KOBLENZ, Germany, Jan. 11 (UPI) -- The German military's procurement agency BWB has announced urgent plans to procure a new weapon for troops in Afghanistan.
The weapon is the Recoilless Grenade Weapon 90mm -- Anti-structure to neutralize enemy gunmen firing from behind structures.
The BWB also announced it has received two additional Bison vehicles, also for use in Afghanistan, which are used for towing and recovery of heavy assets, such as battle tanks.
"On operations abroad, an enemy behind cover poses a real threat," the agency said. "Until now, infantry had hardly any effective weapons against this threat.
"Therefore, a new weapon, which already yielded promising results, is now being procured within the scope of urgent operational requirements."
The RGW 90-AS is for use in dismounted combat operations. It is a shoulder-fired, low recoil system that uses a tandem warhead and can be fired in two modes: mousehole and blast.
BWB said in the first mode, ordnance punches a hole into a structure, such as a building or outer wall. The follow-up round then detonates creating a larger hole through which soldiers can pass.
In the blast mode, a follow-up charge penetrates into a building before detonating.
The system was developed, tested and ordered in less than three months, BWB said, and weapon rounds will be available to German troops by April.
Germany is part of the International Security Assistance Force combating the Islamist Taliban and other terror groups in Afghanistan.
BWB, meanwhile, received new protected Bison recovery and towing vehicles from Daimler AG, the system's prime contractor.
A handover ceremony was held at Elbe-Weser Barracks in Bremervorde. Receiving the 8X8 vehicles was the 13th Mechanized Infantry Division, which will be deploying to Afghanistan as well as the Balkans early this year.
The heavily armored Bison features a protected capsule that houses vehicle crew and a crane for recovery work.
BWB said it obtained 12 such vehicles over the year and all have now been delivered.
