RBS 70 NG

A Swedish very-short-range air-defense system that guides its missile along a coded laser beam while the operator maintains line of sight to the target.

Overview

RBS 70 NG is the current generation of Saab's RBS 70 very-short-range surface-to-air missile system. It combines a reusable sight and fire-control unit with laser-beam-riding interceptors and can be operated from a portable firing position or integrated onto a vehicle. Saab describes the NG configuration as an all-target system intended for use against aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles and uncrewed aerial vehicles.

Unlike infrared-guided shoulder-fired missiles, RBS 70 NG does not autonomously home on the target's heat signature. The operator or automatic tracker keeps the sight aligned with the target, and the fire-control unit projects coded laser guidance commands along the line of sight. This approach avoids a radio-frequency missile-guidance link and is resistant to conventional infrared decoys, but it requires an uninterrupted sightline throughout the engagement.

Development

RBS 70 NG is an updated member of the wider RBS 70 family, which originated in Sweden and has evolved through successive sights and missile generations. Saab developed the NG configuration around a new sighting system with an integrated thermal imager, automatic target tracking and improved operator aids while retaining compatibility with the system's laser-beam-riding engagement method. The manufacturer's RBS 70 NG product profile presents it as the current production standard for portable and vehicle-mounted applications.

Sweden continues to procure equipment and missiles for the system. In 2025, Saab announced a Swedish order for additional ground-based air-defense equipment associated with RBS 70 NG, although the public evidence supplied here does not establish the ordered quantity or system-specific value.

Saab announced Bolide 2 in July 2026 as a forthcoming interceptor intended to address evolving aerial threats. The company's Bolide 2 announcement indicates continued development of the missile family, but Bolide 2 should not be treated as the universal operational load for existing RBS 70 NG units.

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