Finland has authorized the procurement of German firm Dynamit Nobel Defence’s RGW110 anti-tank weapon system to replace the 112mm RSKES Apilas, which has been in Finnish service since the 1980s.
The procurement is valued at approximately 84.5 million euros ($98 million), excluding value-added tax. Deliveries of the weapon system and training equipment, along with operator training, are scheduled to begin in 2027.
According to the Finnish Ministry of Defence, the new weapon is designed for use by individual soldiers against tanks at close range and will complement the Finnish Army’s multilayered anti-tank capabilities.
“The heavy anti-tank weapon provides every unit with a close-range capability against main battle tanks. It is reliable and can be used in various operating environments, regardless of lighting or weather conditions, from built-up areas to different types of terrain and in both offensive and defensive operations,” the Finnish Army said in a press release.
“The effective range of this unguided weapon is relatively short, but Finland’s broken, forested terrain compensates for this limitation. The anti-tank weapon is a reliable asset for every unit, including when other weapons cannot achieve the desired effect.”
RGW110 Anti-Tank Weapon
The RGW110 family is intended to succeed the Panzerfaust 3, which entered service with the German military in 1992. Hungary also selected the new anti-tank weapon in 2022.
The Panzerfaust 3 is a man-portable, recoilless anti-tank weapon developed between 1978 and 1985. The weapon has an effective range of approximately 300 to 400 meters (984 to 1,312 feet) and a combat weight of about 12.8 kilograms (28.2 pounds).
Compared with the Panzerfaust 3, the RGW110 HH-T features a 110mm tandem shaped-charge warhead designed to penetrate modern tank armor, including explosive reactive armor.
According to Dynamit Nobel Defence, the weapon weighs more than 3 kilograms (6.6 pounds) less than the Panzerfaust 3 and can engage targets at ranges of up to 600 meters (1,969 feet). It can also be fitted with a fire-control sight to improve hit probability.
The RGW110 is part of Dynamit Nobel Defence’s family of recoilless, shoulder-fired weapons designed for single-soldier operation against armored vehicles and structures, including tanks and field fortifications.
