Following the news that the US has ordered Carl-Gustaf ammunition and AT4CS RS systems from Saab;

Madeline Wild, Aerospace, Defense & Security Analyst at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers her view:

“Lightweight, easy to use, and reliable, the AT4 has a strong record of success in the US Armed Forces. The type of variant that the country has ordered adapts the weapon specifically for use in confined spaces (giving the variant the ‘CS’ designation), reducing recoil and making it suitable for urban warfare. The most recent order is significant due to both the high contract value and the fact that the units are likely replacing the 6,000 units sent to Ukrainian forces in Spring 2022.

“The recent order will boost US weapon reserves at a time when the defense industry has been plagued with issues, especially when it comes to replacing similar weapons sent to Ukraine: namely the Javelin and Stinger. These, however, are both domestically produced and thus subject to the issues relating to workforce depletion and supply chain problems. Unlike them, the AT4 is produced by Saab, a Swedish manufacturer, and as such does not face US-specific, domestic manufacturing problems.

“It is estimated that Javelin’s cost around 100 times more to fire than the AT4. When comparing the cost of the more highly rated anti-tank weapon to the anti-armor AT4, the choice of which platform can be used for sustained supply to Ukraine is clear. Coupled with the production issues the US is experiencing when it comes to replacing Javelin’s, it is possible that the AT4 will increasingly be seen as the portable anti-armor weapon of choice to send to Ukraine. The effect this may have on the success of the Ukrainian troops is a concern, with the Javelin still lauded for its successes in the conflict so far.”