SPG-9
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The SPG-9 Kopye (Spear) is a Russian tripod-mounted man-portable, 73 mm recoilless gun developed by the Soviet Union. It fires fin-stabilised, rocket-assisted HE and HEAT projectiles similar to those fired by the 73 mm 2A28 Grom low pressure gun of the BMP-1 vehicle.
The projectile is launched from the gun by a small charge, which gives it an initial muzzle velocity of around 250 m/s to 400 m/s. The charge also imparts spin to the projectile by a series of offset holes in the launch charge. Once the projectile has travelled approximately 20 meters from the launcher a rocket motor in the projectile ignites. For the PG-9 projectile, this takes it to a velocity of 700 m/s before the motor burns out.
The weapon is in service with a large number of armed forces, and a variety of ammunition is produced, however mostly they are copies of the original soviet PG-9 HEAT and OG-9 FRAG-HE rounds.
[edit] Specifications
- Calibre: 73 mm smoothbore
- Weight: 47.5 kg (59.5 kg with the tripod)
- Length: 2110 mm
- Height: 800 mm
- Elevation: + 25 degrees maximum
- Traverse 30 degrees total
[edit] Projectiles
| Round | Projectile | Type | Weight | Fuze | Length | Explosive content | Muzzle velocity | Effective range | Maximum range | Armour penetration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PG-9 | PG-9V | HEAT-FS | 4.39 kg | VP-9 | 920 mm | 0.322 kg of Hexogen | 435 m/s | 800 m | 1300 m | 300 mm RHA | - |
| PG-9N | HEAT-FS | VP-9 | 920 mm | 0.340 kg of OKFOL-3.5 (95% HME 5% Wax) |
435 m/s | 800 m | 1300 m | 400 mm RHA | - | ||
| PG-9VS | HEAT-FS | 4.4 kg | ? | 920 mm | ? | 1300 m | ? | 400 mm RHA | - | ||
| PG-9VNT | PG-9NT | HEAT-FS | 3.2 kg | ? | 920 mm | ? | 400 m/s | 700 m | 1200 | 550 mm RHA or 400 mm protected by ERA |
Tandem warhead |
| OG-9V | OG-9 | FRAG-HE | 5.35 kg | GO-2 or O-4M | 1062 mm | 0.735 kg of TNT | 316 m/s | - | - | n/a | Cast iron casing |
| OG-9VM | OG-9M | FRAG-HE | 5.35 kg | GO-2 or O-4M | 1062 mm | 0.655 kg of TD-50 (TNT/dinitronaphthalene) |
316 m/s | - | - | n/a | - |
| OG-9VM1 | OG-9V | FRAG-HE | 5.35 kg | GO-2 or O-4M | 1062 mm | ? | 316 m/s | - | 4,500 m | n/a | - |
| OG-9BG | OG-9G | FRAG-HE | 6.9 kg | O-4M | ? | ? | 250 m/s | - | 4,000 m | n/a | Bulgarian made |
| OG-9BG1 | OG-9G1 | FRAG-HE | ? | O-4M | ? | ? | ? | - | 6,500 m | n/a | Bulgarian made |
[edit] Variants
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