Saab and Raytheon successfully completed a series of flight tests of the shoulder-launched Guided Carl-Gustaf Munition, the companies said.
The tests were performed at the Mile High Range in Sierra Blanca, Texas and at Saab Bofors Test Centre in Karlskoga, Sweden.
The Sweden tests were carried out on September 25 and 26, Saab said in a release. Two munitions were fired against static targets and a third against a moving target.
Saab said tests used semi-active laser guidance, but other seeker technologies including imaging IR, were also demonstrated as optional solutions. Dynamic warhead tests against various targets were also conducted.
An all-up round is expected to be tested in 2020, Raytheon said.
The Guided Carl-Gustaf Munition “will be the most advanced Carl-Gustaf munition yet and will offer greater precision, minimise collateral damage and deliver outstanding performance with pin-point accuracy and multi-target capability,” said Görgen Johansson, Head of Saab business area Dynamics.
Sam Deneke, Raytheon Land Warfare Systems vice president said the precision-guided munition “will penetrate multiple types of targets, such as light armor, bunkers and concrete structures, at extended ranges … making it an ideal weapon when fighting under restricted rules of engagement.”
Saab and Raytheon announced their partnership to develop new weapons for infantry forces in 2017.
The new semi-active laser Guided Carl-Gustaf Munition is designed to accurately engage stationary or moving targets at up to 2,000 m (1.2 miles), effectively doubling the system’s current range. Its confined space capability allows the weapon to be fired from inside structures, offering greater tactical flexibility when selecting a firing position.
Saab’s 84 mm Carl-Gustaf man-portable multi-role recoilless rifle weapon system is used by the U.S. Army and the ground forces of more than 40 other countries. The latest version, the 950 mm- (37 in) long Carl-Gustaf M4, is shorter and lighter than previous models, weighing 6.6 kg (15 lb). The system is capable of firing a wide range of ammunition types from smoke to high explosives.