Its effective range is 400 meters or more and this has been extended to 700 m by the incorporation of small rocket motors, which give extra in-flight trust. The modern Carl Gustav M3 has a weight of 9 kg compared with the 5.5 kg of the rocket launcher. A 3.5 inch rocket launcher has a length of 1549 mm (front tube 768mm and rear tube 803 mm) and the Swedish 84mm Carl Gustav recoilless launcher a length of 1130 mm. There is a gain, not only of range, but also because the launcher can be shorter. There is no danger for the firer from the efflux at the muzzle and only the mass of the warhead need be accelerated away. In case of the recoilless principle the propellant provides its trust in one short blast as a normal gun.

Increased range can be achieved by the use of a recoilless launcher. The resultant lightweight tube has given birth to one shot disposable launchers. Consequently there is no need for it to be strong and heavy.

Modern systems such as the British LAW 80 have improved on this battle ranges for rocket launched LAW will probably be 300 to 400 meters in the future, using a two stage rocket.įortunately a rocket in an open-ended tube does not build up such high pressure as a recoilless weapon. In the case of the 3.5 inch Super Bazooka, the effective fighting range was some 110 m. On the whole, as a consequence, rocket launchers tend to have a low muzzle velocity and a restricted effective range. If a high muzzle velocity were demanded then the launcher would be very long and the rocket would be large and heavy. When a rocket is launched, the rocket and its casing must be accelerated away in addition to the warhead.

To improve their portability, they have been hinged or separated into two parts which could the be interlocked for use. This necessitates long, often unwieldy tubes. A rocket must all be burnt before it emerges from its tube (All Burnt On Launch = ABOL) its efflux will burn the firer if it is not.

It guides the projectile on to the correct line and it protects the firer. The United States 2.36 inch Bazooka M9A1 was perhaps the most famous early rocket launcher it was the forerunner of the 3.5 inch rocket launcher M20 (sometimes called the “Super Bazooka”) which was used in Western Block armies.

Poor Man's Rpg by George B. Dmitrieff