OVERVIEW: The RB 57 MBT LAW is a disposable, man-portable, short-range anti-tank weapon designed for single-use fire-and-forget operation against main battle tanks. It uses a guided overfly top-attack (OTA) or direct-attack (DA) mode with a tandem HEAT warhead.

DETAILS: The RB 57 MBT LAW, designated by Sweden, is the national variant of the Saab-Bofors MBT LAW (Main Battle Tank Light Anti-tank Weapon), developed jointly by Saab (Sweden) and Thales (UK) and introduced into Swedish service in 2009. It is a lightweight (about 12.5 kg), shoulder-fired, 150 mm caliber anti-tank missile launcher, capable of engaging armored vehicles at ranges from 20 to 600 meters. The system features a dual-mode sensor allowing selection between direct and overfly top-attack profiles, and uses a tandem-charge HEAT warhead to defeat explosive reactive armor (ERA). The launcher includes an integrated fire-control unit and optical sight, with pre-programmed modes and no user adjustments required after launch.

As the RB 57, the weapon incorporates Swedish requirements for cold-weather performance and integration into infantry units with minimal training. It complements the heavier RB 56 BILL 2 and provides a lighter, rapid-deployment alternative.

It is fired from the shoulder in confined spaces, using soft-launch propulsion and a built-in interface for immediate target designation. Once launched, the missile autonomously guides itself to the selected attack profile, requiring no further operator input.

NOTE:
IOC: 2009
Operators: Sweden, United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Indonesia, Malaysia
Platforms: Infantry-portable (shoulder-fired)
Conflict used in: Not publicly confirmed in combat use as of 2025

SOURCE:
Saab Group Official: https://www.saab.com/products/mbt-law ; Swedish Armed Forces: https://www.forsvarsmakten.se ; Jane’s Infantry Weapons ; Thales Group: https://www.thalesgroup.com