#rpg-7

The RPG-7 --- The Glorious Armor Piercing Potato Launcher of the Old Soviet Union

During World War II the Soviet Red Army didn't really have any kind of man portable anti tank rocket launching weapon. The United States had the bazooka, the British had the spring loaded PIAT thingymadinger, and the Germans had the Panzerfaust and Panzerschreck. But the Soviets had nothing like that, rather using anti-tank rifles which were obsolete due to the increasing thickness of tank armor, lend lease weapons such as the bazooka and PIAT, and captured German panzerfausts/panzerschrecks. To remedy this situation, Soviet designers began work on an anti tank rocket design which was to use a high explosive anti tank round which would be easier to load than an American bazooka, yet lighter than a German panzerfaust. What was created was the RPG-1, which stood for "Ruchnoy Protivotankovy Granatomyot" (Hand held anti-tank grenade launcher). The RPG-1 would provide the layout of what Soviet anti-tank weapons would be over the rest of the century; a long cylindrical tube that was held over the shoulder with a forward pistol grip and a shaped charge rocket.

The RPG-1 program was completed in 1948 but would not go into production. That honor would go to the RPG-2 (pictured above), an upgraded version of the RPG-1 that featured a simplified design, better range, and better armor penetration. Mass production and service began in the Soviet Union in 1954.

In 1961 the Soviet Union rolled out the RPG-7, which would become the most produced version of the RPG series with over 9 million produced to this day. Like other RPG designs, the RPG-7 featured a shaped charged rocket intended to pierce armor. A shaped charge is a high explosive charge that focuses the pressure of the explosion against a small area, thus punching a hole in the armor of a vehicle and spraying the crew with hot shrapnel.

When fired, the rocket would deploy a set of fins which stabilized the rocket in flight. Theoretically the RPG-7 has a range of 1,000 meters. Realistically it is most accurate at around 100-200 meters, with a severe loss of accuracy at more than 200 meters. As far as armor penetration goes ... eh it's mediocre. Against Cold War era armored vehicles it can be extremely deadly. Modern armored vehicles less so, and against tanks, not that much. However with a well aimed shot it is possible to disable a modern tank. There have been many newer RPG models made since the RPG-7, and of course now there are many man portable anti-tank weapons that far exceed the effectiveness of the RPG-7 in tank killing ability. However, the RPG-7 has many notable features that make it still relevant to this day. For example...

---They are cheap and easy to mass produce. Hence why 9 million have been manufactured and tens of thousands are still being manufactured on a daily basis today. It's a quantity over quality thing.

---They are simple and easy too use with simple iron sights (later models have simple scopes). They are so simple that a child can use them. And in some unfortunate parts of the world, they do...

--- They are light, weighing around 6-7 kg's or around 13-14 pounds. Thus many can be carried along with ammunition, the same can't be said about a modern system like the Javelin, which can weigh 22 kgs or around 50 lbs.

--- They are versatile. A modern system like they javelin wouldn't be so useful attacking a trench position or providing covering fire. An RPG can as they are so cheap and simple. Just point at what you want to make go boom and make it go boom, whether it's a machine gun position, pill box, a squad of infantry in the open or in cover, whatever. Pirates have used them them against cargo ships, Vietcong and Somali fighters have used the to bring down helicopters, Mexican drug cartels have used them against police cars, and Canadians have used them against beaver dams. They can be used for everything.

The RPG-7 first saw use during Six Day War in 1967 in the hands of the Egyptian Army. Shortly after that, they made their way to the Vietnam War where Vietcong guerrillas and NVA soldiers used them against the Americans. After that, they show up in pretty much every conflict that has occurred in history and has been used by almost every army and non-state actor around the world. From IRA fighters trying to kick the Brits out of Northern Ireland to Iraqi fighters trying to kick the Americans out of Iraq.

From Soviet soldiers preparing for the Cold War to become hot, to Mujihadeen fighters taking the heat to the Soviets in Afghanistan. They can be found wield by North Korean soldiers guarding the DMZ, by rebel groups in sub-Saharan Africa, by drug cartels in Latin America, Pirates in Somolia, post-Soviet Eastern European armies, all over the Middle East, terrorist groups all over the world, and both sides are currently using them in Ukraine. They are used in over 100 countries by both governments and non-governmental organizations. They are everywhere.

In addition to being everywhere, they are still manufactured in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, China, Egypt, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kirghistan, Moldova, Myanmar, Pakistan, Romania, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Texas.

Yes Texas. There are several manufacturers making several models of varying quality, and there is no way I have the time or energy to detail them all. But to my surprise I found out there is a company in Texas called AirTronic which produces a modern updated version of the RPG-7 called the PSLR-1.

The PSRL-1 is of much better quality and more durable than all other designs, however what makes it special is the ability to mount a number of accessories to it such as optics, night vision devices, lasers, range finders, and all kinds of things which seem to be an anathema to what an RPG should be. Of course with what is going on in the world today, I'm sure dear reader you can guess where many of these modern RPG's are going. Yes, you guessed right; Peru. Peru has been making several strides towards modernizing it's military including purchasing modern tanks, modern aircraft, and modern small arms. Among these the Peruvian Army have purchased numerous PSRL-1's.