About the anti-tank weapons that the UK transferred to Ukraine
A fighter with an NLAW training complex, photo: wikimedia.org
Speaking on Monday, January 17, in the House of Commons of the British Parliament, Ben Wallace, the current Minister of Defense of Great Britain, said that the country had decided to supply Ukraine with "light anti-tank defensive weapons systems." So the British leadership decided to support Kiev in the light of the "increasingly threatening behavior of Russia."
According to the Ukrainian media, which was officially confirmed by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine on January 19, we are talking about the supply of fairly modern portable anti-tank systems NLAW (Next Generation Light Anti-tank Weapon). More than a thousand of these anti-tank missiles from the stocks of the British army were apparently transferred to Ukraine. Commercial is the supply or gratuitous is not reported.
The delivery of the complexes to the Borispol airport near Kiev was carried out by military transport aircraft Boeing C-17 Globemaster III of the Royal Air Force. Commenting on the deliveries, Ben Wallace noted that the complexes do not pose a threat to Russia and are intended for self-defense.
British military experts will help the Ukrainian military to master new weapons as part of the ongoing operation ORBITAL (the mission of British military instructors on the territory of Ukraine). The SAAB company notes that the average soldier can be taught to use the complex as part of an hour-long lesson.
What is NLAW?
NLAW is short for Next Generation Light Anti-tank Weapon. The man-portable anti-tank missile system is a joint Swedish-British development. The design of the complex was carried out in the early 2000s. On the part of Sweden, the military division of the large industrial concern SAAB participated in the development, on the part of the UK, the British branch of the Thales group of companies (Thales Air Defense).
NLAW fighters, photo: www.saab.com
The complex has already received the unofficial nickname "Javelin at the minimum wage" and it is largely justified. This type of weapon is a cross between conventional hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers and anti-tank systems, capable of hitting armored targets at a distance of several kilometers. At the same time, like its older American brother, the British-Swedish complex has a mode of hitting targets in the upper projection (roof of the hull / tower).
The anti-tank complex went into serial production in 2009, it is in service with about ten countries of the world. The main operators are the UK and Sweden. NLAW was also acquired by Finland, Switzerland, Malaysia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and a number of other countries. At the start of production, the British Army's need for new light anti-tank weapons was estimated at 20 units.
At its core, the NLAW is a portable large-caliber single-shot anti-tank grenade launcher. Rocket launch is carried out from the shoulder. With modern anti-tank systems, it is related by a “smart” missile, which allows the fighter to work in the “fire and forget” mode. At the same time, unlike full-fledged anti-tank systems, this is a short-range weapon. The effective range of NLAW does not exceed 800 meters.
According to the developers, NLAW allows you to deal with all modern types of armored targets, as well as unarmored wheeled vehicles, vehicles in caponiers, and enemy firing points. The declared range of the complex, according to the manufacturer, is from 20 to 800 meters. The time from the moment the target is detected to the shot is 5 seconds. The weight of the entire complex is 12,5 kg, length - 1016 mm. The caliber of the head of the missile with a warhead is 150 mm.
Anti-tank complex NLAW in the Swedish version, photo wikimedia.org
The rocket of the complex is equipped with an inertial control system that compensates for the impact of the external environment. At the same time, the shooter received a tool that facilitates shooting at moving targets - PLOS (Predicted Line of Sight) - a predicted line of sight.
The operator of the complex accompanies a moving target, holding it in sight for three seconds, after which it fires a shot. During tracking, the complex equipment activates the missile's inertial system, independently calculating the parameters of the target's movement and predicting the meeting point with it. Thanks to this NLAW operator, there is no need to independently take into account corrections for range, wind and target speed.
Pros and cons of the NLAW anti-tank complex
The pros and cons of the complex are very relative, given that this is a kind of intermediate tool between the simplest RPGs and the best modern anti-tank systems. When compared with the American Javelin complex or Russian Kornets, the NLAW firing range is, of course, small. But the complex was not created to compete with anti-tank systems in their niche. Also, a conditional disadvantage of the complex can be called its disposability and high cost compared to conventional RPGs.
At the same time, the NLAW shelf life, declared by the developer, is 20 years. This is quite sufficient for most modern weapons. If we consider that the first British anti-tank systems were released in 2009, then the Ukrainian military will have about 7 more years in reserve within the declared service life. This is true if the earliest complexes were transferred from the arsenal of the British army, which seems quite logical.
British soldier with NLAW, photo: wikimedia.org
The main advantages of the complex include its compactness and low weight. It is several times lighter than modern anti-tank systems, which increases the mobility of fighters. The complex is suitable for operations in urban areas and areas with difficult terrain. Launches can be made from various points, including the top floors of buildings, basements, ditches, and even from trees. Another advantage is that you can shoot from enclosed spaces, remaining out of sight of enemy armored vehicles. At the same time, shooting is possible even if there are other fighters in the room, according to the website of the developer company.
It is worth noting that in modern combat it is not always possible to detect the ATGM crew in time, in this sense, a single soldier with NLAW, who can be located almost anywhere, poses a serious threat to armored vehicles. Ease of use and portability only enhance this effect.
But, perhaps, the main feature of the NLAW complex is the presence of two modes of hitting a target. Unarmored or lightly armored enemy equipment, as well as enemy troops inside buildings, the complex is able to hit in the DA "Direct Attack" mode, in which the missile flies along the line of sight, and the explosion comes from a contact fuse.
To combat well-armored targets - primarily modern main combat tanks, the OTA (Overfly Top Attack) attack mode is implemented in the complex - hitting the target from above on the span. In this mode, the detonation of the warhead deployed at an angle of 90 degrees occurs at the moment when the missile is above the attacked object. This mode uses the capabilities of optical and magnetic sensors. When detonated from above, the impact core hits the tank in the most vulnerable places - the roof of the hull and turret.
Fighter with NLAW, photo: www.saab.com
In addition, the OTA mode allows the shooter to hit targets located behind shelters, terrain folds, standing in caponiers or in trenches. This feature is already available at a distance of 20 meters, making it ideal for close combat when the tank can be behind cover. At the same time, the operator of the complex does not even have to see the target completely, it is enough that only a small fragment of the tank is visible. The declared armor penetration of 500 mm makes it possible to reliably hit most of the existing MBTs in the upper projection.
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