AT4 – Light, Cheap and Deadly Weapon That Is Forever in High Demand

NATO’s Maintenance and Supply Agency has ordered an undisclosed number of AT4 light anti-tank weapons, made by Swedish Saab Bofors Dynamics. Ukraine also uses the AT4 in large numbers so this is a good opportunity to remember what this anti-tank weapon is and why it is one of the most common weapons of its kind in the world.

The AT4 is a light unguided anti-tank weapon. It is a relatively inexpensive gun, making it one of the most common light anti-tank weapons in the world. Image credit: US Department of Defense, by Gerhard Seifert Wikimedia Commons

The AT4 is a Swedish-man portable, shoulder-operated smoothbore. step back The gun (not the rocket launcher) has been in service since 1987. This is one of the cheapest ways to defeat some armored vehicles. It is generally accepted that the AT4 would not be effective against modern main battle tanks, especially one covered in reactive armor tiles, but the AT4 is effective against armored fighting vehicles, personnel transporters, and others. Can successfully engage lightly armored vehicles. It is also very good against enemy dugouts and castles. Mostly because it is light and quite cheap.

The affordability comes from the AT4 variant. Unlike such weapons Javelin Or NLAW, the AT4 is not a rocket launcher. Its projectiles have no rocket motor of any kind. It is fired like an artillery round or a handgun round. This is why the AT4 is classified as a smooth bore recoilless gun. And it is one of the most common light anti-tank weapons in the world, since an AT4 costs only 1.5 thousand dollars.

The AT4 weighs around 6.7 kg and is only 102 cm long. It is highly portable, packs well. Its caliber is 84 mm, it typically fires high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) rounds. However, not so far.

Since the AT4 is not a rocket launcher, its effective range is quite limited – only 300 meters. This is why it has simple iron sights, although it can be combined with a night vision unit. If a target is not a specific vehicle, but simply an enemy position and accuracy is not strictly required, the AT4 can engage enemy-held territory from a distance of 500 meters. After a single shot, the AT4 can be thrown away – it’s a single-use item. But that’s why it’s so cheap and doesn’t have a very advanced aiming system.

AT4 weighs less than 7 kg. Photo Credit: By Sergeant Bryson K Jones Wikimedia Commons

During the first year of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Ukrainian defense received 15,000 AT4s from Sweden and another 6,000 from the United States. Even after that, the possibility of this weapon reaching Ukraine is high.

The AT4 is now one of the most successful Swedish weapons on the market. It’s a fairly simple tool, but it’s effective, cheap and very portable.

Sources: Armyinform.com.ua, Wikipedia