The Carl G Mk4 gets smart

Vincent J. Curtis

17 May 22

I reported on the Carl G Mk 4 in the August 2021 issue (EdC Vol 28 No. 7) and said that smart munitions for that variant would soon become available.  The Mk 4 is considerably lighter and handier than the Mk 3.  The Mk 4 weighs only 6.6 kg and is 950 mm long, making it easier to work with generally, but particularly in urban environments.  Being a recoilless rifle, all that flies down range is the warhead/projectile.  But what really distinguished the Mk 4 from earlier variants are the materials of construction: carbon fibre composites and titanium.  The titanium lined bore has an estimated lifetime of 1,000 rounds, about double that of earlier variants.  And unlike previous variants, the bore can be replaced leaving the outer hardware intact.

Now, the first of the smart munitions is.here.

What makes these new smart munitions go is the new sighting system, which is now the primary sighting system for the Mk 4.  It is designated the FCD (for Fire Control Device) 558.  The new sighting system supports the Mk 4 Firebolt system, which serves as the interface between the sighting system and the smart munitions.  The FCD 558 contains a ballistic computer that, among other things, controls the fuse programming for the warhead.  The computer takes data such as propellant temperature, altitude, and air temperature to make automatic adjustments to aimed trajectory.  The operator only has to input range, which is done with a single knob.  The sight also allow for night vision clip-ons.

The Firebolt system is intended to read data from the munition.  It does so via a set of connectors built into the cartridge case, and there is a special connector guide that ensures the cartridge is loaded so that the connectors on the round link up with the receptacles of the Firebolt system.  When electrical contact is made, the Firebolt system automatically detects the kind of munition the warhead is, selects the ballistic program designed for that round, and reads data from the round, such as propellant temperature.  If the round is an anti-personnel airburst round, the Firebolt system provides data to the warhead so that it will explode at the correct altitude downrange.

The firing procedure is reduced to just a few steps: load – select airburst – set range – aim and fire.

Because of the ballistic computer built into the FCD 558, the operator only has to aim at what he wants to hit; no compensation by the operator is needed.

The first of the new smart munitions is the HE 448 anti-personnel airburst round.  It weighs 2.6 kg, has a muzzle velocity of 295 m/s, and has an effective range of over 1,500 m.  The warhead contains 4000 tungsten pellets, and is armed 70 m downrange.  At optimal altitude, the warhead showers an area of 400 m² , a circle of diameter 23 m.  The temperature readings improve airburst timing, especially at the longer ranges.

The first demonstration of the new HE 448 munition took place on May 3-4, 2022, before representatives from 30 countries.  The U.S. Army was evidently impressed, for on 12 May, it placed an order for the Carl G Mk 4.  The U.S. Marines are already equipped with that model.

The price of a unit is in the range of US$20,000, and ammunition cost in the range of US$500 to US$ 3,000.  The price of the new, smart ammo is not yet released.

Last August, I remarked that Canada would be smart to ship all its existing stock of Carl G’s to Ukraine and to buy new.  A program of a measly $10 million (I can hear the procurement folks gagging from here!) the CAF could be equipped with 250 Mk 4’s and still have plenty left over for practice ammunition.  Given the conflict in Ukraine, it might be prudent to arrange licensing for the smart (and expensive!) munitions to be manufactured in Canada, which could also supply U.S. needs.

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This article also appears in the Sept 2022 issue of Esprit de Corps magazine.