Carl Gustav Rocket Launcher

In an Infantry Section in  the 1970s and 80s, the Carl Gustav was issued one per section at a time when Canadian mechanized forces were training to defeat an envisioned armoured invasion of the west by Warsaw Pact forces.

In Canada, the Carl Gustav was normally used one per platoon in reserve units.

The Carl Gustav’s M2 version was man-portable though a substantial load at 18kg for just the weapon and bipod (or 14.2kg without the bipod). The M2 was in service from 1965, and the M3, a lightweight version, was introduced in 1991, weighting just 8.5kg. The M3 used carbon-fibre barrel instead of the steel barrel of the earlier M2).

Ammunition

The Carl Gustav fired an 84mm rocket-propelled [Carl Gustav ammunition] shell with a muzzle velocity of 290m per second. The standard, primary round had a HEAT (High Explosive, Anti-Tank) warhead but a High Explosive Dual Purpose round (HEDP) was available for use against bunkers and fortified positions. The 84mm round, like the smaller 66mm M72 SRAAW round, proved unable to defeat more modern armour as time passed, such as explosive reactive armour or new ceramic-based armour systems.

The effective range of HEAT was 700 metres, and HEDP 500 metres.

Two training rounds were also used. The Sub Calibre Training Device (SCTD) originally consisted of a 6.5mm tracer bullet designed to match the ballistics of the HEAT round. A newer SCTD in 7.62mm was also developed. The rounds were fired by a special adapter fitted inside the weapon.