Sweden Saab AB
NLAW
A Swedish-British disposable, shoulder-fired anti-tank missile using predicted-line-of-sight guidance and an overfly-top-attack mode to defeat armored vehicles without radiating a lock-on signature. It became globally recognized after large-scale UK-supplied deliveries to Ukraine's infantry from 2022.
In service since 2009 · 10 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
1
km range
0.4
Mach
2
kg warhead
💲 ≈ $30,000, Publicly cited approximate unit cost
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Swedish export-licensed
ISP licensing; EU/Wassenaar controls.
Channel: Direct commercial / G2G
Fielded & proven
Established · 10 operators
In service since 2009. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
Unit cost known; one-shot / small-arms class has no meaningful O&S tail to model.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed (Mach)
Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters.
- 0.4 Mach Bottom 1% of missiles
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 1 km Bottom 1% of missiles
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Warhead
Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range.
- 2 kg Bottom 2% of missiles
- Warhead type
Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable.
- Tandem-charge HEAT
- Guidance
How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire.
- Predicted line-of-sight (PLOS), Overfly top attack (OTA)
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 1 m
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 13 kg
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Solid-fuel rocket
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Unit cost
Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.
- $30,000 Top 2% of missiles
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 10 Stronger than 73% of missiles
Specifications compiled from public Saab AB and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire Frequently asked questions
What is the range of the Saab AB NLAW? +
The Saab AB NLAW has a maximum range of 1 km.
How much does the Saab AB NLAW weigh? +
The Saab AB NLAW has a combat weight of 13 kg.
What is the Saab AB NLAW used for? +
The Saab AB NLAW is a missile typically used for anti armor.
How many countries operate the Saab AB NLAW? +
The Saab AB NLAW is operated by 10 countries.
How much does the Saab AB NLAW cost? +
The Saab AB NLAW has an approximate unit cost of 30,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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