The Carl Gustaf 8.4 cm recoilless rifle (Swedish pronunciation: [kɑːɭ ˈɡɵ̂sːtav], named after Carl Gustafs Stads Gevärsfaktori, which initially produced it) is a Swedish-developed 84 mm (3.3 in) caliber shoulder-fired recoilless rifle, initially developed by the Royal Swedish Army Materiel Administration during the second half of the 1940s as a crew-served man-portable infantry support gun for close-range multi-role anti-armour, anti-personnel, battlefield illumination, smoke screening and marking fire,[1] which has seen great export success around the globe and continues to be a popular multi-purpose support weapon in use by many nations.

[15] The basic weapon consists of the main tube with the breech-mounted Venturi recoil damper, with two grips near the front and a shoulder mount.

The Gustaf can be fired from the standing, kneeling, sitting or prone positions, and a bipod may be attached in front of the shoulder piece.

Any person within the back-blast cone can suffer severe burn injuries and solid objects closely behind can reflect the blast back onto the crew.

[23] The 84 mm weapon was first introduced into Swedish service in 1948 as the 8,4 cm granatgevär m/48, filling a similar role as the US Army's bazooka, British PIAT and German Panzerschreck, albeit with a higher focus on multirole and fire support than pure anti-tank warfare.

Unlike the aforementioned weapons, however, the 84 mm Carl Gustaf used a rifled barrel for spin-stabilising its rounds, as opposed to fins used by the other systems.

[citation needed]The Carl Gustaf M2 was introduced in 1964 as an improved, lighter and slightly shorter version of the original M1 for the export market.

Testing by the army's Benét Laboratories in 1993 determined that the Carl Gustaf M3 had a service lifetime more than four times the contractor's claims, which drew interest from the US Navy, and a joint services team moved forward with a purchase order under the US military designation MAAWS (Multi-Role Anti-Armor Anti-Personnel Weapon System) M3.

Although the single-shot AT4 is lighter and can be carried by one person, a Gustaf team with the heavier recoilless rifle can reload and fire more rounds.[26][relevant?]

U.S. Army light infantry units began using the M3 MAAWS in Afghanistan in 2011, but only when commanders submitted operational needs statements for the weapon.

[28] To enhance the M3's targeting capabilities, the U.S. Army developed the Integrated Thermal Weapons Sight (ITWS) as an advanced system for the M3 MAAWS.

The ITWS integrates the AN/PAS-13E Thermal Weapons Sight (TWS) and the AN/PSQ-23A Small Tactical Optical Rifle Mounted (STORM) Laser Range Finder.

The thermal imaging capability of the AN/PAS-13E allows soldiers to detect and identify targets obscured by environmental factors such as darkness, fog, or dense vegetation, significantly improving situational awareness.

On 28 March 2013, USSOCOM announced a call for sources to develop a kit to lighten the weapon and reduce overall length without affecting handling or ruggedness.

Saab was already developing a weight-reduced version that demonstrated no decrease in performance, no increase in recoil, and nearly equivalent barrel life that could be ready for testing in 2014.

The shorter length was in response to the need to wield the weapon in urban terrain, and weight savings were achieved through using lighter components whenever possible including a carbon fibre tube with titanium liner, and a new venturi design.

The United States Marine Corps adopted the M3A1 to augment the Mk 153 SMAW[40] in 2020 and it achieved Initial Operational Capability in 2021.

[42] In October 2024, Aimpoint secured a contract to provide its FCS 14 sight to the U.S. Marine Corps to be the primary fire control system on the M3A1 MAAWS.

[43] This advanced fire control system features a direct-view, Dynamic Universal Reflex Sight, which has an integrated laser rangefinder and ballistic computer, delivering precise aiming points adjusted for range, munition type, terrain, and environmental factors.

Designed for versatility, it operates effectively in bright daylight, dawn, or dusk conditions and can integrate with helmet-mounted night vision devices like the AN/PVS-14 or AN/PVS-31.

The system also includes the Dual Sensor Afocal (DSA) module—a removable thermal and day camera unit with variable magnification settings of 1x, 2x, 4x, and 8x, powered and controlled by the FCS—enhancing target detection and engagement capabilities.

[46] The 8,4 cm grg 18 will feature an advanced laser rangefinder and will be acquired with new programmable ammunition (preliminary name HE 448), and a new, improved HEAT shell.

The facility is expected to open in 2024 and will produce weapons for the Indian Armed Forces as well as export components to users worldwide.

One famous incident happened on 14 September 1961, when Swedish soldier Torsten Stålnacke, then part of a M1 Carl-Gustaf squad, had his two squadmates shocked in connection with repelling a Gendarmerie armoured car attack on a refugee camp and their nearby depot, forcing him to operate the M1 on his own.

For full effectiveness, illumination rounds must be fired at a very high angle, creating a danger for the gunner who can be burned from the backblast.