor Anti-Personnel Weapon System (MAAWS) or Ranger Antitank Weapons System (RAWS), but is often simply called the "M3 Carl Gustaf" or just "Gustaf".[14]

In Swedish military service, it is officially known as the 8,4 cm granatgevär m/48, m/86 and m/18, depending on the model (M1, M3, M4), but is often simply referred to as the "GRG" (gé-er-gé) after their type designation abbreviation (from granatgevär, meaning "grenade rifle"), since all models fire the same general ammunition and are used in much the same way (although the 84 mm grg m/18 can use programmable and guided ammunition).[15]

Description edit

 
U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers train with the Carl Gustaf recoilless rifle in 2009.
Note the firing position and backblast.
At the shooter's feet, the typical two-round canister is clearly visible.

The basic weapon consists of the main tube with the breech-mounted Venturi recoil damper, with two grips near the front and a shoulder mount. The weapon is fitted with iron sights, but is normally aimed with the attached 3× optical sight with a 17 degree (300 mil) field of view. The most modern variants fielded by Swedish rifle companies have been fitted with the Swedish Aimpoint sighting system. Luminous front and rear sight inserts are available for the iron sights when aiming at night, and an image intensification system may also be used.

The Gustaf can be fired from the standing, kneeling, sitting or prone positions, and a bipod may be attached in front of the shoulder piece. An operating handle called the "Venturi lock" is used to move the hinged breech to one side for reloading.

Operation edit

The weapon is normally operated by a two-man crew, a gunner who carries and fires the weapon and a loader, carrying two canisters for a total of four rounds of ammunition. One or two extra ammunition carriers can be assigned if heavy use is expected. In the firing procedure it is the loader's responsibility to check the area behind the weapon for people and for obstacles that can interfere with the back-blast; this is needed due to the inherent dangers of the back-blast. Any person within the back-blast cone can suffer severe burn injuries and solid objects closely behind can reflect the blast back onto the crew.

Safety precautions edit

 
Soldier fires a Carl-Gustaf. Note the significant back-blast.

The overpressure, or blast wave, generated by the Gustaf will cause blast- and burn-related injuries to those behind the weapon, and is dangerous to 30 metres (100 ft)[13] and hazardous to about 50 to 75 metres (160 to 250 ft).[10] Repeatedly firing the Gustaf can also cause related shock wave injuries to gunners and those nearby.[16][17][18]

Gunners are only allowed to fire six rounds a day during training.[19] The assistant gunners would also often move away from the overpressure zone, so that they too can fire six rounds a day.[19] Sweden, the first user of Carl-Gustaf, has the regulation that both gunner and assistant gunner are allowed to have 20 full caliber rounds each day.[20]

Development history edit

1946 – M1 in Sweden (8,4 cm grg m/48) edit

 
Swedish Carl Gustaf 84 mm recoilless rifle M1 (8,4 cm grg m/48).
 
Carl Gustaf 84 mm recoilless rifle M1 blueprint, dated 7 February 1948.

The Carl Gustaf M1 was developed around 1946 by Hugo Abramson and Harald Jentzen at the Royal Swedish Army Materiel Administration (Kungliga Arméförvaltningens Tygavdelning) and produced at Carl Gustafs Stads Gevärsfaktori from where it derives its name. Development of the weapons system was preceded by a line of other recoilless developments between 1940 and 1946, featuring relatively small-bore ammunition:

  • Carl Gustaf 20 mm recoilless rifle – 1942 (Swedish designation: 20 mm pansarvärnsgevär m/42)[21]
  • Carl Gustaf 37 mm recoilless rifle – 1943 (Swedish designation: 37 mm granatgevär fm/43)[21]
  • Carl Gustaf 47 mm recoilless rifle – 1945 (Swedish designation: 47 mm granatgevär fm/45)[22]
  • Carl Gustaf 84 mm recoilless rifle – 1948 (Swedish designation: 84 mm granatgevär m/48)

Despite advances in recoilless rifle technology introduced by the development family, it was quickly discovered that small-bore solid steel penetrators were obsolete for shoulder-fired antitank weapons, thus caliber was gradually increased to focus on multirole shell-type ammunition and the recent advances in shaped charge projectiles. By 1946 a caliber of 84 mm was decided upon (although larger calibers were proposed and tested).[23]

The 84 mm weapon was first introduced into Swedish service in 1948 as the 8,4 cm granatgevär m/48, filling a similar role as the U.S. Army's bazooka, British PIAT and German Panzerschreck, albeit with a higher focus on multirole and fire support than pure anti-tank warfare. Unlike the aforementioned weapons, however, the 84 mm Carl Gustaf used a rifled barrel for spin-stabilising its rounds, as opposed to fins used by the other systems. Sweden did, however, also adopt a true man-portable anti-tank system around the same time, the 8 cm raketgevär m/49 (fixed) and 8 cm raketgevär m/51 (foldable) rocket launchers, only featuring anti-tank ammunition.[11]

The use of the recoilless firing system allowed the Gustaf to use ammunition containing considerably more propellant, firing its rounds at 290 m/s (950 ft/s), as opposed to about 105 m/s (340 ft/s) for the Panzerschreck and Bazooka and about 75 m/s (250 ft/s) for the PIAT. The result was superior accuracy at longer ranges. The Gustaf can be used to attack larger stationary targets at up to 700 m (2,300 ft), but the relatively low speed of the projectile restricts attacks on moving targets to a range of 400 m (1,300 ft) or less.[citation needed]

The Gustaf was soon sold around the world and became one of the primary squad-level anti-tank weapons for many West European armies.[citation needed]

1964 – M2 export edit

 
A Dutch Marine with an M2 Carl Gustaf 84 mm recoilless rifle during the NATO exercise Northern Wedding, 1978.

The Carl Gustaf M2 was introduced in 1964 as an improved, lighter and slightly shorter version of the original M1 for the export market. It quickly replaced the original version.

The German Bundeswehr maintains a small number of M2s for battlefield illumination.[citation needed]

1986 – M3 in Sweden (8,4 cm grg m/86) edit

 
Swedish Carl Gustaf 84 mm recoilless rifle M3 (8,4 cm grg m/86).

The Carl Gustaf M3 started development in the 1980s and initially entered service with the Swedish Armed Forces as the \8,4 cm granatgevär m/86 ("8,4 cm grenade rifle", model 1986). While similar to the export M3, it shares some spare parts with the original 1948 M1 model.[15] It reduced the weight even further by replacing the forged steel tube with a thin steel liner containing the rifling, strengthened by a carbon fibre outer sleeve. The external steel parts were also replaced with plastics and aluminium alloys.

1991 – M3 export edit

The current export Carl-Gustaf M3 version was introduced in 1991. In recent years, the M3 has found new life in a variety of roles. The British Special Air Service, United States Army Special Forces and United States Army Rangers use M3s in bunker-busting and anti-vehicle roles. Many armies continue to use it as a viable anti-armour weapon, especially against 1950s- and 1960s-era tanks and other armoured vehicles still in use worldwide.[citation needed]

2011 – M3 in USA (M3 MAAWS) edit

In the late 1980s, the Special Operations Forces Modernization Action Plan indicated need for a Ranger Anti-Armor/Anti-Personnel Weapon System (RAAWS) to replace the M67 recoilless rifle in use by the 75th Ranger Regiment. A market survey in 1987 indicated that the Carl Gustaf M3 was the best candidate for satisfying RAAWS requirements. On 29 September 1988, the M3 was selected as the RAAWS from candidate proposals submitted in response to the market survey compiled by ARDEC. A subsequent review of the contractor-supplied fatigue test data determined that the data did not meet U.S. Army requirements. Benét Laboratories conducted fatigue tests of two tubes to establish an interim safe service life for the weapon. Tests were conducted in 1993. The manufacturer's recommended life for the weapon was 500 rounds, but bore surfaces showed no indications of erosion until 2,360 rounds. The U.S. Navy SEALs became interested in the program and moved it to a Joint Integrated Product Team. The program name subsequently changed from the RAAWS to the Multi-Role Anti-Armor Anti-Personnel Weapon System (MAAWS).[24]

The M3 Multi-Role Anti-Armor Anti-Personnel Weapon System is the U.S. military designation for the Carl-Gustaf M3 recoilless rifle. It is primarily used by United States Special Operations Command such as the Army Rangers, Army Special Forces, Marine Raiders, Navy SEALs, and JSOC operators. When used by the U.S. Army's 75th Ranger Regiment, the M3 is known as the Ranger Anti-tank Weapons System (RAWS).[citation needed]

Army Rangers found the M3 was best employed using a two-man team. One person would carry the launcher and be armed with a pistol for personal protection, and the other would carry 5–6 rounds of ammunition and act as a spotter for the gunner. Although the single-shot AT4 is lighter and can be carried by one person, a Gustaf team with the heavier recoilless rifle can reload and fire more rounds.[25]

The M3 MAAWS fires the following ammunition:[citation needed]

  • High explosive (HE 441/441B) round
  • High-explosive anti-tank (HEAT/751) round
  • High-explosive anti-tank – rocket assisted projectile (HEAT-RAP/551) round
  • High-explosive dual-purpose (HEDP/502) round
  • Area defense munition (ADM/401) round
  • Anti-structure munition (ASM/509) round
  • Smoke (Smk/469) round
  • Illumination (Illum/545) round
  • Target practice, tracer(TPT/141) round
  • Target practice rocket assisted projectile (TP RAP/551) round

2014 – M4 export edit

 
M4 variant

While the M3 MAAWS provided enhanced effectiveness over other launchers, its 9.5 kg (21 lb) weight burdened troops. On 28 March 2013, USSOCOM announced a call for sources to develop a kit to lighten the weapon and reduce overall length without affecting handling or ruggedness. By that time, Saab was developing a weight-reduced version prior to the SOCOM release that demonstrated no decrease in performance, no increase in recoil, and nearly equivalent barrel life that could be ready for government testing in 2014. Saab has also developed a new high explosive round that has a direct fire range of 1,500 meters when using a fire control system.[26]

The Carl Gustaf M4 was revealed by Saab at Association of the U.S. Army 2014. Compared to the M3 MAAWS, the M4 is 3.4 kg (7.5 lb) lighter, weighing 6.6 kg (15 lb), and shorter with a 950 mm (37 in) overall length. The shorter length was in response to the need to wield the weapon in urban terrain, and weight savings were achieved through using lighter components whenever possible including a carbon fibre tube with titanium liner, and a new venturi design. Other new features include a red-dot sight, a travel safety catch to allow the M4 to be carried while loaded, an adjustable shoulder rest and forward grip for improved ergonomics, a shot counter to keep track of how many rounds have been fired to manage the weapon's 1,000-round barrel life,[27] double that of the M3,[28][29] picatinny rails for grips and sight mounts, and a remote round management function so intelligent sights can communicate with programmable rounds.[30][31]

2017 – M4 in USA (M3E1 MAAWS) edit

 
The M3E1 is the US version of the M4. An updated M3 using titanium makes the weapon system six pounds lighter, 2.5 inches shorter and has an improved carrying handle, extra shoulder padding and an improved sighting system that can be adjusted for better comfort.

Following its reveal in 2014, the US Defence Department agreed to evaluate the shorter and lighter M4 version over the next two years;[32] testing and qualifications were planned to be completed in spring 2017, and the weapon type classified as the M3E1 Multi-Role Anti-Armor Anti-Personnel Weapon System in fall 2017, making the system available for procurement to all Department of Defence services.[33] The first unit was planned to be equipped with the M3E1 in 2018.[34]

In April 2019, a contract of SEK 168 million (US$18.1 million) was approved to supply the Australian Army with ammunition for the Carl-Gustaf M4 84 mm multipurpose weapon systems ordered by the service in September 2018.[35]

M3 was the name used for decades worldwide for the basic weapon. For the new, improved, lighter, titanium-employing weapon first displayed in 2014, most used the name M4, except for the US. In the US, the Army designation for the US version of the improved M4 mentioned above is M3E1.

In 2017, the U.S. Army approved a requirement for 1,111 M3E1 units to be fielded to soldiers as part of an Urgent Material Release. The M3E1 is part of the Product Manager Crew Served Weapon portfolio. A key benefit of the M3E1 is that it can fire multiple types of rounds, giving soldiers increased capability on the battlefield. By using titanium, the updated M3E1, based on the M3A1 introduced in 2014, is more than six pounds lighter. The M3E1 is also 2.5 inches shorter and has an improved carrying handle, shoulder padding and an improved sighting system that can be adjusted for better comfort without sacrificing performance. The wiring harness was included in the M3E1 configuration that provides a foregrip controller and programmable fuze setter for an interchangeable fire control system. For added safety and cost savings, an automatic round counter enables soldiers and logisticians to accurately track the service life of each weapon. The M3E1 uses the same family of ammunition as the M3, which has been successfully tested.[36] In November 2017, the U.S. Marine Corps announced they planned to procure the M3E1 MAAWS. 1,200 M3E1s would be acquired with one fielded to every infantry squad. In addition to infantry use, the Marines are considering it to replace the Mk 153 SMAW in combat engineer squads. The weapons perform similar functions and the improvements incorporated into the new M3E1 place it in the same size and approximate weight class as the SMAW. While the SMAW weighs 2.5 lb (1.1 kg) less when loaded, the MAAWS has a greater variety of ammunition available and a maximum effective range of 1,000 meters, twice that of the SMAW. The Marines plan to test both weapons' effectiveness against bunkers to inform their decision.[37]

2018 – M4 in Sweden (8,4 cm grg m/18) edit

In 2018 the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (Swedish: Försvarets materielverk, FMV) signed a contract with Saab to purchase the Carl Gustaf M4 as the 8,4 cm granatgevär m/18 ("8,4 cm grenade rifle", model 2018),[15] often written without the "m/" to distinguish it from older m/18 (model 1918) systems (8,4 cm granatgevär 18, abbr. 8,4 cm grg 18).[38] The M4 will replace the old M1 models (8,4 cm grg m/48) models still in service as some units are pushing 70+ years in service.[38] The 8,4 cm grg 18 will feature an advanced laser rangefinder and will be acquired with new programmable ammunition (preliminary name HE 448), and a new, improved HEAT shell.[38]

2024 – M4 in India edit

Saab announced in September 2022 that it would establish a manufacturing facility to produce the Carl-Gustaf M4 weapons system in India. It will be the company's first facility producing the M4 system outside Sweden. The facility is expected to open in 2024 and will produce weapons for the Indian Armed Forces as well as export components to users worldwide.[39][40] Construction of the facility started on 4 March 2024.[41] Previous versions of the Carl Gustaf system have been in service with India since 1976.[42]

Combat history edit

1961–1964: Congo Crisis edit

 
Swedish soldiers with the M1 variant, holding a roadblock during the Congo Crisis.

As part of the Congo Crisis 1960–1965, Swedish troops were sent to Congo as ONUC peacekeepers in mid to late 1960. They initially lacked any heavy weaponry, but due to rising threat levels they received tgb m/42 KP infantry fighting vehicles and heavy weaponry such as the M1 Carl Gustaf in time for the violent fighting in Elisabethville in 1961.[43][44]

The weapon proved its worth as a man-portable multi-purpose weapon and came to great use during the conflict. One famous incident happened on 14 September 1961, when Swedish soldier Torsten Stålnacke, then part of a M1 Carl-Gustaf squad, had his two squadmates shocked in connection with repelling a Gendarmerie armoured car attack on a refugee camp and their nearby depot, forcing him to operate the M1 on his own. Stålnacke advanced by himself against an enemy firing position, meanwhile managing to take out an enemy armoured car and a number of enemies before his jaw was shot to pieces.[45][46] His chin hung down to his chest and he was suffocating. With his fingers he cleared the throat from bone fragments and pulled the tongue up, thereby able to breath again. During the retreat, and with whistling bullets around him, Stålnacke kept his chin up with one hand and held the M1 with the other and managed with hand gestures and kicks get his two badly shocked comrades with him from the battlefield.[47]

2011–2021: War in Afghanistan edit

In November 2011, the U.S. Army began ordering the M3 MAAWS for regular units deployed in Afghanistan. Soldiers were being engaged with RPGs at 900 meters, while their light weapons had effective ranges of 500–600 meters. The Gustaf allows airburst capability of troops in defilade out to 1,250 meters, and high explosive use out to 1,300 meters.[26]

In late 2012, the Army fielded 58 M3s and 1,500 rounds of ammunition to units deployed to Afghanistan to destroy enemy targets out to 1,000 meters. This was because RPG and machine gun teams could attack 900 meters away, while existing weaponry such as the M141 Bunker Defeat Munition, M72 LAW, M136 AT4, and MK153 SMAW have effective ranges of only 500 meters. The AT4 is lighter and cheaper but is made of reinforced fiberglass, while the M3's rifled metal/carbon fiber launch tube allows for reloading. Employing the 22 lb M3 is easier than the 50 lb FGM-148 Javelin with its launcher with missile and reusable command launch unit, is faster than waiting on mortars, and is cheaper than the Javelin and artillery shells for engaging targets in hard cover.[24] Although Special Operations forces had been using the M3 since the early 1990s, light infantry unit commanders in Afghanistan had to submit operational needs statements to get the weapon. The M3 became an official Program of Record in the conventional Army in 2014, and a conditional materiel release was authorized in late 2015 to equip all brigade combat teams with one M3 launcher per infantry platoon.[48]

2022–: Russian invasion of Ukraine edit

Since 2022, the Carl Gustaf has been used in combat in the Russian invasion of Ukraine by Ukrainian forces, being used to target both tanks and infantry. According to Ukraine's Ministry of Defense, a Carl Gustaf was used to destroy the first Russian T-90M main battle tank of the war.[49][50][51]

Ammunition edit

 
Carl Gustaf 8.4 cm recoilless rifle round ammunition on display

The Carl Gustaf 84 mm recoilless gun fires a 84 × 245 mm rimmed recoilless (84×245R RCL) cartridge with a blowout base for propellant gas ventilation.[11] Ammunition initially consisted of high-explosive (HE), high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT), airburst (HE-TF) and smoke shells, not counting target-practice (TP) ammunition, but improvements to the ammunition family have been continual. While the older HEAT rounds are not particularly effective against modern tank armor, the weapon has found new life as a bunker-buster with a high-explosive dual-purpose (HEDP) round. Also, improved HEAT, high explosive (HE), smoke and illumination (star shell or flare) ammunition is also available. For full effectiveness, illumination rounds must be fired at a very high angle, creating a danger for the gunner who can be burned from the backblast. For this reason, several armies have retired the illumination rounds, while the U.S. Army requires that they be fired from a standing position. AEI Systems Ltd., a British defence products manufacturer headquartered in Ascot, Berkshire, offers a variant of the platform dubbed the AE84-RCL designed to fire the M540/M550 line of 84×245 mm R ammunition manufactured in Belgium by Mecar.[52]

Note that the following are the Swedish manufacturer designations (other countries use similar terminology, replacing the "FFV - Försvarets Fabriksverk")

  • FFV401 is an Area Defence Munition designed as a close-range anti-personnel round. It fires 1100 flechettes over a wide area.[53]
  • FFV441 is an HE round, useful in a "lobbed" trajectory to 1,000m, which can be fused to either detonate on impact or as an airburst.
  • FFV441B is an HE round with an effective range against personnel in the open of 1,100 m. The round arms after 20 to 70 m of flight, weighs 3.1 kg, and is fired at a muzzle velocity of 255 m/s.[54]
  • FFV469 is a smoke round fired like the FFV441, with a range of about 1,300 m. The 3.1 kg round is also fired at 255 m/s.[54]
  • FFV502 is an HEDP round with the ability to be set to detonate on either impact or one-tenth second later. Effective range is 1,000 m against dispersed soft targets such as infantry in the open, 500 m against stationary targets and 300 m against moving targets. Minimum range is 15 to 40 m to arm the warhead. Penetration exceeds 150 mm of rolled homogeneous armour (RHA). Ammunition weight is 3.3 kg and muzzle velocity is 230 m/s.[54]
  • FFV509 is an ASM (Anti-Structure Munition), designed especially to destroy buildings and other types of urban constructions. The fuse has two modes: impact or a delayed function.[55]
  • FFV545 is an illuminating star shell, fired up to 2,300 m maximum range, but with an effective envelope of 300 to 2,100 m. Suspended by parachute, the star shell burns for 30 seconds while producing 650,000 candela, providing a 400 to 500 m diameter area of illumination.
  • FFV551 is the primary HEAT round and is a rocket-assisted projectile (RAP). Effective range is up to 700 m (400 m against moving targets) and penetration up to 400 mm of RHA. Ammunition weight is 3.2 kg and muzzle velocity is 255 m/s.[54]
  • FFV552 is a practice round with the same ballistics as the 551.
  • FFV651 is a newer HEAT round using mid-flight rocket assistance for ranges up to 1,000m. In theory, it has less penetration than the FFV551, but it includes a stand-off probe for the fuse to improve performance against reactive armour.
  • HEAT 655 CS (Confined Spaces) "high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) round that can be fired by the 84 mm Carl Gustaf recoilless weapon from within small enclosures."[56][55]
  • FFV751 is a tandem-warhead HEAT round with an effective range of 500 m and ability to penetrate more than 500 mm of armour. Weight is 4 kg.[54]
  • FFV756 is an MT (Multi Target) ammunition, designed for combat in built-up areas and for incapacitating an enemy under cover inside a building or some type of fortification. The MT 756 uses a tandem charge.[55]
  • Guided Multipurpose Munition (GMM) is a laser guided projectile developed between Saab and Raytheon, featuring a multipurpose warhead capable of defeating bunkers and moving light armored vehicles at a range of 2,500 m and can be fired from enclosed spaces.

Comparison to similar weapons edit

Comparison[57][page needed]
Origin Weapon Diameter (mm) Muzzle velocity (m/s) HEAT Warhead (kg) Armor penetration (est.) (mm) Effective range (m) Sight
Sweden M3-E1 Carl Gustaf 84 310 1
.70 400 450
United States M67 recoilless rifle 90 213 3
.06 350 400
France LRAC F1 89 300 2
.20 400 600 N/A
Soviet Union RPG-7 with PG-7VS grenade 72 140 2
.0 400 500 2.7×
Israel B-300 82 280 3
.0 400 400 N/A
China PF-98 120 310 7
.91 800 800
Sweden Pansarvärnspjäs 1110 90 700 10 800 900 N/A

Users edit

 
Map with Carl Gustaf operators in blue and former operators in red

Former users edit

  •   Netherlands: The M2 was in service with the Royal Netherlands Army since 1964, known as the Terugstootloze vuurmond (TLV) 84 mm, Carl Gustaf M-2. It is used in combination with the Kijker, richt, recht, 2x12 Wöhler scope.[106] The same model was also used in the Dutch Marine Corps, where it was known as the Terugstootloze vuurmond (TLV) van 84 mm, Carl Gustaf, M2.[107] It was replaced by the Panzerfaust 3.[108]
  •   Singapore: Replaced by MATADOR in 2013.[109]

Wars edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "31/127 – Arméförvaltningen, Tygavdelningen, Vapenbyrån, Serie F I, Avgångna och inkomna skrivelser ordnade efter klassifikationssystem, Volym nr 78 (Dnr 600022 – 680023: 1953): projekt 125000" [31/127 – The Swedish Army Materiel Administration, The Material Section, The Weapon Bureau, Series F I, Outgoing and incoming letters arranged according to classification system, Volume no. 78 (Dnr 600022 – 680023: 1953): project 125000] (Document) (in Swedish). Sweden: Armématerielförvaltningens arkiv via Krigsarkivet (the Royal Swedish Army Materiel Administration archive, via the Swedish Military Archive). 1953. SE/KrA/0062/D/01/008:H/F I/78.sok.riksarkivet.se/nad?postid=Arkis+4596cd59-f4f9-4833-a155-79ec6925b1a5
  2. ^ "Carl-Gustaf system". saab.com. Saab Dynamics. from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 14 April 2023. The Carl-Gustaf® recoilless rifle is a man-portable, multi-role weapon system
  3. ^ "The Carl Gustav Recoilless Rifle - 60 years and still going strong". newatlas.com. 24 April 2009. from the original on 16 November 2023. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  4. ^ "Saab, Raytheon Team To Improve Army Shoulder-Fired Weapons". defensedaily.com. 13 November 2017. from the original on 16 November 2023. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  5. ^ , Saab, 2014, archived from the original on 30 September 2014
  6. ^ Saab's latest Carl Gustaf M4 system impresses customers in live fire demonstration (press release), Saab, 26 September 2014, from the original on 30 September 2014, retrieved 26 September 2014, The official Carl Gustaf M4 product launch will take place at the AUSA exhibition in Washington, DC, on 13–15 Oct 2014
  7. ^ "84mm無反動砲「カール・グスタフ」", Right-Wing (in Japanese), JP: Sakura, from the original on 25 February 2010, retrieved 4 November 2009
  8. ^ a b , JP: Plala, archived from the original on 13 March 2012, retrieved 29 July 2008.
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External links edit

  • – manufacturer's product page
    • – official manufacturer's brochure
  • Video of loading and firing drill for Carl Gustaf recoilless rifle
  • Video of a Carl Gustaf recoilless rifle being fired

carl, gustaf, recoilless, rifle, swedish, pronunciation, kɑːɭ, ˈɡɵ, sːtav, named, after, carl, gustafs, stads, gevärsfaktori, which, initially, produced, swedish, developed, caliber, shoulder, fired, recoilless, rifle, initially, developed, royal, swedish, arm. The Carl Gustaf 8 4 cm recoilless rifle Swedish pronunciation kɑːɭ ˈɡɵ sːtav named after Carl Gustafs Stads Gevarsfaktori which initially produced it is a Swedish developed 84 mm 3 3 in caliber shoulder fired recoilless rifle initially developed by the Royal Swedish Army Materiel Administration during the second half of the 1940s as a crew served man portable infantry support gun for close range multi role anti armour anti personnel battlefield illumination smoke screening and marking fire 1 which has seen great export success around the globe and continues to be a popular multi purpose support weapon in use by many nations The Carl Gustaf 84 mm recoilless rifle is a lightweight low cost weapon that uses a wide range of ammunition which makes it extremely flexible and suitable for a wide variety of roles Carl Gustaf 84 mm Recoilless RifleCarl Gustaf M4 anti tank weaponTypeShoulder fired recoilless rifle crew served multi role infantry support gun 1 2 3 4 Place of originSwedenService historyIn service1948 presentUsed bySee UsersWarsSee WarsProduction historyDesignerHugo Abramson Sigfrid Akselson and Harald JentzenDesignedM1 1946 M2 1964 M3 1986 M4 2014 5 6 ManufacturerSaab Bofors Dynamics formerly Carl Gustafs Stads Gevarsfaktori Howa license 7 8 Unit costUS 20 000 Ammo cost US 500 toUS 3000 per round 9 SpecificationsMassM2 14 2 kg 31 lb 10 M3 10 kg 22 lb 10 M4 M3E1 6 6 kg 15 lb Length M2 1 130 mm 44 in 10 M4 M3E1 950 mm 37 in CrewTwo gunner and loader but may be used by a single operator at a reduced rate of fire Cartridge84 245 mm R RCL 11 Caliber84 mm 3 31 in ActionRecoilless single shot breechloader laterally percussion fired 12 Rate of fire6 rounds per minuteMuzzle velocity230 255 m s 750 840 ft s Effective firing range350 to 400 m 1 150 to 1 310 ft against moving vehicles 13 500 m 1 600 ft against stationary vehicles 13 1 000 m 3 300 ft using smoke and high explosive rounds 13 2 500 m 8 200 ft using rocket boosted laser guided ammunitionFeed systemHinged breechSightsOpen iron sights optical 3 laser rangefinder image intensification system Development of the initial model started from 1946 as one of the many recoilless rifle designs of that era based on the experience from the earlier Carl Gustaf 20 mm recoilless rifle and the success of man portable rocket launchers during World War II such as the Bazooka and Panzerschreck Production of the initial model was handled by Carl Gustafs Stads Gevarsfaktori led by Forsvarets Fabriksverk FFV and the weapon received the designation 8 4 cm granatgevar m 48 8 4 cm grg m 48 8 4 cm grenade rifle model 1948 in Swedish service FFV would continue to further develop the weapon for the international market later being merged into Saab Bofors Dynamics which handles development and export today While similar weapons have generally disappeared from service the Carl Gustaf is still in production and remains in widespread use today Contents 1 Name 2 Description 2 1 Operation 2 2 Safety precautions 3 Development history 3 1 1946 M1 in Sweden 8 4 cm grg m 48 3 2 1964 M2 export 3 3 1986 M3 in Sweden 8 4 cm grg m 86 3 4 1991 M3 export 3 5 2011 M3 in USA M3 MAAWS 3 6 2014 M4 export 3 7 2017 M4 in USA M3E1 MAAWS 3 8 2018 M4 in Sweden 8 4 cm grg m 18 3 9 2024 M4 in India 4 Combat history 4 1 1961 1964 Congo Crisis 4 2 2011 2021 War in Afghanistan 4 3 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine 5 Ammunition 6 Comparison to similar weapons 7 Users 7 1 Former users 8 Wars 9 See also 10 References 11 External linksName editThe weapon goes under many names around the globe It is most frequently called the Carl Gustaf or similar for short British troops for example refer to it as the Charlie G while Canadian troops often refer to it as Carl G 14 In Australia it is irreverently known as Charlie Gutsache guts ache meaning stomach pain or Charlie Swede 14 In U S military service it is officially known as the M3 Multi Role Anti Armor Anti Personnel Weapon System MAAWS or Ranger Antitank Weapons System RAWS but is often simply called the M3 Carl Gustaf or just Gustaf 14 In Swedish military service it is officially known as the 8 4 cm granatgevar m 48 m 86 and m 18 depending on the model M1 M3 M4 but is often simply referred to as the GRG ge er ge after their type designation abbreviation from granatgevar meaning grenade rifle since all models fire the same general ammunition and are used in much the same way although the 84 mm grg m 18 can use programmable and guided ammunition 15 Description edit nbsp U S Army Special Forces soldiers train with the Carl Gustaf recoilless rifle in 2009 Note the firing position and backblast At the shooter s feet the typical two round canister is clearly visible The basic weapon consists of the main tube with the breech mounted Venturi recoil damper with two grips near the front and a shoulder mount The weapon is fitted with iron sights but is normally aimed with the attached 3 optical sight with a 17 degree 300 mil field of view The most modern variants fielded by Swedish rifle companies have been fitted with the Swedish Aimpoint sighting system Luminous front and rear sight inserts are available for the iron sights when aiming at night and an image intensification system may also be used The Gustaf can be fired from the standing kneeling sitting or prone positions and a bipod may be attached in front of the shoulder piece An operating handle called the Venturi lock is used to move the hinged breech to one side for reloading Operation edit The weapon is normally operated by a two man crew a gunner who carries and fires the weapon and a loader carrying two canisters for a total of four rounds of ammunition One or two extra ammunition carriers can be assigned if heavy use is expected In the firing procedure it is the loader s responsibility to check the area behind the weapon for people and for obstacles that can interfere with the back blast this is needed due to the inherent dangers of the back blast Any person within the back blast cone can suffer severe burn injuries and solid objects closely behind can reflect the blast back onto the crew Safety precautions edit nbsp Soldier fires a Carl Gustaf Note the significant back blast The overpressure or blast wave generated by the Gustaf will cause blast and burn related injuries to those behind the weapon and is dangerous to 30 metres 100 ft 13 and hazardous to about 50 to 75 metres 160 to 250 ft 10 Repeatedly firing the Gustaf can also cause related shock wave injuries to gunners and those nearby 16 17 18 Gunners are only allowed to fire six rounds a day during training 19 The assistant gunners would also often move away from the overpressure zone so that they too can fire six rounds a day 19 Sweden the first user of Carl Gustaf has the regulation that both gunner and assistant gunner are allowed to have 20 full caliber rounds each day 20 Development history edit1946 M1 in Sweden 8 4 cm grg m 48 edit nbsp Swedish Carl Gustaf 84 mm recoilless rifle M1 8 4 cm grg m 48 nbsp Carl Gustaf 84 mm recoilless rifle M1 blueprint dated 7 February 1948 The Carl Gustaf M1 was developed around 1946 by Hugo Abramson and Harald Jentzen at the Royal Swedish Army Materiel Administration Kungliga Armeforvaltningens Tygavdelning and produced at Carl Gustafs Stads Gevarsfaktori from where it derives its name Development of the weapons system was preceded by a line of other recoilless developments between 1940 and 1946 featuring relatively small bore ammunition Carl Gustaf 20 mm recoilless rifle 1942 Swedish designation 20 mm pansarvarnsgevar m 42 21 Carl Gustaf 37 mm recoilless rifle 1943 Swedish designation 37 mm granatgevar fm 43 21 Carl Gustaf 47 mm recoilless rifle 1945 Swedish designation 47 mm granatgevar fm 45 22 Carl Gustaf 84 mm recoilless rifle 1948 Swedish designation 84 mm granatgevar m 48 Despite advances in recoilless rifle technology introduced by the development family it was quickly discovered that small bore solid steel penetrators were obsolete for shoulder fired antitank weapons thus caliber was gradually increased to focus on multirole shell type ammunition and the recent advances in shaped charge projectiles By 1946 a caliber of 84 mm was decided upon although larger calibers were proposed and tested 23 The 84 mm weapon was first introduced into Swedish service in 1948 as the 8 4 cm granatgevar m 48 filling a similar role as the U S Army s bazooka British PIAT and German Panzerschreck albeit with a higher focus on multirole and fire support than pure anti tank warfare Unlike the aforementioned weapons however the 84 mm Carl Gustaf used a rifled barrel for spin stabilising its rounds as opposed to fins used by the other systems Sweden did however also adopt a true man portable anti tank system around the same time the 8 cm raketgevar m 49 fixed and 8 cm raketgevar m 51 foldable rocket launchers only featuring anti tank ammunition 11 The use of the recoilless firing system allowed the Gustaf to use ammunition containing considerably more propellant firing its rounds at 290 m s 950 ft s as opposed to about 105 m s 340 ft s for the Panzerschreck and Bazooka and about 75 m s 250 ft s for the PIAT The result was superior accuracy at longer ranges The Gustaf can be used to attack larger stationary targets at up to 700 m 2 300 ft but the relatively low speed of the projectile restricts attacks on moving targets to a range of 400 m 1 300 ft or less citation needed The Gustaf was soon sold around the world and became one of the primary squad level anti tank weapons for many West European armies citation needed 1964 M2 export edit nbsp A Dutch Marine with an M2 Carl Gustaf 84 mm recoilless rifle during the NATO exercise Northern Wedding 1978 The Carl Gustaf M2 was introduced in 1964 as an improved lighter and slightly shorter version of the original M1 for the export market It quickly replaced the original version The German Bundeswehr maintains a small number of M2s for battlefield illumination citation needed 1986 M3 in Sweden 8 4 cm grg m 86 edit nbsp Swedish Carl Gustaf 84 mm recoilless rifle M3 8 4 cm grg m 86 The Carl Gustaf M3 started development in the 1980s and initially entered service with the Swedish Armed Forces as the 8 4 cm granatgevar m 86 8 4 cm grenade rifle model 1986 While similar to the export M3 it shares some spare parts with the original 1948 M1 model 15 It reduced the weight even further by replacing the forged steel tube with a thin steel liner containing the rifling strengthened by a carbon fibre outer sleeve The external steel parts were also replaced with plastics and aluminium alloys 1991 M3 export edit The current export Carl Gustaf M3 version was introduced in 1991 In recent years the M3 has found new life in a variety of roles The British Special Air Service United States Army Special Forces and United States Army Rangers use M3s in bunker busting and anti vehicle roles Many armies continue to use it as a viable anti armour weapon especially against 1950s and 1960s era tanks and other armoured vehicles still in use worldwide citation needed 2011 M3 in USA M3 MAAWS edit In the late 1980s the Special Operations Forces Modernization Action Plan indicated need for a Ranger Anti Armor Anti Personnel Weapon System RAAWS to replace the M67 recoilless rifle in use by the 75th Ranger Regiment A market survey in 1987 indicated that the Carl Gustaf M3 was the best candidate for satisfying RAAWS requirements On 29 September 1988 the M3 was selected as the RAAWS from candidate proposals submitted in response to the market survey compiled by ARDEC A subsequent review of the contractor supplied fatigue test data determined that the data did not meet U S Army requirements Benet Laboratories conducted fatigue tests of two tubes to establish an interim safe service life for the weapon Tests were conducted in 1993 The manufacturer s recommended life for the weapon was 500 rounds but bore surfaces showed no indications of erosion until 2 360 rounds The U S Navy SEALs became interested in the program and moved it to a Joint Integrated Product Team The program name subsequently changed from the RAAWS to the Multi Role Anti Armor Anti Personnel Weapon System MAAWS 24 The M3 Multi Role Anti Armor Anti Personnel Weapon System is the U S military designation for the Carl Gustaf M3 recoilless rifle It is primarily used by United States Special Operations Command such as the Army Rangers Army Special Forces Marine Raiders Navy SEALs and JSOC operators When used by the U S Army s 75th Ranger Regiment the M3 is known as the Ranger Anti tank Weapons System RAWS citation needed Army Rangers found the M3 was best employed using a two man team One person would carry the launcher and be armed with a pistol for personal protection and the other would carry 5 6 rounds of ammunition and act as a spotter for the gunner Although the single shot AT4 is lighter and can be carried by one person a Gustaf team with the heavier recoilless rifle can reload and fire more rounds 25 The M3 MAAWS fires the following ammunition citation needed High explosive HE 441 441B round High explosive anti tank HEAT 751 round High explosive anti tank rocket assisted projectile HEAT RAP 551 round High explosive dual purpose HEDP 502 round Area defense munition ADM 401 round Anti structure munition ASM 509 round Smoke Smk 469 round Illumination Illum 545 round Target practice tracer TPT 141 round Target practice rocket assisted projectile TP RAP 551 round 2014 M4 export edit nbsp M4 variant While the M3 MAAWS provided enhanced effectiveness over other launchers its 9 5 kg 21 lb weight burdened troops On 28 March 2013 USSOCOM announced a call for sources to develop a kit to lighten the weapon and reduce overall length without affecting handling or ruggedness By that time Saab was developing a weight reduced version prior to the SOCOM release that demonstrated no decrease in performance no increase in recoil and nearly equivalent barrel life that could be ready for government testing in 2014 Saab has also developed a new high explosive round that has a direct fire range of 1 500 meters when using a fire control system 26 The Carl Gustaf M4 was revealed by Saab at Association of the U S Army 2014 Compared to the M3 MAAWS the M4 is 3 4 kg 7 5 lb lighter weighing 6 6 kg 15 lb and shorter with a 950 mm 37 in overall length The shorter length was in response to the need to wield the weapon in urban terrain and weight savings were achieved through using lighter components whenever possible including a carbon fibre tube with titanium liner and a new venturi design Other new features include a red dot sight a travel safety catch to allow the M4 to be carried while loaded an adjustable shoulder rest and forward grip for improved ergonomics a shot counter to keep track of how many rounds have been fired to manage the weapon s 1 000 round barrel life 27 double that of the M3 28 29 picatinny rails for grips and sight mounts and a remote round management function so intelligent sights can communicate with programmable rounds 30 31 2017 M4 in USA M3E1 MAAWS edit nbsp The M3E1 is the US version of the M4 An updated M3 using titanium makes the weapon system six pounds lighter 2 5 inches shorter and has an improved carrying handle extra shoulder padding and an improved sighting system that can be adjusted for better comfort Following its reveal in 2014 the US Defence Department agreed to evaluate the shorter and lighter M4 version over the next two years 32 testing and qualifications were planned to be completed in spring 2017 and the weapon type classified as the M3E1 Multi Role Anti Armor Anti Personnel Weapon System in fall 2017 making the system available for procurement to all Department of Defence services 33 The first unit was planned to be equipped with the M3E1 in 2018 34 In April 2019 a contract of SEK 168 million US 18 1 million was approved to supply the Australian Army with ammunition for the Carl Gustaf M4 84 mm multipurpose weapon systems ordered by the service in September 2018 35 M3 was the name used for decades worldwide for the basic weapon For the new improved lighter titanium employing weapon first displayed in 2014 most used the name M4 except for the US In the US the Army designation for the US version of the improved M4 mentioned above is M3E1 In 2017 the U S Army approved a requirement for 1 111 M3E1 units to be fielded to soldiers as part of an Urgent Material Release The M3E1 is part of the Product Manager Crew Served Weapon portfolio A key benefit of the M3E1 is that it can fire multiple types of rounds giving soldiers increased capability on the battlefield By using titanium the updated M3E1 based on the M3A1 introduced in 2014 is more than six pounds lighter The M3E1 is also 2 5 inches shorter and has an improved carrying handle shoulder padding and an improved sighting system that can be adjusted for better comfort without sacrificing performance The wiring harness was included in the M3E1 configuration that provides a foregrip controller and programmable fuze setter for an interchangeable fire control system For added safety and cost savings an automatic round counter enables soldiers and logisticians to accurately track the service life of each weapon The M3E1 uses the same family of ammunition as the M3 which has been successfully tested 36 In November 2017 the U S Marine Corps announced they planned to procure the M3E1 MAAWS 1 200 M3E1s would be acquired with one fielded to every infantry squad In addition to infantry use the Marines are considering it to replace the Mk 153 SMAW in combat engineer squads The weapons perform similar functions and the improvements incorporated into the new M3E1 place it in the same size and approximate weight class as the SMAW While the SMAW weighs 2 5 lb 1 1 kg less when loaded the MAAWS has a greater variety of ammunition available and a maximum effective range of 1 000 meters twice that of the SMAW The Marines plan to test both weapons effectiveness against bunkers to inform their decision 37 2018 M4 in Sweden 8 4 cm grg m 18 edit In 2018 the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration Swedish Forsvarets materielverk FMV signed a contract with Saab to purchase the Carl Gustaf M4 as the 8 4 cm granatgevar m 18 8 4 cm grenade rifle model 2018 15 often written without the m to distinguish it from older m 18 model 1918 systems 8 4 cm granatgevar 18 abbr 8 4 cm grg 18 38 The M4 will replace the old M1 models 8 4 cm grg m 48 models still in service as some units are pushing 70 years in service 38 The 8 4 cm grg 18 will feature an advanced laser rangefinder and will be acquired with new programmable ammunition preliminary name HE 448 and a new improved HEAT shell 38 2024 M4 in India edit Saab announced in September 2022 that it would establish a manufacturing facility to produce the Carl Gustaf M4 weapons system in India It will be the company s first facility producing the M4 system outside Sweden The facility is expected to open in 2024 and will produce weapons for the Indian Armed Forces as well as export components to users worldwide 39 40 Construction of the facility started on 4 March 2024 41 Previous versions of the Carl Gustaf system have been in service with India since 1976 42 Combat history editThis list is incomplete you can help by adding missing items September 2023 1961 1964 Congo Crisis edit nbsp Swedish soldiers with the M1 variant holding a roadblock during the Congo Crisis As part of the Congo Crisis 1960 1965 Swedish troops were sent to Congo as ONUC peacekeepers in mid to late 1960 They initially lacked any heavy weaponry but due to rising threat levels they received tgb m 42 KP infantry fighting vehicles and heavy weaponry such as the M1 Carl Gustaf in time for the violent fighting in Elisabethville in 1961 43 44 The weapon proved its worth as a man portable multi purpose weapon and came to great use during the conflict One famous incident happened on 14 September 1961 when Swedish soldier Torsten Stalnacke then part of a M1 Carl Gustaf squad had his two squadmates shocked in connection with repelling a Gendarmerie armoured car attack on a refugee camp and their nearby depot forcing him to operate the M1 on his own Stalnacke advanced by himself against an enemy firing position meanwhile managing to take out an enemy armoured car and a number of enemies before his jaw was shot to pieces 45 46 His chin hung down to his chest and he was suffocating With his fingers he cleared the throat from bone fragments and pulled the tongue up thereby able to breath again During the retreat and with whistling bullets around him Stalnacke kept his chin up with one hand and held the M1 with the other and managed with hand gestures and kicks get his two badly shocked comrades with him from the battlefield 47 2011 2021 War in Afghanistan edit In November 2011 the U S Army began ordering the M3 MAAWS for regular units deployed in Afghanistan Soldiers were being engaged with RPGs at 900 meters while their light weapons had effective ranges of 500 600 meters The Gustaf allows airburst capability of troops in defilade out to 1 250 meters and high explosive use out to 1 300 meters 26 In late 2012 the Army fielded 58 M3s and 1 500 rounds of ammunition to units deployed to Afghanistan to destroy enemy targets out to 1 000 meters This was because RPG and machine gun teams could attack 900 meters away while existing weaponry such as the M141 Bunker Defeat Munition M72 LAW M136 AT4 and MK153 SMAW have effective ranges of only 500 meters The AT4 is lighter and cheaper but is made of reinforced fiberglass while the M3 s rifled metal carbon fiber launch tube allows for reloading Employing the 22 lb M3 is easier than the 50 lb FGM 148 Javelin with its launcher with missile and reusable command launch unit is faster than waiting on mortars and is cheaper than the Javelin and artillery shells for engaging targets in hard cover 24 Although Special Operations forces had been using the M3 since the early 1990s light infantry unit commanders in Afghanistan had to submit operational needs statements to get the weapon The M3 became an official Program of Record in the conventional Army in 2014 and a conditional materiel release was authorized in late 2015 to equip all brigade combat teams with one M3 launcher per infantry platoon 48 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine edit Since 2022 the Carl Gustaf has been used in combat in the Russian invasion of Ukraine by Ukrainian forces being used to target both tanks and infantry According to Ukraine s Ministry of Defense a Carl Gustaf was used to destroy the first Russian T 90M main battle tank of the war 49 50 51 Ammunition edit nbsp Carl Gustaf 8 4 cm recoilless rifle round ammunition on display The Carl Gustaf 84 mm recoilless gun fires a 84 245 mm rimmed recoilless 84 245R RCL cartridge with a blowout base for propellant gas ventilation 11 Ammunition initially consisted of high explosive HE high explosive anti tank HEAT airburst HE TF and smoke shells not counting target practice TP ammunition but improvements to the ammunition family have been continual While the older HEAT rounds are not particularly effective against modern tank armor the weapon has found new life as a bunker buster with a high explosive dual purpose HEDP round Also improved HEAT high explosive HE smoke and illumination star shell or flare ammunition is also available For full effectiveness illumination rounds must be fired at a very high angle creating a danger for the gunner who can be burned from the backblast For this reason several armies have retired the illumination rounds while the U S Army requires that they be fired from a standing position AEI Systems Ltd a British defence products manufacturer headquartered in Ascot Berkshire offers a variant of the platform dubbed the AE84 RCL designed to fire the M540 M550 line of 84 245 mm R ammunition manufactured in Belgium by Mecar 52 Note that the following are the Swedish manufacturer designations other countries use similar terminology replacing the FFV Forsvarets Fabriksverk FFV401 is an Area Defence Munition designed as a close range anti personnel round It fires 1100 flechettes over a wide area 53 FFV441 is an HE round useful in a lobbed trajectory to 1 000m which can be fused to either detonate on impact or as an airburst FFV441B is an HE round with an effective range against personnel in the open of 1 100 m The round arms after 20 to 70 m of flight weighs 3 1 kg and is fired at a muzzle velocity of 255 m s 54 FFV469 is a smoke round fired like the FFV441 with a range of about 1 300 m The 3 1 kg round is also fired at 255 m s 54 FFV502 is an HEDP round with the ability to be set to detonate on either impact or one tenth second later Effective range is 1 000 m against dispersed soft targets such as infantry in the open 500 m against stationary targets and 300 m against moving targets Minimum range is 15 to 40 m to arm the warhead Penetration exceeds 150 mm of rolled homogeneous armour RHA Ammunition weight is 3 3 kg and muzzle velocity is 230 m s 54 FFV509 is an ASM Anti Structure Munition designed especially to destroy buildings and other types of urban constructions The fuse has two modes impact or a delayed function 55 FFV545 is an illuminating star shell fired up to 2 300 m maximum range but with an effective envelope of 300 to 2 100 m Suspended by parachute the star shell burns for 30 seconds while producing 650 000 candela providing a 400 to 500 m diameter area of illumination FFV551 is the primary HEAT round and is a rocket assisted projectile RAP Effective range is up to 700 m 400 m against moving targets and penetration up to 400 mm of RHA Ammunition weight is 3 2 kg and muzzle velocity is 255 m s 54 FFV552 is a practice round with the same ballistics as the 551 FFV651 is a newer HEAT round using mid flight rocket assistance for ranges up to 1 000m In theory it has less penetration than the FFV551 but it includes a stand off probe for the fuse to improve performance against reactive armour HEAT 655 CS Confined Spaces high explosive anti tank HEAT round that can be fired by the 84 mm Carl Gustaf recoilless weapon from within small enclosures 56 55 FFV751 is a tandem warhead HEAT round with an effective range of 500 m and ability to penetrate more than 500 mm of armour Weight is 4 kg 54 FFV756 is an MT Multi Target ammunition designed for combat in built up areas and for incapacitating an enemy under cover inside a building or some type of fortification The MT 756 uses a tandem charge 55 Guided Multipurpose Munition GMM is a laser guided projectile developed between Saab and Raytheon featuring a multipurpose warhead capable of defeating bunkers and moving light armored vehicles at a range of 2 500 m and can be fired from enclosed spaces Comparison to similar weapons editComparison 57 page needed Origin Weapon Diameter mm Muzzle velocity m s HEAT Warhead kg Armor penetration est mm Effective range m Sight Sweden M3 E1 Carl Gustaf 84 310 1 70 400 450 2 United States M67 recoilless rifle 90 213 3 06 350 400 3 France LRAC F1 89 300 2 20 400 600 N A Soviet Union RPG 7 with PG 7VS grenade 72 140 2 0 400 500 2 7 Israel B 300 82 280 3 0 400 400 N A China PF 98 120 310 7 91 800 800 4 Sweden Pansarvarnspjas 1110 90 700 10 800 900 N AUsers editThis section may require copy editing for incomplete sentences lacking grammatical subjects You can assist by editing it May 2023 Learn how and when to remove this message nbsp Map with Carl Gustaf operators in blue and former operators in red nbsp Argentina 58 59 nbsp Australia 60 M2 replaced by M3 variant M4 on order 61 nbsp Austria 60 nbsp Bangladesh 62 nbsp Belgium 63 nbsp Belize 60 nbsp Botswana 60 nbsp Brazil 60 nbsp Burkina Faso 60 nbsp Canada 60 nbsp Colombia 64 M3 variant nbsp Chile 65 nbsp Czech Republic 66 nbsp Denmark 60 M1 officially called M 65 M2 called M 79 M3 called M 85 67 68 M4 to be delivered in 2022 69 With each new variant older variant phased out All variants have commonly been referred to as Dysekanon in the Danish army nbsp Estonia M2 M3 variants Purchased 250 M4s in 2021 for 12 7 million to replace M2 variants 70 71 nbsp Germany 63 nbsp Ghana 60 nbsp Greece 72 nbsp Hungary M4 nbsp Honduras 60 nbsp India 60 A modified version has also been developed by the DRDO which is significantly lighter due to use of advanced composites 73 nbsp Indonesia Used by the Komando Pasukan Katak Kopaska tactical diver group and Komando Pasukan Khusus Kopassus special forces group 74 nbsp Kurdistan Peshmerga 43 launchers and 1 000 projectiles 75 76 nbsp Ireland Defence Forces specialist units including Army Ranger Wing ARW 60 nbsp Israel 60 nbsp Japan M2 called 84 mm Recoilless Rifle 8 M3 called multi purpose gun 多用途ガン nbsp Kenya 60 nbsp Kuwait 77 nbsp Latvia M4 on order citation needed nbsp Libya 60 nbsp Lithuania M2 M3 and M4 78 79 nbsp Malaysia M2 and M3 variant in service 110 new units of M4 variant ordered in 2021 80 60 nbsp Myanmar Used by divisional heavy weapon companies in bunker busting infantry support light artillery role for counter insurgency campaigns 81 Clones made as BA 84 MA 84 MK and MK II nbsp Nepal 60 nbsp New Zealand 60 nbsp Nigeria 60 nbsp Norway M2 M3 M4 82 nbsp Poland Used by special forces 83 On 5 March 2024 the Polish Armament Agency announced the purchase of over 6 000 Carl Gustaf M4 anti tank weapons complemented by a vast arsenal of various types of ammunition such as armor piercing high explosive smoke and training rounds among others 84 nbsp Portugal M2 and M3 variants used by Portuguese Army and Portuguese Marine Corps 85 86 nbsp Saudi Arabia 87 nbsp Serbia 88 nbsp Sierra Leone 60 nbsp Slovakia M3 launch customer for the M4 variant which became operational in July 2017 89 90 nbsp Sweden 60 M2 M3 M4 on order will replace all old M2 M3 between 2020 and 2023 Tamil Eelam Used by the Tamil Tigers during the Final Eelam War 91 nbsp Thailand 60 nbsp Ukraine 100 units with 2 000 rounds of ammunition donated by the Government of Canada due to the Russo Ukrainian War 92 93 nbsp United Arab Emirates 60 nbsp United Kingdom M2 variant was used as the L14A1 Infantry Anti Tank Gun 94 95 or Medium Anti Tank Weapon 96 from the 1960s until the early 1990s when it was replaced by LAW 80 97 98 99 Procurement of M4 variant was announced in 2023 to replenish munitions granted to Ukraine 100 nbsp United States Used by USSOCOM U S Army Ranger battalions 101 and some regular U S Army infantry units in the War in Afghanistan 102 103 In February 2014 the M3 MAAWS was designated as a Program of Record within the U S Army and became standard issue in Army Light Infantry units 104 105 nbsp Venezuela nbsp Zambia 60 Former users edit nbsp Netherlands The M2 was in service with the Royal Netherlands Army since 1964 known as the Terugstootloze vuurmond TLV 84 mm Carl Gustaf M 2 It is used in combination with the Kijker richt recht 2x12 Wohler scope 106 The 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Imperial War Museum Archived from the original on 5 June 2023 Retrieved 5 June 2023 Owen William F 2007 Light Anti Armour Weapons Anti Everything PDF Asian Military Review Archived from the original PDF on 7 July 2011 Retrieved 12 May 2010 Carl Gustav Anti Tank Weapon ParaData Archived from the original on 5 April 2023 Retrieved 5 June 2023 UK and Sweden strengthen defence relationship as ministers sign agreement on self propelled guns Archived from the original on 30 March 2023 Retrieved 30 March 2023 The World defense almanac 1996 97 p 32 Robinson Spc Nigel 27 October 2011 Carl Gustaf Recoilless Rifle 7th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment Defense Video and Imagery Distribution System Archived from the original on 30 August 2023 Retrieved 15 November 2011 U S Army Orders Additional Carl Gustaf Weapon System Defense talk 27 September 2012 archived from the original on 11 September 2013 retrieved 27 June 2013 Carl Gustaf Selected as Standard Equipment for U S Army Light Infantry Units Deagel 20 February 2014 archived from the original on 24 February 2014 retrieved 21 February 2014 US Army approves Carl Gustaf M3 MAAWS for general use IHS Janes 16 May 2016 archived from the original on 17 May 2016 retrieved 16 May 2016 Talens Martien De ransel op de rug deel 2 Brabantia Nostra p 400 Handboek voor de Marinier 1978 pp 21 53 Gmelich Meijling J C 9 February 1998 Brief staatssecretaris Anti tankwapens Archived from the original on 15 February 2018 Retrieved 14 February 2018 Army News Issue No 235 PDF Ministry of Defence Singapore 2015 Archived from the original PDF on 23 June 2015 Retrieved 23 June 2015 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Carl Gustaf recoilless rifle Saabs Bofors manufacturer s product page Saab Bofors official manufacturer s brochure Video of loading and firing drill for Carl Gustaf recoilless rifle Video of a Carl Gustaf recoilless rifle being fired Carl Gustaf anti tank recoilless rifle Sweden Modern Firearms U S Army Armament Research Development amp Engineering Center FCT and SOCOM Shoulder Fired Weapons May 2005 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Carl Gustaf 8 4 cm recoilless rifle amp oldid 1222088811, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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