On Friday, 5 December 2025, the Lithuanian Ministry of Defence announced the delivery of the first batch of the latest 84 mm Carl-Gustaf M4 (CGM4) recoilless rifles from the Swedish company Saab Defence and Security, designated Carl-Gustaf M4 RD.
Photo: the Lithuanian Ministry of Defence
The order is part of the framework agreement of 11 January 2022, under which Lithuania joined Sweden, Estonia, and Latvia in the joint procurement of this weapon system. The executive contract, signed at the end of 2024 and valued at approximately 14 million EUR / 150 million SEK, covers the batch now being delivered. All deliveries are scheduled to be completed by 2026.
It is worth noting that Lithuania has operated Carl-Gustaf family launchers since the mid-1990s, initially introducing the M2 variant and later the M3. Some of these were transferred to Ukraine as part of military aid packages, creating the need to procure the latest model.
The Carl-Gustaf M4 was unveiled in September 2014 at the Bofors Test Center range in Karlskrona, 23 years after the debut of the previous generation. Qualification tests were conducted in 2015. Weighing 6.7 kg, the M4 is 3.4 kg lighter than the M3 thanks to a titanium–composite barrel and casing as well as redesigned steel components. The launcher is also shorter (950 mm vs. 1015 mm for the M3). It features a Picatinny rail, allowing the installation of additional sighting and observation devices.
The CGM4 is compatible with all 11 types of 84×246R ammunition used by earlier models, including FFV751 tandem HEAT, FFV551 rocket-assisted HEAT, FFV502 HEAT, FFV441B high-explosive, FFV469 smoke, FFV545 illumination, as well as FFV552 and FFV752 training rounds matching the ballistic characteristics of their combat counterparts. The effective range of the Carl-Gustaf M4 varies from 300 to 2100 meters, depending on the type of ammunition used.
🇱🇹 To strengthen Lithuania’s defense, the Army has received new Carl-Gustaf M4 RD 84 mm recoilless launchers.
🪖 The latest, lighter M4 RD model boosts mobility and delivers proven effectiveness against armored targets and enemy forces in combat. pic.twitter.com/DP7XGIiXEB
— Lithuanian MOD 🇱🇹 (@Lithuanian_MoD) December 5, 2025
Work is also underway on the introduction of programmable ammunition, which will double the effective range to 1500–2000 m. The M4 variant also features a two-stage safety system, allowing the weapon to be carried with a round already inserted into the barrel.
Carl-Gustaf launchers have been adopted by the armed forces of more than forty countries, and the latest M4 variant is in service with fifteen of them, including Australia, Denmark, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, and the United States. The Kingdom of the Netherlands is set to become another new user. Most operators are replacing older M2/M3 launchers, which also remain in service with the Polish Armed Forces, specifically with the Special Forces.
In 2024, Poland’s Armaments Agency decided to procure CGM4 launchers for additional military units, ordering 6000 units along with new FCD 558 (Fire Control Device) sights and a stock of ammunition, for 12.9 billion SEK net (4.958 billion PLN / 6.5 billion PLN gross). Deliveries have begun to the Land Forces and the Territorial Defence Forces. Recently, further live-fire training took place, as reported on 3 December in social media by the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces.
Carl Gustaf, odkąd wylądował w Polsce, od razu zdobył sympatię 🇵🇱 żołnierzy. Celny jak Stefan Czarniecki🤺, który niejeden problem rozwiązał bez zbędnej dyskusji 😉#WojskoPolskie #Szwecja #CarlGustaf #Czarniecki@ForsvarsdepSv @Forsvarsmakten pic.twitter.com/QXBsrtohuA
— Sztab Generalny WP (@SztabGenWP) December 3, 2025
