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The 'RPG-7' () is a widely-produced, portable, shoulder-launched, anti-tank rocket propelled grenade weapon. Originally the RPG-7 (Reaktivniy (Rocket) Protivotankovey (Anti-Tank) Granatamyot (Grenade Launcher) and its predecessor the RPG-2 were designed by the Soviet Union. The weapon has the GRAU index '6G3'.
The ruggedness, simplicity, low cost, and effectiveness of the RPG-7 have made it the most widely used RPG in the world. Currently around 40 countries use the weapon, and it is manufactured in a number of variants by nine countries. It is also popular with irregular and guerrilla forces. The RPG has been used in almost all conflicts across all continents since the mid-1960s from the Vietnam War to the present day War in Afghanistan and Iraq War.
The most commonly seen major variations are the RPG-7D paratrooper model (able to be broken into two parts for easier carrying), and the lighter Chinese Type 69 RPG.
The RPG-7 was first delivered to the Soviet Army in 1961 and deployed at a squad level. It replaced the RPG-3, having clearly out-performed the intermediate RPG-4 design during testing. Its original design concept originated with two World War II era weapons: the American Bazooka and the German Panzerfaust. The current model produced by Russia is the 'RPG-7V2', capable of firing standard and dual high explosive anti-tank (HEAT) rounds, high explosive/fragmentation, and thermobaric warheads (see below), with a UP-7V sighting device fitted (used in tandem with the standard optical sight) to allow the use of extended range ammunition. The 'RPG-7D3' is the equivalent paratrooper model. Both the RPG-7V2 and RPG-7D3 were adopted by the Russian Ground Forces in 2001.

Contents

Description

TRADOC

Ammunition

Specifications

See also

External links

Description

The launcher is based around a simple milled steel tube, 40 mm in diameter, 95.3 cm long, and weighing just 7 kg. The middle is wood wrapped to protect the user from heat and the end is flared to assist in blast shielding and recoil reduction. Sighting is usually optical with an iron sight, but passive infra-red and night-sights are available.
As with similar weapons, the grenade protrudes from the launch tubes. It is larger than a hand grenade (70 - 85 mm in diameter) and weighs between 2.5 and 4.5 kg. It is propelled by a gunpowder booster charge at 115 m/s, which creates a cloud of light grey-blue smoke. The rocket motor ignites after 10 meters and sustains flight out to 500 meters at a maximum velocity of 295 m/s. The grenade is stabilized by two sets of fins that deploy in-flight: one large set on the stabilizer pipe to maintain direction and a smaller front set to induce rotation. The grenade can fly up to 1100 meters; the fuze sets the maximum range, usually 920 m.
Accurate firing is difficult over 300 m and with the RPG-7 the phrase "the closer the better" is always true. During the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan the mujahideen tended to use the weapon at ranges of less than 80 m.

TRADOC

According to the US Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Bulletin 3u (1977) ''Soviet RPG-7 Antitank Grenade Launcher -- Capabilities and Countermeasures'', the RPG-7 munition has 2 sections: a "booster" section and a "warhead and sustainer motor" section. These must be assembled into the ready-to-use grenade. The booster consists of a "small strip powder charge" that serves to propel the grenade out of the launcher, the sustainer motor ignites and propels the grenade for the next few seconds, reaching a speed of 294 meters/s. The TRADOC bulletin provides anecdotal commentary that the RPG-7 has been fired from within buildings, which agrees with the two-stage design. It's stated that only a 2-meter standoff to a rear obstruction is needed for use inside rooms or fortifications.
The fins not only provide drag stabilization, but are designed to impart a mild rotation to the grenade.
Due to the configuration of the RPG-7 sustainer/warhead section, it responds counter-intuitively to crosswinds. A crosswind will tend to exert pressure on the stabilizing fins, causing the projectile to turn into the wind. While the rocket motor is still burning, this will cause the flight path to curve into the wind. The TRADOC bulletin explains aiming difficulties for more distant moving targets in crosswinds at some length, as the RPG-7 optical sight's reticle is somewhat challenging.

Ammunition

The RPG-7 can fire a variety of warheads for anti-armor (HEAT, PG-) or anti-personnel (HE, OG-) purposes, usually fitting with an impact (PIBD) and a 4.5 second fuse. Armor penetration is warhead dependent and ranges from 30 to 60 cm of RHA; one warhead, the PG-7VR, is a 'tandem charge' device, used to defeat reactive armor with a single shot.
Current production ammunition for the RPG-7V2 consists of four types:

★ 'PG-7VL' standard HEAT warhead for most vehicles and fortified targets (93mm)

★ 'PG-7VR' dual HEAT warhead for defeating modern heavily armored vehicles equipped with reactive armor (105mm)

★ 'TBG-7V' thermobaric warhead for anti-personnel and urban warfare (105mm)

★ 'OG-7V' fragmentation warhead for anti-personnel warfare (within caliber due to limitations of international treaties)

Specifications

Manufacturer specifications for the RPG-7V1.[1] [2]

★ 'Caliber:' 40 mm (1.57")

★ 'Weight:' 7 kg (15 lb)

★ 'Length:' 95 cm (37")

Name	Type	Weight	Diameter	Penetration	Kill Radius
'PG-7V'	Single-stage HEAT	2.6 kg (5.7 lb)	85 mm (3.35 in)	> 330 mm RHA (12.9 in)
'PG-7VL'	Single-stage HEAT	2.6 kg (5.7 lb)	93 mm (3.65 in)	> 500 mm RHA (19.5 in)
'PG-7VR'	Tandem HEAT	4.5 kg (9.9 lb)	105 mm (4.1 in)	> 600 mm RHA (23.4 in) (after reactive armor)
'OG-7V'	Fragmentation	2 kg (4 lb)	40 mm (1.6 in)		150 m (492 ft) (people wearing body armor)
'TBG-7V'	Single-stage thermobaric	4.5 kg (9.9 lb)	105 mm (4.1 in)		10 m (33 ft)

See also

★ Rocket propelled grenade (includes a description of tactics and history.)

★ Panzerfaust

★ RPG-2

★ RPG-16

★ RPG-18

★ RPG-22

★ RPG-26

★ RPG-29

★ PG-7VR

★ Type 69 RPG

★ Yasin

★ Carl Gustav recoilless rifle

★ M72 LAW

External links

★ http://bazalt.ru/ manufacturer site

★ Countering the RPG threat

★ RPG a Weapon's Profile - Defense Update

★ How Stuff Works - RPG(7)

★ How the RPG works

★ RPG-7 analysis and user´s manual

★ Most Valuable Weapon: the RPG by Gary Brecher

★ Modern Firearms: RPG-7