The Royal Thai Army (RTA) which is an existing operator of Saab’s Carl-Gustaf M3 man-portable weapon systems is reportedly also interested in upgrading to the newer Carl-Gustaf M4 multirole weapon system. Saab is showcasing the Carl-Gustaf M4 at the ongoing show. The Carl-Gustaf M4 is the latest version of the long-serving man-portable weapon system which in its various variants is in use with 40 customers worldwide. Till date, out of 40 customers for Saab’s Carl-Gustaf family of weapons, at least 16 have opted for the new M4 variant. This has included many first-time customers, bringing new operators into the Carl-Gustaf fold.
The weight of the Carl-Gustaf M4 is less than half that of the older M2 version. The M4 weapon is backward-compatible with all legacy Carl-Gustaf ammunition, which is an important consideration for militaries, which have large numbers of the recoilless weapon in their inventory. The Carl-Gustaf M4 is shorter by one meter and weighs less than seven kg as compared to its predecessors. The M4 variant is 3 kg lighter than the older M3 variant, providing troops with much greater agility in the combat field.
The M4 also has shot counter, which allows operators to record the numbers of rounds fired from the weapon. The shot counter records all 84 mm rounds fired from the weapon. The Carl-Gustaf M4 has a life of 1,000 rounds.
It can also be fitted with a wide range of sights to ensure maximum effect in any tactical situation and flexibility for the user. The system is attached with standard clip-on telescopic sight, and additional options, include an open sight, red dot sight and advanced fire control devices, available. It also has a Fire Control Device (FCD) 558. There no range knobs on the M4 and it has built-in ballistics data for all Carl-Gustaf ammunition, allowing rapid reloading and adjustment, and improved sensors for temperature and air pressure. Saab’s HE 448 high-explosive round and FCD 558 fire control device also take the Carl-Gustaf user experience to a new level. An interface in the round allows it to communicate with the new fire control device (FCD), greatly enhancing accuracy.
The HE 448 is a powerful high-explosive round designed for use against unprotected troops, troops in defilade, and soft skin targets including vehicles. It is a successor to the HE 441 explosive round. Saab reduced the HE 448’s weight and made modifications to the composition help increase the range, fragment distribution and lethality of the round. The HE 448 to be used in both direct attack and air burst mode. This new HE round has better ability to defeat body armour. Hostile forces are increasingly wearing such armour which can limit the effectiveness of fragmentation rounds. To combat this, Saab took two steps; it replaced the mechanical fuze of the HE 441 with a much smaller electro-mechanical fuze in the HE 448. The 800 steel balls in the HE 441 were replaced with 4,000 tungsten pellets in the HE 448, increasing fragment density and the overall probability of striking vulnerable areas on the enemy combatant.
Saab’s legacy FCD and HE round allowed the engagement of targets at up to 1300 metres. By reducing the overall weight of the HE 448 by 500 grams compared to the HE 441, the former now weighs 2.7 kg. The reduced weight provides higher muzzle velocity and ability to cover more ground. Improvements in ballistics have also ensured that not only does the HE 448 fly further but is also able to maintain outstanding levels of accuracy over that distance.
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