Indian Armed Forces get single shot system from Swedish SAAB
Indian Army and Indian Air Force are the new customers of the AT4, from SAAB of Sweden. The Indian forces are already using SAAB’s Carl-Gustaf system. The single shot weapon has been selected by the Indian Armed Forces through a competitive programme.
What are the Indian Armed Forces getting?
The Swedish company SAAB is giving the Indian Forces AT4CS AST. This can be fired from confined spaces like bunkers, from inside buildings, and other urban environments.
AT4CS AST offers a tandem warhead with a breach or blast mode. This mode, according to an official statement issued by the company, is optimised to destroy structures which can create a point of access into them, and defeat enemies within buildings.
Who signed the contract?
The news of the signing of the contract was shared by the Swedish company on its website on Thursday (Jan 20, 2022). The contract was inked by FFV Ordnance AB, the arm which is responsible for the company’s Ground Combat offer in India.
More about AT4CS
This is a preloaded weapon system. It is fully disposable.
This is in the range of light weight, man-portable.
It comes with a unique shaped-charge warhead and it is specially developed. And, it delivers outstanding behind-armour effect inside the target.
It has an effective range of 20-300 metres and weighs less than 8 Kg.
More about AT4
Based on the information available in the public domain, this is one of the most successful support weapon families available in the market.
This weapon can be operated by a single soldier and has proven efficacy against helicopters, armoured vehicles, personnel, structures, and landing craft.
It can be used to hit vital assets of the enemy, and can also be used to protect supply points and fixed installations.
It comes with an 84 mm calibre warhead, which offers enhanced performance and power.
Company Executives speak
According to the official statement issued by the company, Görgen Johansson, head of Saab’s business area Dynamics, said, “The Indian Army and Indian Air Force can be confident in the knowledge that they have the necessary firepower to give them the advantage.”
Highlighting the capabilities of the new system that Indian Armed Forces are getting, Ola Rignell, Chairman and Managing Director at Saab India, says “The selection of the system through a competitive process underscores Saab’s commitment to bring to Indian forces the latest systems.”
US Army also uses this
The US Army too has the shoulder-launched AT4CS RS (Confined Space Reduced Sensitivity) anti-armour weapon system.
New versions of the weapon were introduced to the market in 2014. And the new variants are part of the proven AT4CS family. They build upon Saab’s AT4 family of disposable weapons and also the modular 84-mm product range including the Carl-Gustaf multi-purpose reloadable weapon system.
More about SAAB
This Swedish company is into designing, manufacturing, and maintaining advanced aeronautics systems, sensors, underwater systems, weapons, command and control.