Saab showcases programmable Carl-Gustaf munition

Saab has showcased its new programmable Carl-Gustaf munition, designated HE 448, during a live-fire demonstration in front of an audience in Karlskoga, Sweden on 3 and 4 May.

A new fire control device, designated FCD 558, was also demonstrated alongside the programmable high explosive round.

The HE 448 programmable round has the ability to communicate with the FCD 558 fire control device via a protocol named Firebolt.

The programmable Carl-Gustaf munition provides the fire control device with the exact information on the round type and propellant temperature and combines this with target distance to determine the best trajectory.

This means that Carl-Gustaf operators will be able to quickly configure a chambered round and so increase their operational effectiveness.

Michael Höglund, head of Saab’s business unit Ground Combat, said: ‘The FCD 558 also gives users a new option for equipping Carl-Gustaf with a more efficient sighting solution than the baseline configuration’.

This demonstration follows Saab’s award of the contract by the Swedish Armed Forces in December 2021.

According to Shephard Defence Insight, the Carl-Gustaf M4, the newest generation of the weapon system, has been ordered or procured by at least eight countries, Australia, Estonia, Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden and USA.

The most recent customer, Lithuania,  announced in January 2022 that it had signed a framework agreement with Sweden for the platform.