Missile RPG-7

The RPG-7 is a Soviet-designed rocket-propelled grenade launcher that entered service in 1961. It was developed to replace previous generations of shoulder-fired anti-tank weapons following performance evaluations.

The system is a portable, reusable, unguided, shoulder-launched weapon intended for anti-armor and anti-personnel roles. The launcher consists of a reloadable steel tube featuring a flared end and heat-shielding material to protect the operator. Sighting is achieved through optical units, backup iron sights, or specialized electronic devices including passive infrared and night vision scopes. The propulsion system utilizes a two-stage process: a gunpowder booster charge ejects the munition from the launcher before a rocket sustainer motor ignites. Flight stability is maintained by deployable fins that induce rotation. The projectile's trajectory is subject to the weathervane effect, causing it to turn into crosswinds during the motor-burn phase.

Available munitions include various high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warheads. Specialized options include tandem-charge warheads designed to defeat reactive armor, fragmentation rounds for anti-personnel operations, and thermobaric warheads for engagement of fortified positions and urban targets. Modifications have also been developed to allow the firing of mortar mines. Anti-bunker rounds utilize a follow-through blast-fragmentation mechanism paired with an explosively formed penetrator.

The RPG-7 is widely deployed and forms a component of the anti-armor inventory for numerous national militaries and irregular forces. It is manufactured in several countries, including Russia, China, Bulgaria, and Iran. Variants include specialized models for airborne forces with detachable barrels and versions equipped with universal sighting devices for ammunition.

Combat use of the system began in 1967 and has continued through numerous global conflicts. During the Vietnam War, it was employed against tanks and armored vehicles. In Northern Ireland, it was utilized against observation posts and armored personnel carriers. The weapon was used to down two U.S. helicopters in Somalia in 1993. During the Chechen Wars, the system was used to disable T-72 tanks by targeting exposed areas or using multiple rounds to clear reactive armor. In the Iraq War and the conflict in Afghanistan, it achieved mobility kills and temporary disablement of main battle tanks. The system remains in active use in ongoing conflicts across Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.