Saab Wins $490m Contract From US Army For Shoulder-Mounted Weapon

Swedish defence firm Saab will be providing the U.S. Army with new shoulder-mounted Individual Assault Munitions (IAMs).

As per a Pentagon statement released yesterday (Tuesday) the company has been asked to deliver an undefined number of the XM919 shoulder-fired single-use weapons systems with a completion date of August 2029. The total value of the contract stands at $494,350,000.

The U.S. Department of Defence's statement revealed the Swedish firm's bid won out against two rivals: they are believed to have been from General Dynamics and Nammo, though this was not confirmed in the statement.

The Saab website said its IAM weapon, the AT4CS TW, was "specifically designed to combine the force of the tandem warhead with the ability to fire in narrow positions or other confined spaces without harm to the operator or nearby individuals. This unique design also allows the operator to benefit from protection and cover in urban warfare.

"The tandem warhead excels against a wide variety of targets, including brick or concrete buildings and light armored vehicles, and delivers behind the wall effects to incapacity threat forces while minimizing collateral damage."

The AT4 weapons come preloaded with a single 84mm round and their launch tubes are discarded after firing. Existing variants can be used against buildings, bunkers and armored vehicles.

As per Saab's website, the U.S. military has already effectively used existing versions of its AT4 systems in real-world combat operations including Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.