Carl-Gustaf M4: Saab’s 84mm Multi-Role Weapon System
The Carl-Gustaf is one of the most proliferated infantry weapons in military history. Over one million tubes have been produced since the system entered service in 1948; more than 45 nations operate it. The current M4 generation combines a carbon-fibre barrel jacket — reducing weight to approximately 7 kg — with a programmable round interface that allows the gunner to set fuze delay and point of detonation before firing. Together with the GE F414G-powered Gripen E and the NLAW, it forms the centrepiece of Saab’s Dynamics portfolio.
Technical Specifications
| Calibre | 84 mm |
| Weight (empty, M4) | ~7 kg |
| Effective Range | ~700 m (stationary target) / ~500 m (moving armour) |
| Crew | Gunner + loader (1+1) |
| Ammunition | HEDP, HEAT, HE, HESH, Smoke, Illumination, APFSDS-T |
| US Designation | M3 / M4 MAAWS (Multi-Role Anti-Armor Anti-Personnel Weapons System) |
| IOC | M1: 1948; M4: 2014 |
| Users | 45+ countries |
Key Contracts
In September 2022, Saab received a USD 81.8 million order from US armed forces for Carl-Gustaf ammunition and AT4CS RS systems under a 2019 IDIQ framework contract covering the US Army, US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) and the US Marine Corps. This single order illustrates the scale of US procurement under the MAAWS programme — the US is now one of the largest Carl-Gustaf operators in the world.
Sources
- Saab press release — Carl-Gustaf/AT4 US order, September 2022 — saab.com
- Saab Carl-Gustaf product page — saab.com
