Finland purchases RGW110 anti-tank weapons to replace APILAS system

Finland is purchasing the RGW110 heavy disposable anti-tank weapon from Germany’s Dynamit Nobel Defence in an €84.5 million (about $94 million) deal, excluding value-added tax, to replace the aging APILAS system that Finnish troops have carried since the 1980s.

Replacing the APILAS Launcher in Finnish Inventory

Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen authorized the procurement following an evaluation by the Finnish Defence Forces. Deliveries of the weapon systems, training equipment, and instruction are scheduled to begin in 2027. Neither the Finnish Army nor the Ministry of Defence specified the exact quantity of launchers ordered under the contract.

The new single-use shoulder-fired system fills the military requirement for a close-range heavy anti-tank weapon. Col. Ari Mure, inspector of infantry at Finnish Army Command, noted that main battle tanks remain a persistent battlefield threat.

“The main battle tank will remain a threat on the battlefield in the future as well. The new disposable launcher system is intended for destroying tanks at close range and will replace the APILAS system acquired in the 1980s as the troops’ heavy close-range anti-tank weapon,” Col. Ari Mure said.

Operational Advantages of the RGW110 System

The RGW110 operates as a single-use munition that soldiers fire and discard, allowing individual units to carry the hardware like standard ammunition and distribute it across numerous fighting positions. This dispersal eliminates the requirement for dedicated support crews typically assigned to guided missile platforms. Consequently, multiple soldiers can concentrate fire on a single armored vehicle from disparate positions simultaneously while keeping the individual physical load and overall logistical footprint manageable.

Because the rocket is unguided, electronic jamming measures cannot deflect it. The Finnish Army stated that the weapon functions across all lighting conditions and weather environments, spanning urban settings as well as forested terrain in both offensive and defensive operations. European Security and Defence reported that Dynamit Nobel Defence lists an effective range of up to 800 meters, which is roughly double the range of the older Panzerfaust 3.

Penetration capability dictated the selection process. The Finnish Army required a weapon capable of defeating explosive reactive armor—the modular explosive tiles mounted on tank hulls to disrupt incoming warheads—while retaining sufficient caliber to breach the primary steel armor underneath. The RGW110 employs a 110 mm tandem warhead featuring a lead charge that triggers the reactive armor before the primary charge strikes. According to the manufacturer, the warhead can penetrate approximately 1,000 millimeters of armor steel situated behind reactive armor.

Finland Refines Warhead Design Based on Ukraine Observations

Finland evaluated available market options, tested qualifying systems against targets with realistic armor protection, and collaborated with the manufacturer to refine the warhead design. Observations from the war in Ukraine validated earlier assessments regarding modern tank protection standards, according to the Finnish Army. Defence leaders noted that the procurement forms part of a wider strategic shift in materiel spending toward the needs of the Army.

“Improving the Army’s materiel and equipment is a strategic investment that will strengthen our defence system as a whole,” Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen said.

The RGW110 represents the larger 110 mm variant within Dynamit Nobel Defence’s RGW product line. The smaller 90 mm RGW90, marketed as the MATADOR, has seen active combat in Ukraine following German export clearance and subsequent deliveries from corporate stock in 2022. Hungary became the initial customer for the RGW110 in 2022, establishing a joint venture with Dynamit Nobel Defence to manufacture select weapon components locally while continuing warhead production at the company’s facility in Burbach, Germany.