Australia orders Carl-Gustaf M4 weapons worth $37.2 million from Saab

Asia-Pacific, Europe, News July 6, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

Sweden’s leading aerospace and defense manufacturer, Saab, received a $37.2 million order from the Australian Department of Defense for the supply of Carl-Gustaf M4 rifles. The deliveries are expected in 2024-2025.

Australia is upgrading its existing arsenal with the latest models of the Carl-Gustaf M4 weapons equipped with three new components, the latest Fire Control Device (FCD 558), a target optics made up of components from Hensoldt and Aimpoint, and the programmable high-explosive ammunition.

Head of Saab’s business area Dynamics Gorgen Johansson announced the company’s latest deal with the Australian Department of Defense. “This order continues Saab’s longstanding relationship with the Australian Defense Force,” he said.

He added that “We are proud to deliver modern and user-focused weapon systems that ensure the Australian armed forces’ ability to meet a wide range of challenges on the battlefield.”

Carl-Gustaf M4

The Car-Gustaf is a multirole, recoilless weapon system developed to secure dismounted infantry soldiers. It uses a large 84 mm caliber munition. The weapon is a man-portable shoulder rifle that was initially developed for the Royal Swedish Army in the 1940s. The latest models of the weapon were introduced in 2014, which are easy to use and highly portable, weighing approximately 7 kilograms and measuring less than 1 meter in length.

The weapon system’s design is inspired by other man-portable rocket launchers such as Bazooka and Javelin. The current order is Australia’s second procurement of the Carl-Gustaf M4 rifles.

The Australian military has been using the Carl-Gustaf M2 and M3, the predecessors of the latest M4 model. In 2019, Saab received a $15.46 million order to provide Carl-Gustaf ammunition to the Australian Army. The weapons are used by more than 40 countries around the world including India, Germany, Ukraine, and the United States.

*^{The multi-purpose Carl-Gustaf weapon system. (Image Credit: SAAB)}*

Australian Army tests AS9 howitzer

Separately on July 3, 2023, the Australian military also conducted a live-fire test for its AS9 Huntsman self-propelled howitzer. Three artillery rounds from AS9 Huntsman 155 mm self-propelled howitzer (SPH) were fired at a government testing facility in South Korea. During the test, the Australian Army evaluated the AS9’s performance, safety, and compatibility with the South Korean K9 Thunder platform.

Major Brendan Kelleher, the head of the project team, said that the tests ensured the combination of Australian ammunition and the South Korean cannon was safe for service.

The project is led by South Korea’s Hanhwa Defense Industry. Australian Army is set to receive two AS9s, modeled off the South Korean K9 Thunder, and an AS10 armored ammunition resupply vehicle by the end of this year. The remaining 42 vehicles will begin production in Australia late next year after Hanhwa finishes the construction of its production facility at Avalon, Australia.