The Australian Army commenced operational test and evaluation of the manportable 84 mm Carl-Gustaf M4 reloadable recoilless rifle at the Army’s School of Infantry in Singleton, New South Wales, in early May. The M4 is the intended replacement for the army’s in-service M3 variant as it reaches its 10 year lifespan.Weighing 6.3 kg, the M4 is lighter than the M3 (10 kg), with the length of the overall launcher reduced from 106.5 cm (M3) to less than 100 cm (M4). Driven by a universal requirement to reduce the load burden on ground combat operators, weight savings have been achieved through the development of an improved carbon fibre casing, the introduction of a titanium liner, and the substitution of the M3 steel venturi with a reduced-size titanium venturi recoil damper.
The standard launcher sight is the same telescopic sight with a manual ballistic setting drum featured on the M3, although the M4 design is also optimised to interface with attachable intelligent sighting systems (Fire-Control System [FCS]) and new Carl-Gustaf programmable ammunition – essential discriminators in terms of improved precision and kill probability. The M4 also features an adjustable shoulder rest and grip, along with a ‘transport safety’ function for the cocking lever, which enables the loaded round to be carried safely in combat. The M4’s range is characterised by Saab as ‘munition-dependent’.
