NLAW.

This is coolbert:

Here thanks to the cable television program Future Firepower we have a description of future firepower that is NOW.

The NLAW. Next-generation light anti-tank weapon. Swedish designed and manufactured weapon already as in the inventory of a variety of nations.

Next generation anti-tank as in fire-and-forget. NO need for the operator to track the missile all the way to the target [an enemy armored vehicle,  more than likely a tank].

NOT so light however. And I would have to think also not so cheap given the sophisticated technology.

Light as being of weight 12.5 kg [about 28 pounds]. From my perspective not so light!

A fire and forget weapon and a single shot throw-away apparatus.

"The Main Battle Tank and Light Anti-tank Weapon (MBT LAW), also known as the NLAW, is a Swedish short-range fire-and-forget anti-tank missile launcher. Designed for use by infantry, the MBT LAW is shoulder fired and disposable, firing just once before being needed to be disposed of."

The operator identifies the enemy tank, aims and acquires the target, fires the missile, and that is that.

That anti-tank guided missile [ATGM] with warhead not actually striking the target. That missile passing over the top of the enemy armored vehicle, the warhead [HEAT] exploding in a downward direction. This is TOP ATTACK!

Fire and forget I was familiar with. Top attack I was familiar with. Light anti-tank I was familiar with, but not this particular unique combination.

"A top attack device is designed to attack armoured vehicles from above, as the armour is usually thinnest at the top. Ideally, it will penetrate perpendicular to the attacked surface. The device may be delivered (often as a submunition) by a missile, artillery shell, or even an emplaced munition. Top attack munitions use either a high explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead for direct impact or near impact, or an explosively formed penetrator (EFP) warhead for over-flight of the target."

NLAW is not re-usable! Cannot be reloaded and fired at subsequent targets. That American LAW from the Vietnam War era had that single-shot capability also but was a pea-shooter very cheap, light to carry, and it was expected that the infantryman might have a half dozen or so pre-armed and ready to fire when encountering enemy armor. NOT with NLAW. Times change obviously.

P.S. Any devoted reader to the blog familiar with the fire and forget ATGM? That NLAW as shown in the demonstration on the Discovery Channel was fired at a stationary target. A moving target poses a challenge for the fire and forget? Those fire and forget missiles use an inertial guidance system for direction. NOT susceptible to countermeasures then?

coolbert.