Bofors PV-1110

     Notes:  This recoilless rifle is found only in Swedish and Irish service, usually mounted on a light vehicle, the BV-206, or a trailer.  It is a rather heavy weapon with medium range and penetration.  The weapon has a 7.62mm spotting rifle above the main barrel; each successful shot with the spotting rifle before firing the rocket gives the gunner a +1 to hit with the rocket shot, to a maximum of +3.

FFV Pskott m/68 Miniman

     Notes:  The Miniman was designed by FFV in response to a Swedish Army requirement for a LAW-type weapon, a type of rocket launcher which was becoming more and more common at the time among Western forces. This weapon was issued to Swedish, Finnish, and Austrian troops, but quickly put into storage when better weapons came along, and scale of issue was never very high.  The launcher consists of a rocket inside a fiberglass tube with a thin metal liner.   The Miniman used a unique (for a rocket launcher) high-low-pressure launch system, where the initial high-pressure launch gasses were bled into a low-pressure chamber; this, combined with the open rear end, resulted in no recoil (though did not eliminate the backblast).  Like most such weapons, the Miniman was issued as a single round of ammunition, with the disposable launch tube being discarded after firing. Though not gifted in range or penetration, it is easy to carry and use, and is better than nothing. The later AT-4 is in many respects a scaled-up Miniman, and the AT-4 replaced the Miniman in production.

     Currently, the only users of the Miniman are the Estonian Army.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: Bofors actually put the Miniman back into limited production in the early-1990s, with war clouds gathering before the Twilight War.  They were issued in droves to Swedish, Finnish, and Austrian forces before and during the Twilight War.

     Merc 2000 Notes: Most of these weapons were sold off to Third World countries.

Saab Bofors AT-4

     Notes: The AT-4 is an up-sized development of the m/68 Miniman LAW designed by FFV and built originally by Bofors, which was later bought out by Saab and is still in production by that company. It is also license-produced in several countries, including the US, the AT-4’s largest user.  The Swedish Army requested a new LAW in 1976; it was already obvious when the Miniman went into service that it was close to useless against the tanks of even the late 1970s and of possibly limited effectiveness against lighter armor and fortifications.  The Swedish Army took an interesting approach – they deliberately chose not to make the penetration of tank frontal armor part of the design requirements, since this would result in a weapon that was too large to be manpacked by one soldier, and essentially defeat the purpose of a LAW.  They instead required that the AT-4 be able to defeat tanks from the side and lighter armored vehicles from the front, as well as having the ability to do considerable damage to fortifications.  This was not generally a design requirement of most LAWs of the period.  The Swedish Army also required that after penetrating armor, the AT-4 was to be able to still cause considerable damage to the interior of the vehicle or fortification.  FFV produced the first prototypes in 1981 and production began in 1982.

     However, the first customer for the AT-4 was not actually the Swedish Army – they did not adopt the AT-4 until 1986, designating it the Pskott m/86.  The first customer was the US Army; they had been looking for a replacement for the deficient M-72 LAW since it had proven less than satisfactory against North Vietnamese PT-76s and Viet Cong fortifications during the Vietnam War.  The FGR-17 Viper proved to be a short-lived, equally unsatisfactory replacement, and in 1982, the US Army began a hurried replacement program for the M-72 and FGR-17.  The AT-4 came along at the right time, beating out five other weapons in 1983.  The US Army, however, made a number of tweaks to the AT-4 (which they designated the M-136); bumpers were added to the front and rear, as much to protect the weapon as to ease carrying by the soldier, the carrying sling was both simplified and made more comfortable for the soldier (and doubled as a tie-down strap for carriage on a vehicle), a folding forward grip was added, and most importantly, the sights were greatly simplified, being more akin to rifle sights than traditional LAW sights (with training to make up the difference).  Bofors decided to make most of the US Army’s changes the standard for production AT-4s; the only difference between the AT-4 and the M-136 is the folding foregrip.  The US Army also gave the AT-4 its name; it is a play on the words “eighty-four,” referring to the weapon’s caliber; Bofors chose to make “AT-4” the weapon’s company designation and US troops generally refer to the weapon as the AT-4 instead of M-136.  The AT-4 has since become the standard LAW of 18 countries worldwide, is used by the British in small numbers, and it is possible that the Venezuelans have supplied the AT-4 to FARC guerillas in Columbia.

The Standard AT-4

     As originally designed, the AT-4 is a single-use LAW which is relatively compact in form, though it is larger than earlier LAW designs such as the M-72 series.  It is issued as a round of ammunition, like almost all LAWs, and the empty tube is intended to be discarded after firing. The tube of the AT-4 is made of reinforced fiberglass with a relatively thin metal liner for the bore, which greatly reduces weight and (real-world) cost.  This also allows for a much heavier rocket inside the tube, as more weight can be devoted to the rocket instead of the rocket tube.  The liner is smoothbore, with stabilization of the round being via pop-out fins.  The original AT-4 uses a single HEAT round which has been tweaked to be more effective against fortifications than is normal for a weapon of its type (10% more effective; see the Care and Feeding of Antiarmor Weapons for elaboration of rocket rounds against fortifications.)  The AT-4’s round is actually a modified form of the M2/M3 Carl Gustav recoilless rifle’s round. The firing mechanism is actually very simple, even simpler than used on most firearms.  The sights are pop-up and normally protected by sliding covers.  The shooter first cocks the AT-4 with by moving a cocking rod forward and over the top of the weapon to the right side.  The shooter then simultaneously pushes a safety button and a trigger button to actually fire the rocket.  (It sounds complicated, but can actually be done in about two seconds by most gunners.) The front bumper of the AT-4 disintegrates when the weapon is fired, resulting in a large spray of plastic fragments in front and to the sides of the shooter which generally don’t have enough energy to produce any sorts of injuries, but provides an impressive visual effect. In addition to it’s standard sights, the AT-4 can mount a number of night vision sights, which are removed after firing.

     Training versions of the AT-4 exist.  Both are reloadable, and both are ballistically matched to a standard AT-4 round. One is a simple 9mm round, based on the 9mm Parabellum round with a longer case and larger propellant charge.  Though this practice round is cheap, the round’s hit can generally be only determined primarily by the sound of the round impacting the target and perhaps some dust knocked off, making the scoring of a hit difficult, as neither effect is very noticeable. The other is a 20mm round which produced a flash upon impact, making a hit easier to see and score; it is much preferred over the 9mm round.  A third version is used in field training by the US military; this consists of a reloadable smoke cartridge that simulates the backblast of a real AT-4 along with a laser transmitter used with the MILES system.  All three are fired using the same procedure as a real AT-4.

The Modifications

     Many modifications of the AT-4 have been produced; most of these have been devised by the US military in response to specific needs. Most of the AT-4 variants listed below were produced only in small numbers, as they were generally produced for specialist applications and manufacture was standardized as much as possible. Most are also heavier and therefore reduce the effective range of the AT-4. Some were only produced as prototypes and test versions and did not actually go into production, though I have included them below as “what-ifs.”

     One of the first modifications made to the AT-4, done starting in the mid-1980s, was to use the Davis Countershot Principle to greatly-reduce the backblast, producing a version which not only has little backblast, but can be fired from enclosed spaces.  (See the Care and Feeding of Antiarmor Weapons page for the effects of the Davis Countershot Principle.) The resulting weapon, the AT-4CS (Confined Space), uses a countermass of salt water.  It produces a simple spray of steam upon firing, which is almost unnoticeable; the muzzle blast has also been greatly reduced.  This increases weight, but the results are worth it.  At the same time, the warhead was increased in effectiveness using new technology.  The AT-4CS is now the standard production version of the AT-4, replacing the original AT-4 in production, and all subsequent AT-4 modifications use the CS modification.

     The AT-4LMAW (Light Multipurpose Assault Weapon) is designed primarily for anti-fortification and antipersonnel use.  It can be set for delayed detonation, allowing it to penetrate some fortification walls before a main charge detonates.  The main charge has an extra fragmentation jacket wrapped around it, though the actual HEAT round is reduced in size.  The warhead is therefore an HEDP/FRAG warhead with a precursor charge.  As a side effect, the precursor charge does give the AT-4LMAW some extra chance against ERA.  The AT-4MAW’s warhead is also known as the HEDP 502 warhead.  The AT-4AST (Anti-Structure Tandem) is similar in concept, but uses a heavier HEDP warhead and does away with the fragmentation jacket, though it retains the precursor charge.  The AT-4AST increases penetration at the cost of blast radius, and therefore has somewhat better performance against armor.

     The AT-4HP (High Penetration) uses a heavier warhead and a somewhat redesigned shaped charge cone.  The rocket also has a more powerful propelling charge. This gives it better penetration than a standard AT-4, but pays for it with a heavier weight.  Almost on the heels of the AT-4HP, ERA became common enough on potential enemy tanks that a tandem-charge version was designed, the AT-4HP-T.  This version is even heavier, and pays for it with even more reduced range.

     The AT-4I (Incendiary) was a version of the AT-4 equipped with a white phosphorus warhead.  It was designed to fill a perceived gap produced by the removal of the M-202 Flash rocket launcher, which had been removed from the US Army inventory decades before.  Though the design was considered satisfactory, and it had its uses, very few were actually manufactured and even less issued.  Rumors are that most of these went to special operations units, primarily the US Army Rangers.  However, there are no confirmed issues of the AT-4I, or confirmations of its actual use.  I can’t help but think, though, that the actual launchers are being kept somewhere (given the US military’s penchant for retaining items, even though they don’t use them and never intend to).

     The AT-8 was developed to compete in a US Army and Marine program to produced a LAW version of a bunker buster version of the AT-4.  It was developed several years before the AT-4AST, and the AT-8 may be regarded in a way as a predecessor of that weapon. The primary differences between the two weapons are weight (the AT-8 is a trifle lighter) and effectiveness of the warhead; in addition, the warhead is heavier (as it uses less-advanced technology) and this cuts the range.  However, this is because the precursor warhead is nearly twice as large as that of the AT-4AST. In the end, the competition was won by the SMAW-D, which used a variant of the HEDP warhead uses by the US Marines’ M-12 SMAW.

     The AT-12 is a scaled up version of the AT-4, also called the Frontal Engagement Version.  (Despite this name, it is doubtful that the AT-12 could penetrate the frontal armor of Soviet or Russian tanks of the 1990s.)  It is essentially an AT-4 suitably scaled up to use a 130mm tandem warhead (the name comes from the original plan to use a 120mm warhead).  In design, it otherwise follows the design of the AT-4CS, though it also includes a folding monopod to help support the front of the weapon.  In the end, it was considered a too-large and unwieldy weapon and was not placed into production.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: Perhaps one-quarter of the AT-4s produced in the Twilight 2000 timeline are the AT-4CS version.  Only small amounts (perhaps 10% of the total) of the other versions of the AT-4 were produced and many of these were simply the new warheads placed on older AT-4 (as opposed to AT-4CS) versions.  The AT-8 was produced in larger numbers, as the AT-4AST was not available in the Twilight 2000 timeline.  The AT-12 version was quite rare, as small batches only were produced starting in 1995; they were, however, more common in Sweden, Norway, and Finland than in NATO countries or the US.

Saab Bofors M-2/M-3 Carl Gustav 

     Notes:  Used by some 40 countries, the “Carl Gustav” recoilless rifle is called many things by many countries.  For example, it goes by the company designation of M-2CG and M-3CG; British troops refer to it as the Charlie G, Canadian troops call it the 84 or Carl G.  The US special operations units who use it officially call it the RAWS (Ranger Antitank Weapons System) or MAAWS (Medium Anti-Armor Weapons System), but more commonly call it the Gustav or Carl Johnson or sometimes “the Goose;” the M-3 replaced the M-67 90mm recoilless rifle in the early 1990s.  Australian troops call it the Charlie Gusto or Charlie Gutsache.  The Swedish Army gives it the official designation of Grg m/48, but the troops are more likely to call it the Stuprör (Drainpipe).  The British designation is L-14A1. Other countries have even more designations and appellations for it.  The name “Carl Gustav” refers to Carl Gustav Stads Geväarfaktori, where the original production of the M-1 and M-2 took place.  The Swedes chose to make the M-2 a recoilless rifle system instead of a straight rocket launcher, since this cut down on the need for stabilization mechanisms and allowed for more propellant to be carried; this increased the range over similar rocket launchers of the period, and has enabled it to maintain combat relevance over time (along with improvements in ammunition).  The original version, the M-1, was introduced in 1948 and used a tube and most of its parts made primarily of steel; this was replaced in 1964 by the M-2 version with much of the steel parts made from high-strength aluminum.  In 1991, the M-3 version appeared; this replaced most of the firing tube with carbon fiber, with thin internal steel liner, and virtually all other steel parts made from light aluminum alloys or plastics.  The drawback of the M-3 version is a lack of staying power; the launch tube has a limitation of 100-200 rounds before it has to be overhauled and becomes increasingly dangerous to use until the overhaul is done.

     Both the M-2 and M-3 versions are equipped with a 3x aiming reticle with an illuminated stadia; the M-1’s stadia was not illuminated. Backup iron sights are also fitted for quick shots. The M-3 version used by US SOCOM is equipped with a MIL-STD-1913 rail, with the sight mounted on a sliding track that allows for adjustments between users and for different ammunition types, and also allows for the use of night vision devices. US SOCOM also uses a special PFCD (Picatinny Fire Control Device) scope that is itself adjustable for use with different warhead types. The launch tube includes a forward grip, the firing grip behind it, and a short bipod behind that at the point of balance (when the tube is loaded). The Irish and Danish Armies often use the CLASS (Computer LASer Sight), giving a +2 to hit in game terms for up to medium range. Canadian troops, particular the Princess Patricia Light Infantry Regiment, sometimes use a special magazine-fed spotting rifle adapted from that of the US Mk 153 SMAW, which gives a +1 to the gunner’s rocket shot for every hit he achieves with the spotting rifle to a maximum of +3. The weapon is loaded by swinging open the rear venturi and sliding rounds into the rear, then closing it again. Reload time is based on its use by a team; add two to all reload times if only one gunner is available. Most countries currently use the M-2 version; the M-3 is used (along with the M-2) by Canada, and is also used by Polish special operations units, India, the Swedish Coastal Rangers, and US SOCOM units (the largest single users of the Carl Gustav).  The M-1 version has been long out of service by any world military units.  The Germans do use the M-2 version, but only to launch illumination rounds; they still use the Panzerfaust 3 for their other rocket launcher needs. The rounds for the AT-4 LAW are in part a development of the M-2’s ammunition, particularly in the use of the warheads.

     The standard round for most users is the FFV-551 HEAT round, a more-or-less standard type of antiarmor round.  The FFV-597 HEAT uses a much larger warhead.  The FFV-751 HEAT-T uses a tandem warhead; the FFV-651 HEAT-ER-T is another tandem-warhead design, one that uses a mid-course rocket boost to extend range and a lighter warhead to keep weight down.  The Indians have a special version of the FFV-551 round, one with a slightly reduced-weight warhead but a slightly-extended range. The FFV-441 HE and FFV-502 HEDP are basically standard warheads of their type, though the FFV-441B HE-FRAG can be set to expend the fragmentation charge upon impact or after the HE charge penetrates a fortification, and the FFV-441 can be set for an airburst detonation using a fuze which can be set for proximity or timed detonation.  The ADM-401 APERS round is a flechette “beehive” round; at its “range,” it separates and disperses quickly into 1000 steel darts.