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Spanish LAW RFB

SHAH ALAM: The Defence Ministry has published a request for bids for the supply and delivery of the light anti-tank weapon (LAW) C90 for the Army. The RFB for the Spanish made Instalanza C90 LAW is for 780 units.

This will be the biggest anti-tank weapon purchase in recent memory. The tender was published today – January 30 – and closes on February 20, which meant that companies has 21 days to put in their bids.

A paratrooper firing a M72 LAW as the Pandura team fires en masse at an exercise in March 2021. Note the trooper carrying a LAW on his pack. BTDM picture.

According to the public specifications page:

General. There is a requirement to equip the Infantry Battalion with a Light Anti-tank Weapon Disposable System to be used by infantry personnel during operations and training. The main usages of the weapon shall be as follows: 1.1. To destroy light armoured vehicles, gun
emplacements, pillboxes, concrete bunkers and equivalent hard targets.
1.2. Easily carried by personnel without degrading their mobility during
deployment by sea, air and land. 1.3. The nature of military operations to
conduct offensive and defensive operation requires the characteristics of
weapon which shall be lightweight, self-contained with effective fire power
and disposable

An image from Instalanza showing a soldier with the C90 LAW.

Instalanza produces for four variants of the C90 – anti armour; anti-armour plus fragmentation, an anti-bunker and smoke. It is likely the Army wants to buy the first three variants only.
C90 LAW from Instalanza.

It is interesting to note that the only units which had displayed the disposable launch tubes of the C90 are the GGK and the 19th Royal Malay Regiment (RMR). And the only units seen with the M72 LAW -procured from Nammo – is the Pathfinder company (Pandura) of the 10th Para Brigade and the GGK. That said I was never too keen with getting the detail TOE of the armed forces units so I stand to be corrected here.
C90 LAW sight and launcher.

The C90 – I believed were originally procured in the late 90s or early 2000s. The mass adoption of RPG by infantry units, within the last decade or so, led me to believe – mistakenly – that the C90s would no longer be procured. Due to the number of C90 LAW being procured I believed other units like those in 10th Para Brigade will also be equipped with them once delivered.

Anyhow, the RFB for the C90s again revealed the need to modify the procurement rules as I had posted on the Goose deal. Since we are buying something specific from a single manufacturer, there is no need for a RFB in the first place.

Fired C90 tubes on display with 19th RMR at a function in late January 2024.

It will be cheaper for a government company to buy them direct from the manufacturer after a request for information (to find their delivery times etc) and a request for proposal (cost). By doing this way, we will get the equipment cheaper and anyhow, the government will also be paying for their shipping here.
The Raja Muda of Selangor firing a live LAW. Mytradoc

It is not like we are buying a generic LAW which needed an RFB. It must be noted the LAW and NLAW purchased in the past – likely without an open tender – were also bought from local companies instead of direct from the manufacturer. It was the same with the Starstreak MANPADs.

— Malaysian Defence

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Marhalim Abas: Shah Alam

View Comments (29)

  • Hi.i believe that since 2020 mindef have been making purchases of various law n atgm which is
    1. The NLAW atgm
    2. M72 LAW
    3. Serbian made RPG
    4. Carl Gustav M4
    5.The recently signed Turkish atgm
    6. And now latest version of d C90
    Kind a lot of source ya.
    Anyway out of the 6 list above only the M72 is launch and throw while the others is reloadedable or reuse (sight's n trigger)

    As mentioned in this article, the M72 is used only by 10 Brigade PANDURA units n I believe some is allocated to GGK too. The same for NLAW, I believe. Do correct me if I'm wrong.
    Anyway my actual curiosity is does the C90, RPG, M4 Carl Gustav is at rifle section level or at the fire support section of the support company and knows as seksyen AKK.
    By right AKK within non mechanised battalion should or by right equipped with ATGM while the RPG, d Goose n C90 should be allocated to rifle section. Same goes for the milkor hand held grenade launcher at rifle section level while d Saco M40 at fire support company
    Just my 2 sen opinion

    • The RPG is allocated down to platoon level, likewise I believed the LAW and the C90. The Goose is with the Kompeni Bantuan or even platoon bantuan.

  • Platun AKK is actually a one of the platoons in Kompeni Bantuan of BIS (Battalion Infantri Standard)
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCz-uk6aMAAFobj.jpg

    Yes most platun AKK in BIS is equipped with CG. Only the infantry battalions of 7th Brigade in Johor have Metis-M in their platun AKK, which will be replaced by Karaok.

    platun AKK in 12 RAMD mekanize and 7 RRD mekanize are equipped with Baktar Shikan ATGM mounted on Adnans.

    14 RAMD mekanize with MIFV have platun AKK equipped with dismounted Baktar Shikan ATGM
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GFGTsgDaYAAcCIB.jpg

    19 RAMD mekanize with Gempita seems to have platun AKK equipped with Gempita LCT30 Ingwe.

    " Anyway out of the 6 list above only the M72 is launch and throw while the others is reloadedable or reuse "

    No

    M72 LAW, C90 and NLAW are all single use fire and throwaway disposable weapons.

    CG, RPG-7, Karaok, Metis-M and Baktar Shikan are reloadable.

    Currently RPG-7, M72 LAW, NLAW and C90 are all allocated at BIS infantry section level (not platun AKK). But seems it depends on what unit will get which. Most units getting RPG-7, M72 with PARA Pathfinder company, NLAW with other PARA infantry sections, C90 with GGK and 19RAMD.

  • Great that we are beefing up our anti armour capability. Hope focus would be given also to restock our SAM Manpads as with the exception of Star Streak system, I believe our last major purchase was in early 2000's. I also believe that the Anza maybe almost time expired?

  • And about time we REALLY go for that Medium Range AD..Not talk only.Even Philippines have Spyder and about to receive Brahmos..And here we still stuck with star streak and AA GUN.One system for starter are good enough compared to none

  • 12 RAMD mekanize and 7 RRD mekanize equipped with Baktar Shikan ATGM mounted on Adnans.
    https://www.malaysiandefence.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/IMG_5066.jpg

    I wonder why the Baktar Shikan vehicle mount is not adopted for the MIFV. 14 RAMD Mekanize do have their own Baktar Shikan launchers, with dismounted tripod system. This pic of the Baktar Shikan ATGM is taken during 14 RAMD Mekanize training exercise in October 2023
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GFGTsgDaYAAcCIB.jpg

    Pakistan has also adopted baktar shikan ATGM for its AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters. Could it be adopted to PUTD MD530G too?
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ew8XW3PW8AYEAVS.jpg

  • While our Northern Neighbor just approved 2 trillion pesos or 35 Billion US dollars for AFP Modernization for 10 yrs or 3.5 Billion US dollars yearly spending on military asset only not included the salary of the soldiers.
    Lets just chill and think positive hehehe

  • @hulubalang
    "Could it be adopted to PUTD MD530G too?"
    IINM the MD is certified to fire TOW only for now.

    @Jun
    Are you fearing a Pinoy army come marching down East MY and taking over?

  • Hulubalang
    No, only M72 is fire and throw away. C90 n NLAW the weapon sights is recyclable by attaching the round tube

    AT-4. If my memory serves me right we did procure a number of AT4