The United Kingdom Ministry of Defense has just announced 229M GBP deal with SAAB for the purchase of shoulder-launched Next generation Light Anti-Tank Weapon (NLAW) systems, with deliveries to begin in 2023.
The deal is expected to bolster the depleted stockpiles. As of September 2022, the U.K. has sent more than 5,000 NLAWS to Ukraine, which along with the U.S. Javelin made a startling impact on the mechanized and armored divisions of the Russian Ground Forces who invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
This deal will be for “several thousand” launchers which will be delivered through 2026, witha majority of on-hand systems at SAAB to be delivered immediately.
Thousands of Next Generation Light Anti-Tank Weapon (NLAW) systems will be assembled in Northern Ireland to boost the UK's ?? stockpile, following a £229 million deal with @Saab announced today by @BWallaceMP.
Read more: https://t.co/W6cdKywEDM pic.twitter.com/pisdZCfVuH
— Ministry of Defence ?? (@DefenceHQ) December 7, 2022
The Saab Bofors Dynamics NLAW, also known as the MBT LAW or RB 57 , is a fire-and-forget, lightweight shoulder-fired, and disposable (single-use) line of sight (LOS) missile system, designed for infantry use. The missile uses a soft-launch system and is guided by predicted line of sight (PLOS). It can carry out an overfly top attack (OTA) on an armored vehicle, or a direct attack (DA) on structures and non-armored vehicles.
The system was developed in Sweden by prime contractor Saab Bofors Dynamics, on behalf of the British and Swedish defense authorities who procured the system in a joint venture. It was mainly produced in the United Kingdom by Team MBT LAW UK, which included 14 subcontractors, most notably Thales Air Defense. Users of the weapon include Finland, Indonesia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. (wiki)
Each unit costs about 30-40k USD, fires a single 150mm High Explosive Anti-tank (HEAT) round, and weighs about 28lbs. The approximate maximum firing range of the system is 1,000m and can penetrate more than 20 inches of steel armor.
