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Rocket-propelled grenade

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An RPG-7 captured by the US Army

RPG, or Rocket propelled grenade is a loose term describing hand-held, shoulder-launched anti-tank weapons capable of firing an unguided rocket equipped with an explosive warhead. RPG is a transliteration of РПГ, the Russian abbreviation of Reaktivniy Protivotankniy Granatomyot (реактивный противотанковый гранатомёт), "rocket anti-tank launcher". The English name "rocket-propelled grenade" is a backronym from RPG (РПГ), and does not follow the correct naming conventions used by English-speaking militaries to describe these weapons.[verification needed] American and British soldiers consistently call these weapons 'RPG's'; only journalists call them 'rocket-propelled grenades.'

Most modern main battle tanks (MBTs) are largely immune to hand-held unguided anti-tank weapons due to advances in armor design requiring more precise aiming to hit vulnerable weak spots. RPGs, however, are still used very effectively against lightly-armoured vehicles such as armored personnel carriers (APCs) or unarmored wheeled vehicles, as well as against buildings and bunkers. They can still be a threat to an MBT under certain tactical conditions. One exception is the RPG-29, the most advanced model, which uses a tandem-charge HEAT warhead to penetrate explosive reactive armor. It is apparently capable of destroying even highly advanced MBTs such as the T-90.[1]

History

The most widely distributed and used RPG in the world is the Soviet Union-developed RPG-7. The Soviets developed the basic design of the RPG during WW II, combining important design features of the US Bazooka and the German Panzerfaust.

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 stabilized 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 also designed so that the rocket burns completely within the tube and exits the launcher without discharging an exhaust that would be dangerous to the operator. The high-temperature rocket exhaust is hazardous 15 to 20 meters to the rear of an RPG launcher. The launcher must be cleaned periodically, as built-up residue will result in an excess of over-pressure, causing the sighting mechanism to be driven into the operator's eye when the rocket is fired. Blindness in one eye often results.

All RPGs are similar in concept, however, there are significant differences in their operation.

An RPG is an inexpensive way to deliver an explosive payload a distance of 100 yards (100 m) 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 can be steered by the operator while in flight. 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. The British also used cheap 66 mm LAW unguided rockets 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.

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.

The HEAT (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 Rolled Homogeneous Armor (RHA) used in many armored vehicles including some types of main battle tanks. Although the warhead on RPG systems is too small to penetrate the main armor of most modern battle tanks, it is still capable of causing secondary damage to vulnerable systems (especially sights, tracks, rear and roof of turrets) and can also penetrate most lightly armored or unarmored vehicles.

Specialized 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 warhead. Another recent development is a tandem HEAT warhead capable of penetrating reactive armor.[1]

Accuracy limits the standard RPG-7 to a practical range of 50 m, although it can reach 150 or even 300 m in skilled hands. It has an indirect fire (bombardment) range to 920 m, limited by the 4.5 second self-destruct timer.

PRIG: Propelled Recoilless Improvised Grenade used by the Provisional IRA.

Tactics

RPGs are a low-cost, direct fire man-portable weapon, used primarily against unarmored or medium armored vehicles and personnel.

RPGs were used extensively during the 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. 20 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 as tools of terrorism was in 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 instead hit a DC-9 of Yugoslav Airlines. The RPG-7 have also been used in Belfast by the IRA.[2]

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 favored 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.

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 RPG self-destruct feature to make it explode over the enemy at closer range.

Although they can be used against hovering helicopters, they should not be confused with anti-aircraft shoulder fired surface-to-air missile systems such as the Stinger or SA-7 'Grail'. Furthermore, firing at steep angles pose a danger to the user, because the backblast from the firing reflects off of ground. In Somalia, militia members sometimes welded a steel plate in the exhaust end of an RPG's tube to reflect pressure away from 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 almost 1 km range. This performed expedient indirect antipersonnel bombardment, and was sometimes used to discourage reconnaissance by aircraft.

Chechnya

During the First (1994–1996) and Second Chechen War (1999–), Chechen guerrillas 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 mobile anti-aircraft artillery (ZSU-23-4,Tunguska-M1) used in the ground role to suppress and destroy Chechen ambushes.

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. To counter these 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. This prevented the APCs from becoming stationary targets as they would if they stopped to let off troops. 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 involved in an ambush which seldom numbered fewer than 2 - 4.

Iraq

During the 2003 U.S invasion of Iraq and the subsequent in country status, the RPG has become a favorite weapon of the Iraqi guerrillas fighting U.S. troops. Since most readily-available RPG-7 rounds cannot penetrate M1 Abrams tank armor [citation needed], it is primarily used to attack soft-skinned Humvees in supply convoys and unarmored trucks, and also as an anti-personnel weapon against infantry foot patrols. However, even basic RPG-7 rounds, used in Iraq, can disable tanks and occasionally even lead to permanent losses if the tank is hit in the right place 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. In response, various armies and manufacturers are developing add-on tank armor and other systems for urban combat, such as the Tank Urban Survival Kit (TUSK) for M1 Abrams and AZUR for Leclerc. The more radical solution are active protection systems, engaging closing projectiles such as the Russian Drozd and Arena and Israeli TROPHY.

Anti-aircraft

The RPG is somewhat useful in the anti-aircraft role. Helicopters are typically ambushed as they land or hover. In Afghanistan the Mujahideen would modify RPGs for use against helicopters by adding a curved pipe to the rear of the launcher tube to divert the back blast, allowing the RPG to be fired upward at aircraft from a prone position. This made the operator less visible prior to firing and decreasing the risk of injury from hot exhaust gases. Multiple launchers were needed in order 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. Eventually the Afghans abandoned RPG attacks when U.S.-supplied Stinger surface-to-air missiles became available to them.

Both of the Blackhawk helicopters lost by the U.S. during the Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia in 1993 were downed by RPG-7s. In Iraq and the second Afghanistan campaign, RPGs were deployed with mixed success against NATO helicopter forces.

References

  1. ^ http://armor.kiev.ua/fofanov/Tanks/TRIALS/19991020.html
  2. ^ Grant wardlaw, Political terrorism: Theory, Tactics and Counter-Measures (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989), 27; http://www.prophetofdoom.net/Islamic_Terrorism_Timeline_1975.Islam

See also

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