Close-in-Tank-Destroyer: Ukrainians Decimate Russian Armor With NLAW Missile

By Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization

(Washington DC) One of the lesser recognized yet equally impactful anti-armor weapons being used in the Russia-Ukraine war is called NLAW, a lightweight, portable missile used by dismounted infantry.

The weapon was made by Saab Bofors Dynamics as a joint UK-Swedish venture intended to bring new weapons support to infantry on the move in combat.

As a portable, lightweight weapon, the NLAW is an optimal weapon to be used in an ambush by maneuvering soldiers as well as hit-and-run attacks on light armored vehicles, buildings, or concentrated groups of enemy fighters.

The weapon is optimally suited for top-down attacks as it may not fully penetrate heavy armor but is likely to be extremely lethal if used to attack more vulnerable areas of an enemy vehicle from an elevated position. It has night vision for targeting, and both a point-of-contact and proximity fuse detonation. The NLAW fires a standard HEAT or “high-explosive-anti-tank” round.

Available specs say the NLAW is a Line-of-Sight weapon, meaning it is guided by direct human targeting within line of sight, using a soft-launch system. It is a one-shot disposable weapon that can be discarded after use, but as a highly transportable weapon, the NLAW has proven effective against Russian vehicles in Ukraine.

NLAW vs. Javelin

The NLAW has been used alongside the similar and well-known Javelin anti-tank missile, which has also proven effective in Ukraine. While the Javelin is a soldier-portable weapon as well, it is longer-range and potentially more lethal than the NLAW.