RPO-A Shmel (Bumblebee)

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A RPO-A rocket and launcher.
A RPO-A rocket and launcher.

RPO "Bumblebee" (rus."РПО-А Шмель") is a man-portable rocket launcher produced and exported by Russia and the former Soviet Union.

Contents

[edit] Description

The RPO is a single-shot, self-contained tube shaped launcher which operates much like some RPG and LAW rocket launchers. The launcher is a sealed tube, carried in a man-pack in pairs. The same person can remove the tube, place it in firing position, and launch the weapon without assistance. After launch, the tube is discarded. All models are externally similar.

[edit] Ammunition

Each weapon contains a single rocket, of which there are three varieties. The basic rocket is the RPO-A, which has a thermobaric warhead and is designed for attacking soft targets under moderate cover. The RPO-Z is the incendiary warhead designed to spread fire and ignite targets. Finally, there is a smoke producing warhead offered, the RPO-D.

[edit] Specifications

Specifications provided by Jane's: [1]

  • Calibre: 93 mm
  • Length:
    • Launcher: 920 mm
    • Rocket: 700 mm
  • Weight:
    • Single weapon: 11 kg
    • Transit pack of two: 22 kg
  • Sighting range: 600 m
  • Range:
    • Minimum: 20 m
    • Maximum: 1,000 m
  • Initial velocity: 125 ±5 m/s
  • Warhead:
    • RPO-A: 2.1 kg thermobaric
    • RPO-Z: 2.1 kg incendiary
    • RPO-D: 2.3 kg smoke
  • Operational temperature range: −50 to +50ºC
  • Shelf life: 10 years

[edit] Operators

[edit] Service history

The use of the RPO by Russian special forces has been implicated in possibly starting the fire which claimed a number of lives in the Beslan school hostage crisis.[4]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Gander, Terry (2001-01-05). RPO-A Shmel rocket infantry flame-thrower. Land Forces. Jane's.
  2. ^ Wilson, Jamie and Crew, Bob (2001-11-23). UK dealers sell 'vacuum bombs' to Sri Lanka. Guardian Unlimited.
  3. ^ Jansz, Frederica (2001-08-12). Big Stink over Schmel Launchers. TamilCanadian.
  4. ^ Medetsky, Anatoly and Voitova, Yana (2005-07-21). A Reversal over Beslan Only Fuels Speculation. The Moscow Times.

[edit] External links