Today, automatic mounted grenade launchers occupy a prominent place on the battlefield. This weapon is designed to destroy enemy manpower and unarmored equipment located in open areas, outside shelters, in open trenches, behind the folds of the terrain. Usually, the caliber of easel automatic grenade launchers is limited to values of 30-40 mm, but there may be slight deviations both in the direction of decreasing and in the direction of increasing the caliber. For many Russians, the first association that arises when meeting with the phrase automatic grenade launcher is the world-famous AGS-17 "Flame" (AGS-30). At the same time, automatic easel grenade launchers are widely used by the armies of many countries of the world, one of the successful examples of such weapons is the Denel Y3 AGL automatic easel grenade launcher, developed in South Africa.
The South African automatic heavy-duty grenade launcher Denel Y3 AGL is considered one of the best in the world in terms of its characteristics. Currently, this automatic grenade launcher is in service with the South African ground forces. The grenade launcher is being marketed for export to Europe under the designation CG-40, to North America under the designation AGL Striker. For the first time in public, a new automatic grenade launcher was presented in 1992. In 1998, factory tests of the model were completed, and in 2002, military operational tests were completed. The international debut of the new grenade launcher took place in the UK at the International Exhibition of Defense Systems and Weapons for All Arms of the DSEi in 2003. At the same time, in 2003, its mass production began.
Denel Y3 AGL
Initially, from the late 1980s, the automatic grenade launcher was developed by the small South African company ARAM. Initially, the product had the AS88 index (most likely, the year of the beginning of work is marked). Already in the process of development, the patent for the product was bought by Vektor, which was then absorbed and became a separate division of Denel, the largest military-industrial concern in South Africa, which today produces a wide range of military products. At the same time, Denel is a diversified South African company that specializes not only in the production of weapons and military equipment (AME), but also in the creation of rocket and space technology, aircraft construction and mechanical engineering. In addition to the redemption of the patent and the name change for Denel Y3 AGL (automatic grenade launcher), the engineers of the concern took part in the revision of the grenade launcher, making a number of changes to its design.
The automatic grenade launcher created by South African designers, developed for standard NATO 40-mm grenades, was structurally similar to the American Mk 19 mounted grenade launcher, but at the same time it was lighter than its American counterpart. Automatic grenade launcher Y3 AGL is based on the principle of recoil of a semi-free bolt. The shot takes place when the shutter is unlocked at the moment of its forward movement, this solution allowed to reduce the recoil. The moving parts of the automatic grenade launcher mechanisms are damped by buffers in the rear of the receiver. The barrel of an automatic grenade launcher is immovably fixed in the receiver, while along its entire length it is covered with a massive casing. Part of the casing is a muzzle brake-compensator with 8 chamomile-shaped slots. The grenade launcher is equipped with a striker-type firing mechanism with a fuse. The descent is mechanical, carried out using a key. For options installed on various military equipment, an electric trigger is provided.
Denel Y3 AGL
The automatic grenade launcher is fed by a belt (the belts are designed for 20 rounds). A feature of the grenade launcher is that it has a double-sided feed mechanism, a box with a tape can be attached to either side of the grenade launcher, the direction of feed is changed by rearranging the lever in the receiver cover, no additional tools are required. The Y3 AGL automatic grenade launcher is equipped with a simple mechanical frame as well as optical sights. The maximum firing range is about 2200 meters. An electronic ballistic computer (known as "LobSight") can be installed on the right of the body of the grenade launcher, which simplifies the calculation of the fire control process.
In the infantry version, the Denel Y3 AGL automatic grenade launcher is mounted on a machine, which is a tripod carriage. The mass of the grenade launcher without a gun carriage, sight and belts with shots is 32 kg, together with the machine about 50 kg. It is the weight together with the tripod machine that is considered one of the disadvantages of this model. The calculation of the automatic grenade launcher consists of three people. The special design of the machine provides the grenade launcher with a maximum elevation angle of up to 60 degrees, which makes it possible to effectively use weapons in mountainous terrain, during military operations in an urban environment, as well as for firing at targets that are out of sight of the crew (behind houses, buildings, terrain folds). This mode of fire is suitable for firing at targets whose coordinates are already known. Most of all, this use case resembles the mode of firing from a mortar.
Denel Y3 AGL
The South African automatic grenade launcher uses 40 mm NATO standard grenades (40x53 mm) as ammunition. Two main types of unitary shots are used for firing: High Explosive (HE) and High Explosive Dual Purpose (HEDP). The first is a high-explosive fragmentation ammunition, which is designed to destroy enemy infantry and unarmored vehicles, the radius of destruction of manpower is 5 meters. The second unitary ammunition HEDP is a double-action ammunition, but most often it is used to combat vehicles and lightly armored targets, as well as various field fortifications of the enemy. The manufacturer's declared armor penetration of these grenades is up to 50 mm, the penetration of concrete walls is up to 350 mm. In addition, three types of training (training) ammunition have been developed and are used for realistic simulations and training of personnel, including a tracer grenade. Their ballistic characteristics are similar to those of combat grenades.
Like other examples of modern automatic grenade launchers, the Y3 AGL can be used not only on its standard tripod machine. The weapon is adapted to be placed on a variety of vehicles used by the South African armed forces, including patrol boats. In particular, the grenade launcher can be installed on the Mamba jeeps, which are produced by the Reumech company. The same company is engaged in the production of a 6x6 chassis for a new armored vehicle, the armament of which will also include a 40-mm Y3 AGL automatic grenade launcher installed in a turret created by Denel designers.
The performance characteristics of Denel Y3 AGL:
Caliber - 40 mm.
Grenade - 40x53 mm.
Length - 831 mm.
Barrel length -335 mm.
Height - 267 mm.
Weight - 32 kg (without a machine tool, sight and box with shots).
Weight with the machine - 50 kg.
Rate of fire - 280-320 rds / min.
The initial speed of the grenade is 242 m / s.
Food - tape for 20 shots.
Firing range - 2200 m.
Calculation - 3 people.
