A £223 million deal will see thousands of Next Generation Light
Anti-Tank Weapon (NLAW) systems assembled in Northern Ireland and
delivered to the British Army.
Thousands of new anti-tank weapons will be assembled in Northern
Ireland and delivered to the British Army, Defence Secretary
announced today (7 December).
A £223 million deal has been agreed with Swedish manufacturer
Saab for Next Generation Light Anti-Tank Weapon (NLAW) systems,
which are assembled at Thales’ facility in Belfast, Northern
Ireland.
The UK has provided thousands of NLAWs to Ukraine to support the
defence of their nation following Russia’s unprovoked and illegal
invasion. With NLAW, a single soldier can take out a heavily
protected modern main battle tank from 20 to 800 metres away.
Defence Secretary said:
These next generation light anti-tank weapons have played a
decisive role in supporting Ukraine’s army to drive back Russia’s
illegal invading forces.
Working with our first-class industry partners, we are continuing
to fulfil our commitment to NATO by ensuring our Armed Forces
will receive a steady supply of these weapons over the coming
years, whilst supporting UK jobs across the length and breadth of
the country.
Secured through Defence Equipment and Support – the MOD’s
procurement arm – today’s agreement will see several thousand
units delivered to UK Armed Forces across 2024-2026, in addition
to around 500 being delivered in 2023 through a separate
procurement.
NLAW is a shoulder-launched missile system that attacks a tank
from above. It combines the simplicity of light anti-armour
weapons with the advantages of heavy, crew-operated guided
missile systems.
It is as a result of this agility, reliability and accuracy that
the NLAW has been an important capability in Ukraine’s fight back
against Russia’s illegal invasion, making up part of the 10,000
anti-tank weapons the UK has supplied to the Ukrainian armed
forces.
The UK continues to be actively engaged with industry, allies and
partners to ensure we can equip Ukraine with vital military
support while replacing, at pace, equipment and munitions granted
in kind from UK stocks.
