The Swedish defense firm Saab has signed a contract to provide U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) with $187 million in Carl Gustav recoilless rifles and ammunition.
The versatile weapon has been used by special operations troops for over a decade. Unlike the U.S. Army’s AT4 light antitank weapon, the Carl Gustav can be reloaded.
The military website Defense News reported Wednesday that the contract with Saab comes on top of a previous five-year deal worth $14.3 million.
Special Forces operators believe that the weapon, which can hit targets from up to 900 meters away, is often an improvement over other shoulder-fired weapons. The U.S. Army’s M141 bunker-defeating munition, M72 light antitank weapon and AT4 are typically only effective up to a range of 500 meters, Defense News reported.
Saab bills its weapon as “a true multirole, man-portable, shoulder-fired weapon” that offers soldiers “various types of ammunition, ranging from armor penetration and antipersonnel to ammunition for built-up areas as well as special features like smoke and illumination.”
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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