NLAW

NLAW
MKFI · Public domain · source
Name	NLAW
Origin	United Kingdom
Type	Anti-tank weapon
Service	2009–present
Used by	Sweden; United Kingdom; Finland; Norway; Poland; Estonia; Latvia; Lithuania; Ukraine; Saudi Arabia; United Arab Emirates
Designer	Alvis Vickers; Saab Bofors Dynamics
Manufacturer	Saab Bofors Dynamics
Weight	12.5 kg (ready-to-fire)
Length	0.9 m
Caliber	150 mm
Velocity	145 m/s
Range	20–800 m
Guidance	Predicted Line of Sight (PLOS)
Warhead	Single shaped charge

NLAW is a shoulder-fired, short-range, man-portable anti-tank weapon developed in the late 1990s and fielded in the 2000s. It was produced through collaboration between United Kingdom suppliers and Sweden's Saab Bofors Dynamics to meet requirements from British Army and Swedish Armed Forces. The system emphasizes simplicity, fire-and-forget operation, and point-and-shoot employment against armored vehicles and fortifications.

Development and design

The weapon originated from a requirement pursued by the British Army and later adopted by the Swedish Armed Forces; development involved contractors including Alvis Vickers, BAE Systems, Thales Group, Lockheed Martin, and Saab AB. The design philosophy drew on lessons from conflicts such as the Gulf War, the Yugoslav Wars, and the First Chechen War, and incorporated technology trends from projects like the Javelin (missile), FGM-148 Javelin, Panzerfaust 3, RPG-7, AT4, and Spike (missile). Guidance was implemented as Predicted Line of Sight (PLOS), influenced by research at institutions such as Defence Research Agency, Shift2Rail, and firms including Roxel and Diehl Defence. Testing took place at ranges comparable to exercises at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Greenham Common, Warton Aerodrome, and firing trials overseen by units from Royal Marines, British Army, Swedish Army, and Finnish Defence Forces. Procurement decisions were influenced by strategic analyses referencing NATO partners like United States Department of Defense, NATO, European Union, and national ministries including Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom), Försvarsmakten, and Polish Ministry of National Defence.

Technical specifications

The launcher uses a soft-launch motor and a blast-reduction system similar in concept to designs from BAE Systems and Raytheon programs. The warhead is a high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) shaped charge capable of defeating composite and some reactive armor types fielded by T-72, T-80, T-90, Merkava, and variants of BMP-2 and BTR-80; related countermeasures include reactive armor modules developed by KBP Instrument Design Bureau and Rheinmetall. Guidance relies on a PLOS fire-control algorithm akin to systems used in Spike (missile) and Javelin (missile), with inertial measurement units and gyroscopes from suppliers such as Honeywell and BAE Systems Electronics. The sighting unit supports target tracking modes comparable to optics in Leica Geosystems, Carl Zeiss AG, Schmidt & Bender, and thermal imager features similar to Flir Systems products. The launch tube assembly was produced using composites and alloys developed by firms like Rolls-Royce plc materials divisions and ArcelorMittal metallurgy facilities. Performance metrics reference ranges tested at Munition Trials Unit and comparable to standards used by NATO Standardization Office.

Operational use and deployment

Fielding began with units in the British Army and the Swedish Armed Forces, later adopted by many NATO and partner states including Finland, Norway, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania. Doctrinal integration paralleled infantry anti-armor tactics taught at centers such as Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, United States Army Infantry School, École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr, Heeresunteroffizierschule, and the National Defence University (Finland). Logistics and sustainment were managed through channels including Defence Equipment and Support, Swedish Defence Materiel Administration, NATO Support and Procurement Agency, and national procurement offices. Training packages were delivered in cooperation with national ranges such as Sennelager Training Area, Camp Lejeune, Oksbøl, and Central Gunnery School elements of the British Army.

Combat history

The system has seen operational deployment in multiple conflicts and crises where infantry required portable anti-armor capability. Units in Ukraine used the weapon against armored formations during the Russian invasion of Ukraine (2022–present), alongside systems like Javelin (missile), Carl Gustav (recoilless rifle), Stinger (missile), and Western-provided equipment from United States Department of Defense transfers. It was also exported to and appeared in inventories of states involved in regional tensions such as Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates during operations in Yemen and security deployments linked to Operation Ocean Shield and other multinational efforts. After-action reports referenced engagements reminiscent of urban battles such as Battle of Grozny (1994–1995), Battle of Fallujah (2004), and armored encounters in the Donbas region; intelligence assessments were provided by agencies including MI6, Säkerhetspolisen, Polish Intelligence Service, and Office of Naval Intelligence.

Variants and upgrades

Manufacturers and partner nations investigated modifications inspired by systems like Bofors'], RBS 70, and NG-ARM variants; proposals included improved warheads to defeat explosive reactive armor similar to solutions from Rheinmetall, tandem-charge options developed by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, and advanced seeker suites leveraging technology from Selex ES and Thales Group. Upgrade paths considered integration with battlefield networks like NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence, digital fire-control units interoperable with systems from Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, and Northrop Grumman, and training add-ons from institutions such as Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group. Field modifications by units in Ukraine and reserve units in Poland and Estonia included sight enhancements and mounting solutions analogous to accessories from Aimpoint AB and EOTech.

Category:Anti-tank guided missiles