Truth be told, a $69m military contract for anything is pocket change. As far as this story goes, we’re missing the money shot: who bought $69m worth of ammo for their Carl Gustav M3 MAAWS? Sweden’s pacifists have been up in arms about their country’s sales to Middle Eastern potentates for some time now. Sweden ranks number two in the world behind you-know-who for arms exports per capita. Saab ain’t sayin’ where they’re sending their ammo. “This is very positive,” the company’s presser preens in that low key Swedish sort of way. “It further proves the capability of the Carl-Gustaf system which until now has been exported to more than 40 customers around the world.” As there are only 196 countries in the world and Fiji’s not big into shoulder-fired weapons, it could be anyone. Let’s hope their customers know a little more about ear pro than our home team: “if you just hold your fingers in your ears when it fires you’ll be alright.”
Might we also suggest that any country who buys these, and are anti American, try holding your hands over your ears while your buddy fires it from inside your vehicle!!!
It will keep the system dry and you can drown out the cries of anguish over how terrible Americans are!!!(sarc off).
“Saab ain’t sayin’ where they’re sending their manpad ammo.”
Carl Gustav is an anti-armor rocket, not a MANPAD (Man Portable Air Defense, ie anti-aircraft). Not to split hairs or anything. Just saying.
FLAME DELETED
It is not an anti-armor ROCKET! FLAME DELETED. It is a shoulder fired recoilless rifle. It fires a PROJECTILE, not a ROCKET. Even in the video you see that the weapons system is rifled.
“Not to split hairs or anything. Just saying.” – Loyd
Why don’t we just accept what works and issue out RPG’s to our guys? A multi purpose, simple light weapon that works. What else is needed.
JWM, the “Goose” is actually a very versatile heavy weapons system and I’d love to have them issued to regular line companies. I’d prefer to arm my weapons squad with the Gustav instead of having a Javelin slot.
As to who they’re sending them to, who knows. However, recently big Army has been exploring reintroducing the gustav to infantry companies. So hopefully I will get my hands on these at some point.
Joe, in my day it was the m72? LAWS rocket and the m67? 90 mike mike recoiless gun.
the 90mm is a interesting weapon. It is now being reintroduced into the Afghan theatre in limited numbers, primarily because it is highly effective against insurgents and costs a fraction as a Javelin and AT4. Their new flechette rounds are also good for initiating ambushes.
The show I watched on the Gustav said soldiers are only allowed a handful of shots during practice so their innards don’t get traumatized too much. My kinda weapon.
“Sweden ranks number two in the world behind you-know-who for arms experts per capita.”
Think you meant “exports.” But, I could be wrong. Swedish Special Forces and all that.
Text amended y’all.
sweden makes incredible stuff. The bofors 40mm anti-air gun is STILL in service and has been mounted inside the CV90, which is far superior to our own Bradley IFV.
The Carl Gustav works! besides being able to scrap APCs and IFVs (and perhaps a older MBT when loaded with the tandem HEAT), it is devastatingly effective against infantry emplaced within rocks, pillboxes, and buildings. There are a wide variety of rounds available, some not in US service: HE, HEDP, HEAT, Flechette, rocket assisted munitions, illumination, and smoke. In Afghanistan, they were far more useful than the TOW and Javelin missiles, especially with HEDP.
Sweden needs all the revenue it can to continue its anti-liberty and pro-nanny-state policies.
The Gustav is by far the most powerful and “rock your world” personal weapon I have ever fired. It’s not recoil – rather it’s setting off a bomb right by your head Wow! And the more modern RAP rounds kick some ass.
so cool, check out the video of this thing on the saab defense website, i would NOT want to be on the receiving end of this bad boy.
http://www.saabgroup.com/land/weapon-systems/support-weapons/carl_gustaf_m3_weapon_system/
Actually, Swedish politics aside, Bofors and SAAB are to my knowledge, still private companies. (Not the same SAAB as in your drive way although they once were.) As weapons systems become more and more advanced and expensive, they must sell internationally, like the aircraft, to make ends meet. It is simply not cost-effective to build 15 jet fighters, or 100 of these things, for Sweden alone.
There is much debate over arms exports. On one hand, the do-gooders and peace-niks want it all restricted to “good nations” only, and pretty much only the Scandinavian nations are good enough for them. On the other hand, Sweden wants the know-how and independence of rolling its own equipment but economic reality is that exports are a must. Much has happened since Husqvarna became the national armory some 500 years ago, and since the M40(?) 9mm submachine gun, simple enough for any serious hobby machinist to build one. I would not mind having one for old times’ sake.
Sweden as such benefits of course from tax revenue for its nanny-state politics – I think the overall tax rate was 80% when I left 26 years ago – but it is also about jobs, high tech jobs. “Arms experts” may not be too far off. The low tech jobs have been outsourced to recent immigrants and Farawaystan just like in the US.
Socialism only works in a growing economy. As we know, flipping burgers for each other simply does not generate enough revenue to keep the system going.
How do you guy post those mega-posts?
I believe it was the m45. The Swedish K. Also built by Smith & Wesson as the m76 and in Egypt as the Port Said. I believe the Egyptian 9mm ammo was the hottest I ever got my hands on. It was meant for sub gun use only.
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