In fact, some could argue that it is the perfect mix of high-tech, capability, and mobility for this conflict, but its range doesn't come close to the Javelin. The Army held a six-entrant competition in 1982 in an attempt to replace the M72 LAW and the AT4 best fit the bill. The AT4 warhead can penetrate more than 17.5in of armour plate. The first versions of Stinger entered U.S. military service in 1981 and a number of improved variants have been introduced since then. These weapons are even capable of being used against low and slow flying helicopters, especially during their terminal operations in and out of landing zones. [38], Several M72A1 and M72A2 LAWs captured during the Vietnam War have been put into service with the chemical force of the Vietnam People's Army. The APILAS is understood to be pretty punishing on the user to fire in terms of both the shock of firing and the noise produced when the rocket is launched. As the warhead emerges from the launcher, six fins spring out from the base of the rocket tube, stabilizing the warhead's flight. As long as soldiers are in range and have adequate line-of-sight, the LAW can be lethal against enemy tanks and armored vehicles. Ukraine receives M72 LAW weapon system from Denmark - YouTube The problem of back blast was solved with the AT4-CS (Confined Space) version, specially designed for urban warfare. For other uses, see, Complete AT4 HEAT antitank round (which is preloaded in AT4) and AT8 bunker-busting warhead, Hewish, Mark, "FFV's Lightweight AT4, first of a new family of Swedish anti-armour weapons". This could be particularly useful for engaging Russian tanks, many of which make heavy use of ERA, in Ukraine. There are is also a thermobaric round, smoking-making and illumination types, and a projectile loaded with 1,100 small metal darts, called flechettes, for engaging troops in the open. FFV and the Swedish Army began the first evaluation firings of the prototype AT4s in the spring of 1981, with 100 tested by early 1982. Multiple anti-tank rounds have been developed for this system since it first entered service in 1987, each of which has some type of protruding tip meant to help defeat explosive-reactive armor (ERA). Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. The U.S. Army had so much grief in the early 1980s from various committee members of the U.S. Congress over the M72 LAW being officially referred to in manuals as a Light. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The core launcher has been improved, as well, including the addition of an accessory rail for the rapid addition of more robust sights. The AT4-CS version also reduced its muzzle velocity from the original 290m/s to 220m/s as part of its effort to be user-safe in a confined space, making the AT4-CS version more difficult to use as the drop is more pronounced. The Turkish Army uses a locally built version by Makina ve Kimya Endustrisi Kurumu, called HAR-66 (Hafif Antitank Roketi, 'light antitank rocket'), which has the performance and characteristics of a mix of an M72A2 and an A3. The LAWs lower explosive power also lent itself well to urban combat operations, where low collateral damage was a mission priority. Stinger is a short-range weapon optimized for point defense, but even early types still had significant engagement envelopes. Norway (2,000 units) and Denmark (2,700) have also provided the M72 LAW to Ukraine. Required fields are marked *. TheM72 LAWhas been used by the Marine Corps since the days of jungle fighting in Vietnam. The system has been continuously improved over that time, especially with regards to weight reduction and improved sighting systems. The C90 is a single-shot rocket-propelled grenade launcher that is available loaded with high-explosive anti-tank and anti-structure rounds, as well as one filled with a red phosphorus smoke mixture that has a secondary incendiary effect. At the same time, many of these systems, especially the single-shot disposable types, share many general similarities in terms of design and capability. Six weapons were tested in 1983 by the US Army: the British LAW 80, the German Armbrust, the French APILAS, the Norwegian M72E4 (an upgraded M72 LAW), the US Viper (for baseline comparison purposes) and the Swedish AT4. There are versions of the Alcotn-100 preloaded with high-explosive anti-tank rockets, as well as general high-explosive and high-explosive dual-purpose types, the latter of which is meant to provide a mixture of anti-armor and anti-personnel effects. AT4 vs LAW : r/joinsquad - Reddit All three types have a maximum effective range of around 2,000 feet against a static point target. They were very efficient against tanks during the last days of World War II. A training variant used by the Finnish armed forces fires 9mm (0.35in) tracer rounds. Unlike the M72-series LAW, the M136 AT4 launcher need not be extended before firing. Weighing only 5.5 pounds and measuring 24.8 inches long folded, the M72 LAW consists of two tubes, the outmost of which is watertight and holds the trigger arming handle, front-rear sights and rear cover. Instead, thanks to the M72's low weight, individual soldiers could carry several LAWs when out on a mission compared to just one AT4. The XM96 RCR (riot control rocket) had a CS gas-filled warhead for crowd control and was also intended for use with the M202, though the rocket never entered service. The high-explosive anti-tank projectile can penetrate up to 420mm of rolled homogenous armour. Ukraine receives M72 LAW weapon system from Denmark - YouTube 0:00 / 1:40 Ukraine receives M72 LAW weapon system from Denmark Military Coverage 12.9K subscribers 14K views 9 months ago. and is much easier to hit your target It costs more ammo to resupply (60 vs 40) and the kit doesn't get a ACOG on the M4 #2 Echoist Aug 31, 2020 @ 10:38pm This is a single-shot disposable weapon that is only available preloaded with a 112mm high-explosive anti-tank rocket. Unlike the reloadable Javelin, NLAW is a single-shot, self-contained system. This gives it improved capabilities against maneuvering aircraft and those equipped with various types of more modern infrared countermeasures. The LAW is nothing new, but it is combat-proven. Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security. It has been reported that the 5,000 anti-armor weapons that Sweden is sending to Ukraine are likely to be AT4s. The lower cost and lighter weight of the LAW, combined with a scarcity of modern heavy armored targets and the need for an individual assault weapon versus an individual anti-armor weapon, made it ideal for the type of urban combat seen in Iraq and mountain warfare seen in Afghanistan. Available ammunition types for the Carl Gustaf, on display underneath an inert cutaway display model of shoulder-fired single-shot AT4 anti-armor launcher.. A US military AT4 with an AN/PVS-4 night vision optic fitted.. A member of the US military instructs Ukrainian troops on the use of the M141 BDM in January 2022.. A member of the Norwegian military prepared to fire an M72 LAW variant while training with members of the US Air Force.. A cutaway model of the Alcotn-100 on display.. The LAW has been around since the early-1960s for use against Soviet light tanks in Europe. He holds a Master of Public Policy and covers U.S. and Russian security, European defense issues, and German politics and culture. Perhaps most important, the unguided anti-armor weapons are all relatively simple designs that do not require operators to go through extensive specialized training beforehand, unlike Javelin or Stinger for instance. The RPG-7 is basically the same, but with 2 more shots. With 39% base accuracy, 13 penetration, 675m range, and only 4 shots, the thing is hot garbage. Joint Program Executive Office for Armaments & Ammunition When fired, the striker in the rear tube impacts a primer, which ignites a small amount of powder that "flashes" down a tube to the rear of the rocket and ignites the propellant in the rocket motor. However, the M72 enjoyed a new lease on life during the American campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. The weapon consists of a rocket within a launcher consisting of two tubes, one inside the other. [12] However, some modern variants of the LAW are specifically designed with fire-from-enclosure (FFE) capability. The M74 TPA (thickened pyrophoric agent) had an incendiary warhead filled with TEA (triethylaluminum); this was used in the M202A1 FLASH (flame assault shoulder weapon) four-tube launcher. The AT4 anti-armour weapon was developed from the 74mm Pansarskott M68 weapon that the Swedish Army adopted in the 1960s. . The latest variant, with special-designed Fire From Enclosure (FFE) ammunition could change that. [10][11] The Department of the Army previously rated the weapon as safe to fire from enclosure, but this rating was removed in 2010 after the introduction of the safer AT4 CS. For use against light armour, there is a smaller-cone HEAT warhead with 15 centimetres (5.9in) penetration of RHA. [citation needed][note 2], With the failure of the M72's intended replacement, the Viper, in late 1982 Congress ordered the US Army to test off-the-shelf light antitank weapons and report back by the end of 1983.
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