Now, India to make Carl-Gustaf guns
The pact was signed with Sweden's defence and security major, Saab.
New Delhi: India will make an advanced and the fourth version of the Carl-Gustaf rocket after a pact with Saab under the Make in India initiative.
It were the same Carl-Gustaf rocket launchers that wreaked havoc on the Pakistan-supported militant camps across the Line of Control during Indian special forces’ surgical blitzkrieg on the September-28 night.
Sweden’s defence and security major, Saab, is the original maker of the deadly multi-purpose gun, the latest version of which was launched in 2014.
“The earlier versions of the gun have proved their worth to Indian forces on innumerable occasions. For any tactical strike team, the new advanced version will be an immense force multiplier,” said a defence official with adequate operational knowledge of the weapon. “This latest version will be more user-friendly. Possibly, they may have worked on the sighting system and increased the range,” the official added, requesting anonymity.
While the numbers or any other detail was not available — with less than 7kg weight, it is much lighter than the earlier versions because of the use of titanium — the latest version is equipped with intelligent features such as “compatibility with future innovations like the intelligent-sighting system and programmable ammunition”.
A release by Saab, without identifying the customer, said: “Saab has signed a contract for deliveries of the new Carl-Gustaf M4 multi-role weapon system. This is the company’s fourth customer for the system since its launch in late 2014. Deliveries will take place during 2017”.
Carl-Gustaf guns have a forty-year-long presence in India, and they are assembled in the Indian ordnance factories. While the Carl-Gustaf M2 weapons system was made in India after a pact with Saab in 1976, the pact for the M3 version was signed in 2005.
A big advantage is that since India already makes the M2 and M3 versions of the gun in its ordnance factories, and to make the latest version would just require an upgrade of these facilities.