Carl Gustaf M4s ordered by Lithuania

Lithuania’s Defence Materiel Agency has ordered the M4 Carl Gustaf recoilless rifle from Saab in a contract valued at EUR14 million, according to a press release published by the Lithuanian MoD on the 2nd of January. 

This latest contract is for the recoilless rifles themselves and spares with delivery between 2025 and 2026, according to the DMA. A 13 million Euro order for ammunition was placed in 2022, shortly after joining a framework agreement for the latest M4 variant in 2022, alongside Sweden, Estonia, and Latvia. “It’s a great milestone to have Sweden and all the Baltic countries in the same agreement for the Carl-Gustaf system. Now we look forward to delivering this ammunition and providing Lithuania with the fantastic Carl-Gustaf M4 system,” Görgen Johansson, head of Saab’s Dynamics business area said at the time.

Estonia’s Center for Defense Investment told a local news outlet that the framework agreement allowed for a reduction in procurement costs of up to 30%, which indicates that Lithuania may benefit from similar efficiencies on its modernisation drive.

Lithuania has employed the Carl Gustaf weapon system since the 1990s, primarily operating the M2 and M3 variants. The M4 is a shorter and lighter system that makes use of titanium to reduce the weight of the launcher from the 9.5 kg M3 to 6.6 kg while maintaining and even improving performance of the older system. It was developed to allow more efficient movement in urban terrain at a lighter weight. There are over 11 different types of 84 mm ammunition available to the Carl Gustaf including high explosive rounds, illumination, and of course anti-armour rounds. Using sights, US soldiers have reportedly hit moving targets at a range of 300 m and stationary targets at 850 m with a hit ratio exceeding 90%, according to the Program Executive Office responsible for the weapon.

Calibre comment

If Russia were to invade the Baltics, it would almost certainly lead with armoured units, likely operating tanks and heavier infantry fighting vehicles like the BMP-3. However, it may also decide to deploy its airborne force (the VDV) in an ambitious dash to take key infrastructure. This tactic was used by Soviet forces in Afghanistan in 1979 and again during the 2008 war with Georgia, as well as being unsuccessfully attempted in 2022 as they tried to seize Hostomel airport. In either scenario, it would be valuable for Lithuania’s defenders to be able to engage Russian armour and infantry with shoulder-fired weapons like the M4 Carl Gustaf. It includes ammunition that can be fired from within enclosed spaces like buildings, enabling troops to carry out ambushes and defend urban environments. Armour, and of course support from Lithuania’s NATO allies is key, but arming infantry to counter armour and structures with organic firepower within the range of their regular weapons is also an essential component of successful defence.