Rocket-propelled grenade

An RPG-7

A Rocket-Propelled Grenade (RPG), or Rocket Launcher, is any hand-held, shoulder-launched anti-tank weapon capable of firing an unguided rocket equipped with an explosive warhead.

RPGs are very effective against unarmored or lightly armored vehicles such as armored personnel carriers (APCs).

Contents

Etymology

In the context of "rocket-propelled grenades", RPG is a transliteration of , the Russian РПГ or ручной противотанковый гранатомёт (transliterated as "ruchnoy protivotankoviy granatomyot"), which translates to the English phrase "hand-held anti-tank grenade launcher". Thus rocket-propelled grenade is a false backronym.[1][2]

The first Soviet "RPGs", RPG-40, RPG-43, and RPG-6, were in fact thrown hand grenades, and the acronym stood for ручная противотанковая граната, or "hand-held anti-tank grenade"—obviously not a launcher. The projectile of RPG launchers is similarly designated PG, (PG-7, etc.), which similarly stands for противотанковая граната, "anti-tank grenade".

History

The RPG has its roots in the 19th century, with the early development of the explosive shaped charge. The development of practical rocketry provided a means of delivering such an explosive. Research, occasioned by World War II, produced such weapons as the American bazooka, and German Panzerfaust, which combined portability with effectiveness against armored vehicles such as tanks.

The Soviet Union-developed RPG-7 is the most widely distributed and used RPG in the world.[2] The basic design of this RPG was developed by the Soviets shortly after World War II in the form of the RPG-2, combining important design features of the US Bazooka and the German Panzerfaust.

German spaced armor

An early method of defeating shaped charges developed during World War II was to fit wire mesh 10 cm or more away from the armor of an armored fighting vehicle (AFV). Shaped charges rely on the formation of a very high velocity jet of copper to hydrodynamically penetrate through armor. The mesh (cage armor) would trigger the RPG on contact and much of the jet that a shaped charge produces would be dissipated before coming into contact with the main armor of the AFV. Cage armor is still in use. Similar effects can be obtained using spaced armor, either as a part of the original design or as appliqué armor fitted later.

Today, technologically advanced armies have implemented composite armors (such as Chobham armor) that protect against RPGs on their tanks. Older models of tank may be retrofitted with reactive armor that incorporates small explosive charges to propel a metal plate through the shaped charge jet to disrupt it.

Future protection systems include Active protection system, which is able to detect a RPG mid-flight and fire a projectile at the RPG to destroy it before making contact with the vehicle.

Future vehicles would also incorporate many layers of Protection Systems to further multiply its survivability, such as the Arena APS, Kontakt-5 ERA, and composite armor on the T-90 Main Battle Tank.

As in all arms races, these developments in armor countermeasures have led to the development of RPG rounds designed specifically to defeat them, with methods such as a Tandem-charge Warhead, which has two shape charges, with the first meant to detonate any ERA, and the second to penetrate the vehicle.

Description

An RPG comprises two main parts: the launcher and the rocket, which is equipped with a warhead. The most common types of warheads are high explosive (HE) or high explosive anti-tank (HEAT) rounds. These warheads are affixed to a rocket motor and stabilised in flight with fins. Some types of RPGs are single-use disposable units similar to the U.S. M72 LAW; others are reloadable, such as the Soviet RPG-7.

The RPG launcher is a hollow tube that concentrates the rocket exhaust to create an over-pressure within the tube. This over-pressure propels the warhead at a higher speed than from the specific impulse of the rocket alone. This higher speed is necessary for the rocket to be stable in flight.

The launcher is designed such that the rocket exits the launcher without discharging an exhaust that would be dangerous to the operator. In the case of the RPG-7 the rocket is launched by a gunpowder booster charge, and the rocket motor ignites only after 10 metres. In some other designs the rocket burns completely within the tube.

An RPG is an inexpensive way to deliver an explosive payload over a distance with moderate accuracy. Substantially more expensive, wire-guided rockets are used when accuracy is important. These rockets trail a thin wire behind them during firing and steering corrections can be sent by the operator (see Missile guidance) while in flight.

Warheads

The HE (high explosive) warhead is a general-purpose explosive warhead for use against unarmored targets such as infantry, unarmored wheeled vehicles, and fixed positions. The HE warhead detonates upon impact. The warhead case and charge generate a moderate amount of fragmentation, which can pass through many obstacles without stopping.

The HEAT (high explosive anti-tank) round is a standard shaped charge warhead, similar in concept to those used in tank cannon rounds. In this type of warhead, the shape of the explosive material within the warhead focuses the explosive energy on a copper (or similar metal) lining. This crushes the metal lining and propels some of it forward at a very high velocity. The resulting narrow jet of metal can punch through the armor of most APCs (armored personnel carriers) and IFVs (infantry fighting vehicles). However, the warhead on older RPG (rocket propelled grenade) systems is too small to penetrate the main armor of most modern battle tanks, although it is still capable of causing secondary damage to vulnerable systems (especially sights, tracks, rear and roof of turrets) and can disable or destroy most lightly armored or unarmored vehicles.

Specialised warheads are available for illumination, smoke, tear gas, and white phosphorus. Russia, China, and many former Warsaw Pact nations have also developed a fuel-air explosive (thermobaric) warhead. Another recent development is a tandem HEAT warhead capable of penetrating reactive armor. [1]

So-called PRIGs (Propelled Recoilless Improvised Grenade) were improvised warheads used by the Provisional IRA.

Effectiveness against tanks

The RPG-29 uses a tandem-charge high explosive anti-tank warhead to penetrate explosive reactive armor (ERA) capable of destroying some modern MBTs such as the Merkava[3] or T-90.[4]

In August 2006, an RPG-29 round penetrated the frontal ERA of a Challenger 2 tank during an engagement in al-Amarah, Iraq and wounded several crew members.[5]

In May 2008, The New York Times disclosed that an American M1 tank had also been damaged by an RPG-29 in Iraq.[6]

Various armies and manufacturers have developed add-on tank armor and other systems for urban combat, such as the Tank Urban Survival Kit (TUSK) for M1 Abrams, slat armor for the Stryker, ERA kit for the FV432, AZUR for Leclerc, and others. Similar solutions are active protection systems, engaging closing projectiles such as the Russian Drozd and Arena and Israeli TROPHY.

Tactics

RPGs were used extensively during the Vietnam War (by the Vietnam People's Army and Vietcong), Soviet invasion of Afghanistan by the Mujahideen and against South Africans in Angola and Namibia (formerly South West Africa) by SWAPO guerillas during what the South Africans called the South African Border War. Twenty years later, it is still being used widely in recent conflict areas such as Chechnya, Iraq and Sri Lanka.

One of the first instances when it was used by terrorists was on 13 January 1975 at the Orly airport in France when Carlos the Jackal together with another member from the PFLP used two Soviet RPG-7 grenades to attack an Israeli El Al airliner. Both missed, and one of them hit a DC-9 of Yugoslav Airlines instead.[7]

Because of the inherent inaccuracy of the RPG, the operator must fire relatively close to the intended target, increasing the chances of being spotted and captured, shot or killed. Most modern armies deploy anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM) as their primary infantry anti-tank weapon, but the RPG can still be effectively employed against tanks under certain tactical conditions, especially urban warfare, where they are favoured by low-tech armies. They are most effective when used in restricted terrain as the availability of cover and concealment can make it difficult for the intended target to spot the RPG operator. Note that this concealment is often preferably outdoors (unlike the classic image of the sniper rifle fired out a window) because firing an RPG within an enclosed area may create a dangerous backblast.

The operator must move after firing the RPG as the ignition of the rocket generates a flash visible to the enemy and usually leaves a smoke trail leading back to the firing position. In Afghanistan, Mujahideen RPG shooters who remained in position after firing were often killed by Soviet counter-fire.

When deployed against personnel, the warhead can be aimed at a solid surface to detonate, popular choices being trees or buildings. Another option is an indirect method of firing the warhead over the intended target area at ranges of 800–1000 m where the warhead would detonate automatically. More skilled shooters can use the RPG self-destruct feature to make it explode over the enemy at closer range.

Although they can be—and often are—used against hovering helicopters, they should not be confused with anti-aircraft shoulder fired surface-to-air missile (MANPADS) such as the Stinger or SA-7 Grail/SA-14. MANPADS are capable of tracking the target much better than (the unguided) RPG-missiles do; allowing kills at high altitude (which are too far to be hit by an unguided projectile). Furthermore, firing at steep angles poses a danger to the user, because the backblast from firing reflects off the ground. In Somalia, militia members sometimes welded a steel plate in the exhaust end of an RPG's tube to deflect pressure away from the shooter when shooting upwards at US helicopters. RPGs are used in this role only when more effective weapons are not available.

Afghanistan

In Afghanistan, Mujahideen guerrillas used RPG-7s to destroy Soviet vehicles. To assure a kill, two to four RPG shooters would be assigned to each vehicle. In areas where vehicles were confined to a single path (a mountain road, swamps, snow, urban areas), RPG teams trapped convoys by destroying the first and last vehicles in line, preventing movement of the other vehicles. This tactic was especially effective in cities. Convoys learned to avoid approaches with overhangs and to send infantrymen forward in hazardous areas to detect the RPG teams.

Multiple shooters were also effective against heavy tanks with reactive armor: The first shot would be against the driver's viewing prisms. Following shots would be in pairs, one to set off the reactive armor, the second to penetrate the tank's armor. Favored weak spots were the top and rear of the turret.

Afghans sometimes used RPG-7s at extreme range, exploded by their 4.5-second self-destruct timer, which calculates to an almost 1-km range. This performed expedient indirect antipersonnel bombardment and was sometimes used to discourage reconnaissance by aircraft.

Angola

Soviet RPGs posed a serious threat to lightly armored South African APCs, which would be targeted as soon as they stopped to let off troops. In reaction to ambushes, units such as Koevoet (Afrikaans for crowbar) developed the unique tactic of driving the APCs in widening circles, using automatic gunfire from one side to destroy the RPG teams. By not stopping to let off troops, the APCs were difficult to target. The secondary effect was also to confuse and surprise their attackers by deploying tactics not known or studied elsewhere that they could not have been trained or prepared for. The tactic was developed informally in the field and passed on to new drivers as it required good coordination between the vehicles which seldom numbered fewer than 2-4.

Chechnya

During the First (1994–1996) and Second Chechen Wars (1999–2009), Chechen rebels used RPGs to attack Russian tanks from basements and high rooftops. This tactic was effective because the tanks' guns could not be depressed or raised far enough to return fire. Russian forces had to rely on artillery suppression and infantry screens to prevent such attacks. Russian tank columns were eventually protected by attached self-propelled anti-aircraft guns (ZSU-23-4, Tunguska-M1) used in the ground role to suppress and destroy Chechen ambushes.

Chechen fighters formed independent "cells" that worked together to destroy a specific Russian armored target. Each cell contained small arms and some form of RPG (RPG-7V or RPG-18, for example). The small arms were used to button the tank up and keep any infantry occupied while the RPG gunner struck at the tank. While doing so other teams would attempt to fire at the target in order to overwhelm the Russians' ability to effectively counter the attack. To further increase the chance of success, the teams took up positions at different elevations where possible. Firing from the third and higher floors allowed good shots at the weakest armor (the top).[8]

When the Russians began moving in tanks fitted with explosive reactive armor (ERA), the Chechens had to adapt their tactics, because the RPGs they had access to were unlikely to result in the destruction of the tank. Two or more RPG teams would position themselves in such a way that they could all hit the same section of a tank, but from different angles. Usually rebels would first hit the tank with a large improvised explosive device (IED) to blow the tracks off it so it could not move, then rebels would fire at the explosive reactive armor with an RPG to create a spot where the base armor was exposed. The other team would aim for this spot, since it was now as vulnerable as if there was no ERA on the tank at all.

Falklands war

In 1982, British troops were sent to the Falklands War armed with a number of wire-guided MILAN anti-tank missiles even though there were no Argentine tanks in the Falklands Islands. The British used these expensive weapons to destroy Argentine bunkers at longer ranges[9]. The British also used the lower-costing 66 mm M72 LAW unguided rockets and recoilless 84 mm against Argentine bunkers. The popularity and usefulness of such weapons prompted the U.S. military to field the SMAW, the U.S. equivalent of the RPG.

Iraq

Iraqi Security Force member with an RPG-7

In the period following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the RPG became a favorite weapon of the insurgent forces fighting U.S. troops. Since most of the readily-available RPG-7 rounds cannot penetrate M1 Abrams tank armor from the front, it is primarily effective against soft-skinned or lightly armored vehicles, and infantry. However, even basic RPG-7 rounds can disable tanks and occasionally even lead to permanent losses if the tank is hit where armor is weak. Even if the RPG hit does not completely disable the tank or kill the crew, it can still damage external equipment, lowering the tank's effectiveness.

Newer RPG-7 rounds are more capable, and a modern RPG-29 was used to knock out a British Challenger 2 in Iraq, penetrating the front armor.

Northern Ireland

The RPG-7 has been used during The Troubles by both the Provisional Irish Republican Army, the Ulster Volunteer Force, and other Republican and Loyalist paramillitaries. Some are still being used by dissident Republican groups, such as the Real Irish Republican Army and the Continuity Irish Republican Army. The RPG-7 has been used on British armoured personal carriers and static observation points thoughout the conflict especially in Republican West Belfast and South Armagh.

El Salvador

RPGs were a main tool used by the FMLN's guerrilla forces in the Salvadoran Civil War. For example, during the June 19, 1986 overrun of the San Miguel Army base, FMLN sappers dressed only in black shorts, their faces blacked out with grease, sneaked through barbedwire at night, avoiding the searchlights, they made it to within firing range of the outer wall. Using RPGs to initiate the attack, they blew through the wall and killed a number of Salvadorean soldiers. They eliminated the outermost sentries and the searchlights with the rockets, then made it into the inner wall, which they also punched through. They were then able to create mayhem as their comrades attacked from the outside.[10]

Lebanon

During the 2006 Lebanon War, Hezbollah fired hundreds of antitank missiles in the course of the conflict; 50 Israeli tanks were hit, and the armor was penetrated in the case of 46 of those tanks, (14 at the Battles of Marjayoun and Wadi Saluki), killing 77 soldiers and crew. The penetrations were caused by tandem warhead missiles, including the RPG-29 'Vampir', AT-5 Spandrel 'Konkurs', AT-13 Saxhorn-2 'Metis-M', and АТ-14 Spriggan 'Kornet' missiles. Eighteen of the damaged tanks were Mark IVs, although two of them were still serviceable.

Anti-aircraft

The sighting required for the RPG-7 makes a hit on a moving aircraft or helicopter highly unlikely. Helicopters are typically ambushed as they land, take off or hover. In Afghanistan, the Mujahideen often modified RPGs for use against Soviet helicopters by adding a curved pipe to the rear of the launcher tube, which diverted the backblast, allowing the RPG to be fired upward at aircraft from a prone position. This made the operator less visible prior to firing and decreased the risk of injury from hot exhaust gases. Mujahideen also utilised the 4.5-second timer on RPG rounds to make the weapon function as part of a flak battery. Multiple launchers were used to increase the chances of a hit.

At the time, Soviet helicopters countered the threat from RPGs at landing zones by first clearing them with anti-personnel saturation fire. The Soviets also varied the number of accompanying helicopters (two or three) in an effort to upset Afghan force estimations and preparation. In response, the Mujahideen prepared dug-in firing positions with top cover, and again, Soviet forces altered their tactics by using air-dropped fuel-air bombs on such landing zones. As the U.S.-supplied Stinger surface-to-air missiles became available to them, the Afghans abandoned RPG attacks.

Both of the Black Hawk helicopters lost by the U.S. during the Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia in 1993 were downed by RPG-7s.

Russian RPGs

RPGs currently in service in the Russian Ground Forces:

See also

References

  1. ↑ How Rocket-Propelled Grenades Work howstuffworks.com
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Rocket Propelled Grenades about.com
  3. ↑ "Hezbollah anti-tank fire causing most IDF casualties in Lebanon", Haaretz, 2006-08-06
  4. ↑ T-80U and T-90 Trials 20.10.99
  5. ↑ Sean Rayment (May 12, 2007). "MoD kept failure of best tank quiet". Sunday Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/05/13/nmod13.xml. 
  6. ↑ Michael R. Gordon (May 21, 2008). "Operation in Sadr City Is an Iraqi Success, So Far". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/21/world/middleeast/21sadr.html?_r=2&hp&oref=slogin&oref=slogin. 
  7. ↑ Grant wardlaw, Political terrorism: Theory, Tactics and Counter-Measures (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989), 27
  8. ↑ Grau, Lester W. (January 1997 (original publication)). "Russian-Manufactured Armored Vehicle Vulnerability in Urban Combat: The Chechnya Experience". Fort Leavenworth, Kansas: Foreign Military Studies Office. http://fmso.leavenworth.army.mil/documents/rusav/rusav.htm. Retrieved June 16, 2010. 
  9. ↑ http://britains-smallwars.com/Falklands/b-weapons.htm#milan
  10. ↑ Spencer, David E. From Vietnam to El Salvador: The Saga of the FMLN sappers and Other Guerrilla Special Forces in Latin America; Praeger Publishers (1996)

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