AT4
| AT4 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Disposable anti-tank launcher |
| Place of origin | Sweden United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1987–present |
| Used by | See Operators |
| Wars | See Wars |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Förenade Fabriksverken |
| Manufacturer |
|
| Unit cost | US$1,480 |
| No. built | 600,000+ |
| Variants | See Variants |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 6.7 kg (14.8 lb) (AT4) 8 kg (18 lb) (AT4-CS) |
| Length | 102 cm (40 in) |
| Caliber | 84 mm |
| Muzzle velocity | 290 m/s (950 ft/s; 1,000 km/h), 220 m/s (720 ft/s; 790 km/h) (CS) |
| Effective firing range | 300 m (point target) |
| Maximum firing range | 500 m (area target) 2,100 m (maximum) |
| Sights | Iron sights, optional AN/PVS-4 night vision unit |
| Filling | Octol |
| Filling weight | 440 g high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) round |
| External images | |
|---|---|
| Prototype AT4 Sweden tested 1981/82 | |
| Early AT4 with Swedish Soldier | |
| Early AT4 launcher and projectile |
The AT4 is a Swedish 84 mm (3.31 in) unguided, man-portable, disposable, shoulder-fired recoilless anti-tank weapon manufactured by Saab Bofors Dynamics (formerly FFV Ordnance; later, Bofors Anti-Armour Systems). The AT4 is not a rocket launcher strictly speaking, because the explosive warhead is not propelled by a rocket motor. Rather, it is a smooth-bore recoilless gun (as opposed to a recoilless rifle, which has a rifled barrel). Saab has had considerable sales success with the AT4, making it one of the most common light anti-tank weapons in the world. The M136 AT4 and M136A1 AT4CS-RS are the variants used by the United States Army.
The AT4 is intended to give infantry units a means to destroy or disable armoured fighting vehicles and fortifications, although it is generally ineffective against more modern main battle tanks (MBTs), especially those with reactive armour, unless weaker sections of armour are attacked. The projectile is preloaded into the launcher at the factory and issued as one unit of ammunition, with the launcher discarded after one firing.