Ground Warfare

Saab Awarded US Navy Contract for Carl Gustaf M3/E1 Spare and Repair Parts

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Carl Gustaf M3E1 Multi-Role Anti-Armor Anti-Personnel Weapon System (MAAWS)
Carl Gustaf M3E1 Multi-Role Anti-Armor Anti-Personnel Weapon System (MAAWS)

Saab Dynamics AB, Karlskoga, Sweden, is being awarded a $23,308,000 five year, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of spare and repair parts for the 84mm Carl-Gustaf M3/E1 Multi-Role Anti-Armor Anti-Personnel Weapon System (MAAWS) and the 7.62mm and 20mm sub-caliber adapters. Work will be performed in Karlskoga, Sweden, and is expected to be completed by April 2029. This contract was not competitively procured via the SAM website in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Crane, Indiana, is the contracting activity.

The Carl Gustaf is a Swedish developed 84 mm (3.3 in) caliber man-portable shoulder-fired recoilless rifle, initially developed by the Royal Swedish Army Materiel Administration. The recoilless rifle is a lightweight, low-cost weapon that uses a wide range of ammunition, which makes it extremely flexible and suitable for a wide variety of roles. Carl Gustaf M3 was the name used for decades worldwide for the basic weapon. For the new, improved, lighter, titanium-employing weapon first displayed in 2014, most used the name M4, except for the US. In the US, the Army designation for the US version of the improved M4 mentioned above is M3E1.

U.S. Army Paratroopers assigned to 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, blank fire a Carl Gustav M3 Recoilless Rifles during live-fire exercise during Bayonet Apex at the training range in Slunj, Croatia, Mar. 11, 2023.
U.S. Army Paratroopers assigned to 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, blank fire a Carl Gustav M3 Recoilless Rifles during live-fire exercise during Bayonet Apex at the training range in Slunj, Croatia, Mar. 11, 2023. (U.S. Army Photo by Graigg Faggionato)

Saab is committed to ongoing innovative development of the Carl-Gustaf system to ensure your troops remain highly agile and always one step ahead of the enemy. The basic weapon consists of the main tube with the breech-mounted Venturi recoil damper, with two grips near the front and a shoulder mount. Every munition for Carl-Gustaf has a calibre of 84 mm, meaning each one is compatible with every version of the weapon. Carl-Gustaf varied range covers all potential enemy targets. Effectively destroy structures or vehicles with anti-armour, anti-tank and anti-structure munition, and neutralise infantry in the open with anti-personnel range.

The weapon is fitted with iron sights, but is normally aimed with the attached 3× optical sight with a 17 degree field of view. Luminous front and rear sight inserts are available for the iron sights when aiming at night, and an image intensification system may also be used. The Gustaf can be fired from the standing, kneeling, sitting or prone positions, and a bipod may be attached in front of the shoulder piece. The system is attached with standard clip-on telescopic sight, with additional options, including open sight, red dot sight and advanced fire control devices, available.

U.S. Army paratroopers assigned to 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, U.S. Army Alaska, fire an M3 Multi-Role Anti-Armor Anti-Personnel Weapon System (MAAWS) during live-fire training at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.
U.S. Army paratroopers assigned to 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, U.S. Army Alaska, fire an M3 Multi-Role Anti-Armor Anti-Personnel Weapon System (MAAWS) during live-fire training at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Emily Farnsworth)
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