![]() ![]() Main article: History of rockets An illustration of a fire arrow rocket launcher as depicted in the 11th century book Wujing Zongyao. ![]() They usually have infrared homing and are used against helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and other low-flying fixed-wing aircraft. However, they are also effective against structures, and many such weapons have been designed specifically for such targets.Īnti-aircraft weapons, known as man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS), are small surface-to-air missiles. Most of these weapons are designed mainly for anti-tank warfare, as anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) and carry one or two (a tandem-charge) high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) shaped charge warheads. Weapons for use against ground targets come in a wide variety of types and sizes, with smaller, unguided weapons generally used for close range combat and larger, guided systems for longer ranges. Shoulder-launched weapons typically fire at one of two main target types - ground targets or air targets. Roles Polish soldiers prepare to fire PZR Grom MANPADS. Such systems typically use a small recoilless charge (a so-called booster charge) or compressed gas system to get the projectile out of the barrel and to a distance where the operator will not be hurt by the rocket's backblast when the rocket ignites at a safe distance, it further accelerates the projectile or at least keeps it from decelerating in its trajectory.ĭemonstration of the Russian RPO PDM-A Prize single-use disposable thermobaric rocket flamethrower. If the weapon fires rocket-propelled or rocket-assisted projectiles (booster launched), it is generally called a man-portable or shoulder-launched/fired rocket launcher or missile-system, depending on, depending on whether the ammunition is unguided or guided. Smoothbore systems generally fire fin-stabilised munitions. If the weapon fires ammunition using fixed propellant charges, such as through cartridge cases on reloadable systems or a fixed container on singe-use systems, it is generally called a man-portable or shoulder-launched/fired recoilless rifle or recoilless gun, depending on if it uses a rifled or smoothbore barrel, essentially open- breech cannons. Ammunition traditionally use the backblast principle for propulsion, meaning that when fired, the propellant gases are expelled out of the back of the weapon to alleviate the reactional force exerted from the projectile moving forward. Some systems are reloadable or semi-reusable, while others are single-use disposable systems, much in the same manner as a hand grenade. There are many types of shoulder-launched missile-weapons. The name rocket-propelled grenade ( RPG) is regularly used as an informal name for man-portable unguided rocket-launcher systems, a backronym from the Russian acronym РПГ (Ручной Противотанковый Гранатомёт, Ruchnoy Protivotankovy Granatomyot), meaning "handheld anti-tank grenade launcher", the Russian term for infantry-carried anti-tank weapons, not only encompassing rocket-systems (see the RPG-2 for example).ĭescription Types Shoulder-launched weapons avoid the problem of recoil by directing all exhaust out of the rear of the launch tube, the so-called backblast principle. In many instances, the name bazooka is regularly used as an informal name for shoulder mounted "tube-like" launchers, stemming from the actual historical shoulder-fired missile-systems named such, the famous M1 Bazooka and M20 Super Bazooka man-portable rocket launchers of World War II. Some systems are classified as semi-disposable, such as the Panzerfaust 3. Shoulder-launched weapons may be guided or unguided, and the systems can either be disposable, such as the Panzerfaust 1, M72 LAW, AT4, etc, or reusable, such as the Panzerfaust 2, Carl Gustaf 8.4 cm recoilless rifle, RPG-7, etc. A more formal variant is simply shoulder-fired weapons system and the like. The word " missile" in this context is used in its original broad sense of a heavy projectile, and encompasses all shells and rockets, guided or unguided (compare with guided missile). Shoulder-fired missile, shoulder-launched missile or man-portable missile, among other variants, are common slang-terms to describe high-caliber shoulder-mounted weapons systems – that is: weapons firing large heavy projectiles ("missiles"), typically using the backblast principle, which are small enough to be carried by a single person and fired while held on one's shoulder. Lower right: Shoulder-fired single-use disposable light antitank weapon: AT4.Lower left: Shoulder-fired reloadable recoilless rifle: Carl Gustaf 8.4 cm recoilless rifle.Top right: Shoulder-fired single-use disposable surface-to-air missile launcher: FIM-43 Redeye.Top left: Shoulder-fired reloadable rocket launcher: RPG-7. ![]()
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