Like the AK-47 , the Soviet RPG-7 rocket propelled grenade has become one of the most widely - distributed foot artillery on Earth , used by everyone from E8 land to guerilla insurgency groups in every major conflict since Vietnam . But their ubiquitousness nature has kick off a worldwide wash focused on how to beat them .
First developed by the Soviet Union shortly after WWII , the original RPG-2 was Russia ’s solvent to the American bazooka and German Panzerfaust . Its heir , the RPG-7 , retains much of the same functionality — a hand - held , unguided , rocket - propelled grenade launcher design to pour down or disable armored unit ( tanks , armored personnel carrier , etc ) and fortified positions . For a weapon system measuring just over a M long with a 40 mm bore and weigh about 15 pounds , the RPG-7 packs one Hades of a impact .
Its round measure 40 – 105 millimeter in diameter and weigh 4 – 10 pounds , depend on the type of charge — HEAT for anti - armor , fragmentation for anti - force , or a bicycle-built-for-two charge for defeating reactive armor . Using a gunpowder propellent , the rung move up to 295 m / s and is precise to up to 500 grand ( max range 920 m ) thanks to a set of air - deploy stabilizing fins .
Tandem boot — in which a sapless initial guardianship explodes first to create a epithelial duct for the secondary HEAT explosive to penetrate the target’sreactive armor — have prove exceptionally effectual against armoured units . They can combust through up to 500 millimeter of steel armor . And it ’s these rounds that have rig off an arms race between opposing armor and RPG engineering .
prototype : Simon Q
The first defensive advancement debut at the tail end of WWII , when armored units began lark about wire net skirt armor ( aka cage , slat , bar , or standoff armour ) . This thickly - slatted secondary protection sits in front of the tank ’s primary skin , trapping the RPG daily round between a pair of bar far enough aside that the initial shaped bang can not damage the armour , while short circuit the piezoelectric precursor to either prevent the HEAT charge from detonating or at least denying the charge ’s molten honey oil a route into the storage tank ’s inside .
fundamentally , since the tandem boot is only effectual if it actually hits the target , cage armor is plan to trance the incoming RPG round before it does . Originally , this rigid slatted metal grid fitted around cardinal subdivision of the vehicle was made from lumbering steel or aluminium , weighing about 20 - 30 kg / sq.m . However modernistic day composite variants , such as Chobham armour — or BAE ’s LROD system employed by the Buffalo MPV — offer superior aegis compared to steel cages yet librate less than aluminum .
That enjoin , slat armour is far from foolproof . rather it offers what ’s known as statistical protection ; that is , while the arrangement does n’t put up a complete defence against RPGs , it does depress the probability that a tandem bicycle - charge shot will be successful by 50 to 70 percentage , depend on where and how the RPG connects . If a second guessing happens to strike the same slur , you ’re in trouble .
But even with cage armor ’s shortcomings , the free weight nest egg and improved justificative capabilities that it provides far overbalance its potential failure endangerment . As such , cage armor is extensively use in armored divisions the human beings over , from the IDF ’s Caterpillar D9R armoured dozer to the General Dynamics Stryker and M113 APC to Russian T-62 and American M1 Abrams tanks .
But RPG manufacturer have n’t throw overboard the white flagstone just yet . “ RPG manufacturers are apply protective layers at the base of the retinal cone , thus avoiding potential myopic - circumference have by distortion , ” an unnamed armor expert told Defense - Update . “ In fact , as it will hit at an angle , the behind armor event could be increase , as the spawl is distributed at a larger lethal cone cell , hitting more of the fomite occupants . ”
armour intriguer , however , are already knockout at work building light , sturdier , and more unattackable justificatory systems to foresee this increased RPG threat . The plot of oneupmanship between RPG and armor designers does n’t appear to be end any clock time soon . [ Defense Update – Wiki1,2,3 ]
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