Saab Launches Groundbreaking Versatile Precision Guided Munitions
Saab, in partnership with the U.S. Army and Raytheon Missiles & Defense, has effectively showcased the innovative Guided Multipurpose Munition (GMM). The GMM System Capability Demonstration was a collaborative endeavor between Saab and Raytheon Missiles & Defense, backed by a U.S. Government Rapid Innovation Funding (RIF) initiative granted by the U.S. Army. This three-year contractual engagement culminated in a live firing event in November 2020. RIF initiatives aim to promote the advancement of cutting-edge technologies that meet military needs to address operational or national challenges.
On November 5, 2020, at the Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona, Saab, alongside the U.S. Army and Raytheon Missiles & Defense, conducted the inaugural live firing of Guided Multipurpose Munitions. The GMM was launched from both the Carl-Gustaf recoilless rifle and a modified AT4 disposable launcher. The munitions were steered towards their target using a semi-active laser guidance system and designator.
Through a series of live fire engagements, multiple objectives were targeted and neutralized at distances ranging from 1550 to 2500 meters. The targets included a triple brick wall, a double-reinforced concrete wall, and an up-armored vehicle, effectively showcasing the destructive combination of a high-performance break-in charge and a follow-through charge engineered to ensure impact, even against fortified targets. The extended range, along with a Confined Space capacity, is expected to provide troops with enhanced tactical flexibility when selecting firing positions.
GMM signifies a significant advancement in the progression of guided man-portable munitions and reinforces the Saab-Raytheon partnership, broadening the shoulder-launched guided capability to the AT4. GMM is also designed for future applications on remote weapons stations, both manned and unmanned aerial and terrestrial systems, as well as indirect fire scenarios.
“GMM represents a critical step in the development of our shoulder-launched systems. It is the most sophisticated munition to date and will deliver increased precision, exceptional performance with pinpoint accuracy, and multi-target functionality,” states Görgen Johansson, head of Saab’s business area Dynamics.
“Raytheon and Saab have collaborated on the GMM and are proud to deliver to the Army a standardized guided munition that soldiers can deploy from various soldier-borne launchers, weapon stations, and unmanned systems. This universal munition will enhance overall lethality and prepare for every potential conflict within the spectrum,” says Tom Laliberty, vice president of Land Warfare & Air Defense, a mission area within Raytheon Missiles & Defense.
The preliminary work on GMM commenced in 2017, resulting in the concept of the Guided Carl-Gustaf Munition that was showcased in September 2019.
Saab’s Carl-Gustaf and AT4 weapon systems are utilized by the U.S. Armed Forces as well as the ground forces of over 40 other nations.
