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Carl-Gustaf recoilless rifle

The Carl-Gustaf recoilless rifle, designated in Swedish service as the Granatgevär m/48, is an 84-mm man-portable reusable anti-tank weapon. It was originally produced by Carl Gustafs Stads Gevärsfaktori (that later was merged into Saab Bofors Dynamics) in Sweden, hence the name. British troops refer to it as the "Charlie G", while Canadian troops often refer to it as "Carl G". In U.S. military service, it is officially known as the "M3 Multi-Role Anti-Armor Anti-Personnel Weapon System" (MAAWS) or "Ranger Anti-tank Weapons System" (RAWS), but is often just called "Gustaf". In Australia, it is irreverently known as "Charlie Gutsache" (guts ache, slang for stomach pain), or "Charlie Swede".

The man-portable, multi-role weapon system allows dismounted soldiers to deal with multiple challenges on the modern battlefield. Dismounted troops and special forces face a broader range of challenges than ever before. Having a single weapon system for all situations increases tactical flexibility while reducing the amount of equipment to carry.

The gun is breech-loaded and can be fired from the standing, kneeling, sitting or prone positions. A built-in detachable bi-pod helps the shooter raise the weapon off the ground while shooting from the prone position. The propellant gas escapes through the rear of the weapon, which equalizes the force of recoil.

The 84-mm Carl Gustaf M3 is a lightweight shoulder-fired recoilless-type weapon. The barrel consists of a thin steel liner overwrapped with a composite jacket made of carbon fiber in an epoxy matrix. The steel venturi is attached to the rear of the barrel by the axis pin and the fastening strap. The steel liner's rifling is 1 mm (0.039 in.) deep, and the liner itself is 0.5 mm (0.20 in.) thick. The tube has several brackets and mounting lugs held in place to its outer surface by adhesive bonding and additional circumferential composite windings.

It is important to note that the liner was designed for minimum weight. In a conventional all-steel tube, this design would be considered marginal The difference between an all-steel tube and the Carl Gustaf M3 structure is that the metal liner is only intended to provide rifling and act as a protective barrier from the hot propellant gases. Pressure containment is the function of the composite jacket.

The Carl-Gustaf® is designed for many missions. Light and ruggedised, this multipurpose capability provides freedom of action for the soldier in all environments. With its comprehensive range of ammunition, Carl-Gustaf® can adapt to any advanced operation, making it the best multipurpose system around. Crew-operated, man-portable and multi-mission, the solution is flexible towards anything that is thrown at it. The combat-proven, easy to operate and train with Carl-Gustaf® system is a friend to the user and forceful foe to the enemy.

A number of methods for launching a projectile from shoulder-fired support weapons are known in the art, for example rocket-propelled, inter alia recoilless back blast launchers or launchers working according to the Davis-Gun principle involving a countermass. Whereas these methods involve various benefits, they also have a negative impact on other parameters such as high acoustic pressure and needs for longer barrels and heavier weapons. As an example, it is difficult to achieve a combination of high velocity of the projectile and a low acoustic pressure. Rocket launching generally results in low stress caused by acceleration, workable acoustic pressure levels, but low velocities of the projectile. The Davis-Gun principle results in high stress, low acoustic pressure and needs a longer passway for the countermass in the barrel. Of this reason, a longer barrel and heavier countermass may be demanded resulting in less user-adapted solutions. Recoilless back blast launchers typically have low weights resulting in high velocities of the projectile, but high stress and very high acoustic pressure.

These weapons have the chief advantage of affording low pressure increases around the gunner. Such a weapon, being of the type distinguished by the invention, can thus be fired from within confined spaces, as during urban combat, without risk to the gunner. The need for weapons of said type has long been known and although there exist today a number of different, in principle, recoilless or reloadable weapons of backblast and/or countermass type, that are both easily handled by the gunner and highly effective in-target, it is relatively few of these that combine these properties with the property being able to be fired from confined spaces while maintaining an acceptable range and posing no risks to the gunner.

The projectile, for weapons of this type, achieves the desired muzzle velocity from a propellant charge as the recoil of the weapon is simultaneously countered by the same propellant charge in so far as said charge is fired rearwards of the direction of projectile fire in the rear-opened barrel. The subject invention now offers a general method of reducing the pressure increase around the weapon generated upon firing, thus said invention can form the basis of a new family of countermass weapons, encompassing reloadable as well as disposal type(s).

The Carl-Gustaf recoilless rifle is a renowned example of such a reloadable weapon. The Carl-Gustaf makes use of countermass in such recoilless weapons in which the projectile fired normally reaches the desired muzzle velocity according to the so called backblast principle. The projectile, for weapons of this type, achieves the desired muzzle velocity from a propellant charge as the recoil of the weapon is simultaneously countered by the same propellant charge in so far as said charge is fired rearwards of the direction of projectile fire in the rear-opened barrel. The barrels of backblast weapons in a widening conical gas outlet, which, initially, partially limit the rearwards free-release area of the barrel. Two different assembled propellant charges be used for the Carl-Gustaf recoilless rifle.

These weapons have the chief advantage of affording low pressure increases around the gunner. The need for weapons that can be fired from confined spaces has long been known and although there exist today a number of different, in principle, recoilless or reloadable weapons of backblast and/or countermass type, that are both easily handled by a lone gunner and highly effective in-target, it is relatively few of these that combine these properties with the property being able to be fired from confined spaces while maintaining an acceptable range without risk to the gunner.

Over time, much work has been devoted to the selection and consistency of the countermass used in the different types of weapons, because one can state from an early stage that the selection of the countermass affects the pressure increase around the countermass weapon fired as well as the backflash behind the weapon. An additional advantage of countermass is the radically reduced visible heat signature of the weapon due to the extinguishing of the backflash behind the weapon to a greater or lesser extent. In the context of attempting to disperse pressure increases around the gunner, an especial problem has been that one could never accept a reduced pressure increase around the gunner by means of a greater reduction of weapon range and, thus, reducing general usability in the open. A further problem with said countermasses has been that all conceivable countermasses are either fine grained particulate material or have been composed of fluids or some combination of both types. This has entailed that all conceivable countermasses must be packed in the weapon and that these packagings must, in connection with the weapon being fired, open while the packaging must also withstand all other inclement treatment as all other defence materiel until the moment of firing.

Countermasses must be maintained in an appropriate manner until the firing of a given weapon in order to function as a counteragent against the weapon propellant that balances the projectile and thereby eliminates recoil forces that would otherwise affect the weapon. The countermass shall also extinguish the propellant gases, by dispersion there among, and thereby reduce weapon signature and limit the pressure increase around the weapon. The last mentioned function is especially important in the case of one man portable weaponry, as the human body can not withstand large increases of pressure. This problem becomes more accentuated if there is a further need to fire the given weapon from concealed positions within confined spaces, e.g., from within buildings, which thereby often can be cases of "urban combat". In most cases when the countermass contains fluid components it is an inevitable requirement that at least the fluid component is initially completely contained in a sealed container.

Initially, it can also be advantageous to have the countermass vacuum sealed, sufficiently rugged and wholly sealed packaging in cases of particulate countermass, considering the handling requirements. An advantage with countermasses that are initially wholly contained in a sealed packaging is that it is relatively easy to fashion a lubrication of the countermass by the propellant gases by drawing off a lesser amount of the propellant gases of the weapon between the inner wall of the barrel and the resistant parts of the countermass container exterior. Thereby on effectively prevents the countermass from jamming, or fastening in the barrel by some other cause. Instead, the problem with well-packaged countermasses becomes one of achieving a sufficiently quick opening of the countermass packaging.

In November 2011, the U.S. Army began ordering the M3 MAAWS for regular units deployed in Afghanistan. Soldiers were being engaged with RPGs at 900 meters, while their light weapons had effective ranges of 500–600 meters. The Gustaf allows airburst capability of troops in defilade out to 1,250 meters, and high explosive use out to 1,300 meters. While the weapon provides enhanced effectiveness, its 9.5 kg (21 lb) weight burdens troops. On 28 March 2013, USSOCOM announced a call for sources to develop a kit to lighten the M3 MAAWS and reduce overall length without affecting handling or ruggedness. By that time, Saab was developing a weight-reduced version prior to the SOCOM release that demonstrated no decrease in performance, no increase in recoil, and nearly equivalent barrel life that could be ready for government testing in 2014. Saab has also developed a new high explosive round that has a direct fire range of 1,500 meters when using a fire control system.

At AUSA 2014, Saab Dynamics displayed its new Carl Gustaf M4 variant. Compared to the M3 MAAWS, the M4 is 3.4 kg (7.5 lb) lighter, weighing 6.6 kg (15 lb), and shorter with a 950 mm (37 in) overall length. The shorter length was in response to the need to wield the weapon in urban terrain, and weight savings were achieved through using lighter components whenever possible including a carbon fiber tube with titanium liner, as well as a new venturi design. Other new features include a red-dot sight, a travel safety catch to allow the M4 to be carried while loaded, an adjustable shoulder rest and forward grip for improved ergonomics, a shot counter to keep track of how many rounds have been fired to manage the weapon's 1,000-round barrel life, picatinny rails for grips and sight mounts, and a remote round management function so intelligent sights can "talk" to programmable rounds.

The US Defense Department agreed to evaluate the shorter and lighter M4 version over the next two years; testing and qualifications were planned to be completed in spring 2017, and the weapon type classified as the M3E1 in fall 2017, making the system available for procurement to all Department of Defense services. The first unit is planned to be equipped with the M3E1 in 2018.

In April 2019, a contract of SEK168 million (USD18.1 million) was approved to supply the Australian Army with ammunition for the Carl-Gustaf M4 84 mm multipurpose weapon systems ordered by the service in September 2018.

The globally combat-proven Carl-Gustaf® weapon has evolved. The M4 is equipped for modern conflicts while offering compatibility with future innovations. The man-portable, multipurpose M4 provides extreme tactical flexibility through its varied ammunition range. The reusable weapon is ready for any situation, including close combat, neutralising armoured tanks, enemy troops in defilade, clearing obstacles and engaging enemies in buildings.

Crew-operated and man-portable, the Carl-Gustaf M4 is a true multi-purpose weapon that has been providing soldiers from over 40 nations across the globe with unparalleled combat capability. The Australian Army has been using variants of Carl-Gustaf for decades. The new M4 variant of the recoilless rifle was delivered in January 2021, to commence technical certification, with the remaining units intended for delivery over the next five years. Providing a continually evolving weapon, the Carl-Gustaf M4 is ergonomically constructed with new lightweight materials, such as titanium alloy, to be 2.6kg lighter and 66mm shorter than the M3 variant. The short barrel and light load offers significantly improved manoeuvrability without compromising on range.

The new M4 variant can be fitted with an intelligent sight which uses environmental data and the temperature of the propellant to provide accurate ballistic calculations and increase the probability of a successful engagement. Providing ultimate mission flexibility and accuracy, the gunner can choose the impact options for the round to airburst, explode on impact or penetrate a wall based on the objective of the operation. Guided missile rounds are also under development which will give the gunner a superior capability and precision against particularly complex targets, including rapidly moving targets at extended range. The latest variant of the Carl-Gustaf is equipped with an interface for programmable rounds and an in-built shot counter. This keeps track of the full-calibre rounds fired through the weapon which supports maintenance and extends the life of the weapon system. Other enhancements to the Carl-Gustaf M4 include an adjustable shoulder rest and grip with a locking lever, and an inbuilt safety system allowing the M4 to be carried whilst loaded. This additional safety mechanism allows the gunner to load the weapon early to enable a rapid engagement.

Built with the future in mind, the M4 is compatible with intelligent sighting systems and programmable ammunition, ensuring that your forces have the most advanced technology at their fingertips. At the same time, the M4 weapon is backward compatible with all legacy Carl-Gustaf® ammunition. Speed and manoeuvrability can be the difference between life and death. M4 is shorter than one meter and weighs less than seven kilos, so troops can react faster while remaining agile.