Order for new antitank weapon system for the Swedish Armed Forces worth SEK 500 million
Following joint development between the United Kingdom and Sweden, FMV (the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration) today placed a purchase order with Saab Bofors Dynamics for the NLAW – Next generation Light Antitank Weapon – system. The Swedish military designation is “Robot 57”.
In the summer of 2002 the British equivalent of FMV, the Defence Procurement Agency (DPA), ordered development of NLAW for the United Kingdom and Sweden plus series production and delivery for the British Armed Forces. The order was worth approximately SEK 4,000 million and was won in hard international competition with the British missile industry teamed with one of the largest American defence industry companies. Today’s order is for series production and delivery for the Swedish Armed Forces. NLAW was developed in Sweden and will be produced in the United Kingdom. A number of subcontractors, primarily British, are involved in production. Final assembly will take place at Thales Air Defence in Belfast. “We are very happy that now even Sweden has placed their series production order for NLAW”, said Tomas Samuelsson, President of Saab Bofors Dynamics AB, and continues, “This gives us another important reference customer in the extensive marketing of NLAW that is underway”. NLAW is a light, short-range, antitank missile for engaging main battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles. The system meets the requirements for a modern antitank weapon system in international operations within an urban environment.
