Finland’s Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen has authorized the armed forces to procure the RGW110 heavy anti-tank system from the German company Dynamit Nobel Defence (DND). With this acquisition, the Finnish Army’s ability to repel armored vehicles at close range is to be improved. The Ministry of Defense announced this at the end of October. The total value of the procurement, excluding value-added tax, amounts to around €84.5 million.
The delivery of the system, as well as the associated training materials and the corresponding training of the troops, will begin in 2027. “This procurement will significantly improve the Finnish Army’s ability to repel armored vehicles at close range. It is part of a broader process in which the focus of material procurement is shifted more toward the Army’s needs. Improving the Army’s equipment is a strategic investment that strengthens our entire defense system,” said Defense Minister Häkkänen.
Finland plans to replace the Apilas with the RGW110
The new heavy anti-armor weapon is designed for use by any soldier at close range. It complements the Army’s multi-layered anti-tank capabilities. Anti-tank weapons enable concentrated fire on a single target from various firing positions. In addition, the weapon system eases logistics and reduces the physical burden on the troops. Such a weapon must be compatible with a soldier’s other equipment under all operating conditions.
The RGW110 (Recoilless Grenade Weapon, caliber 110 mm) is a shoulder-fired anti-tank weapon of the next generation from DND, developed as the direct successor of the Panzerfaust 3. It features a HEAT/HESH tandem warhead (tandem hollow-charge), based on that of the Panzerfaust 3-IT. According to the manufacturer, it has an armor-piercing capability of over 1,000 millimeters of rolled homogeneous armor. Its weight is cited as about three kilograms lighter than the Panzerfaust 3, and the firing range is up to 800 meters. It can be fired from enclosed spaces (Firing From Enclosure, FFE) like the other RGW variants.
DND offers optional modern fire-control sights as well as an optimized folding-stock and grip design (including a Picatinny rail for red-dot sights and night-vision devices). The fire-control sights come from Hensoldt (Dynahawk FLV) or Aimpoint (FCS14 and FCS15). Finland now intends with the RGW110 to replace older systems such as the French Apilas from the 1980s. The first customer was Hungary in 2022. Other NATO countries are also considering procurement.
