Intensive saturation of armored vehicles of armies of almost all countries of the world in the second half of the twentieth century and its active use in all types of combined arms combat created conditions under which it became necessary to arm the infantry with adequate means of fighting enemy armored vehicles. The crisis of classic anti-tank weapons of melee infantry (artillery guns; anti-tank rifles; anti-tank grenades) led the designers-gunsmiths to a fundamentally new solution to this most serious problem - the creation of anti-tank weapon systems: hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers, adapted for shooting from the shoulder, and cumulative bombs the very beginning of a new direction in the development of arms business. Numerous local wars and military conflicts of the 1970s – 1990s. once again confirmed that anti-tank grenade launchers are one of the most effective means in the fight against enemy armored vehicles.
Anti-tank grenade launchers have become one of the most powerful infantry weapons for fighting tanks in close combat. This extremely effective and at the same time light and maneuverable and at the same time simple and cheap weapon allowed the infantrymen in the conditions of modern maneuverable combat to fight on an equal footing with almost all enemy tanks. They have high armor penetration, which allows the grenade launcher to successfully hit modern tanks of any type, destroy armored self-propelled guns and other mobile means. In addition, fragmentation grenades for fighting enemy personnel have significantly increased the effectiveness of these weapons. Shooting from hand-held grenade launchers is carried out with feathered grenades with over-caliber or caliber warheads of cumulative or fragmentation action.
The anti-tank grenade launcher of our day is a multifunctional grenade launcher system that includes a smooth-bore recoilless system and active-reactive shots. The grenade is fired from a grenade launcher using a starting powder charge. At the initial stage of the trajectory, a jet engine is turned on, which increases the speed of the grenade. The recoillessness of the grenade launcher when fired is ensured by the fact that part of the powder gases are diverted back through the nozzle and the bell of the branch pipe. This creates a forward-directed reactive force. It also balances the force of recoil.
Currently, the Russian army is armed with numerous close combat anti-tank weapons, including the RPG-7 reusable anti-tank grenade launcher system, consisting of a launcher (grenade launcher); shot (grenade) and sighting device. This weapon, which was put into service back in 1961, still has no equal in terms of combat and service and operational characteristics.
The development of close combat anti-tank weapons began in domestic design bureaus and research institutes immediately after the end of the Great Patriotic War. One of the first Soviet samples of such weapons were the RPG-1 and RPG-2 hand-held dynamo-reactive anti-tank grenade launchers, created at the OKB-2 of the Kovrov arms plant under the leadership of the leading designer N. P. Rassolov in the late 1940s.
In 1954, in the USSR, the development of a more advanced hand-held anti-tank grenade launcher with a propellant charge made of smokeless (or low-smoke) gunpowder began, which had an increased range of a direct shot and greater armor penetration. Based on the research and experimental work carried out, the leading research institutes GSKB-30; NII-1; NII-6; Research Institute; SNIP, together with OKB-2, determined the design of samples of a dynamo-reactive grenade launcher and an anti-tank grenade with a charge for it for subsequent experimental testing.
At the same time, three design schemes were recommended using the barrel: the first - with an additional chamber; the second - with a barrel having a local expansion, and the third - with a barrel of equal cross-section, having a nozzle inside, and a bell in the breech.
When working on the creation of grenade launchers, the parent organization was the developer of the grenade - GSKB-47 (currently FSUE "GNPP" Bazalt "). Together with the developer of the propellant charge, he determined the main dimensions and profile of the bore of the grenade launcher, and OKB-2 (later OKB-575), on the basis of the data obtained, designed and worked out the starting device.
The RPG-7 hand-held anti-tank grenade launcher has been practiced in the Kovrov OKB-575 since 1958. Factory tests of the RPG-7 were carried out at the test site from February 25 to June 11, 1960 and showed that the grenade launchers met the requirements of the technical specifications. Already in 1961, the Kovrov Mechanical Plant mastered the production of the RPG-7 grenade launcher.
The production of 40-mm RPG-7 anti-tank grenade launchers continues to this day, and not only in Kovrov, but also under license in many countries of the world: in China, Egypt, etc.
The RPG-7 has become one of the most common hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers. Currently, it is in service with the armies of more than 50 states. This grenade launcher and its numerous modifications were successfully used in almost all wars and military conflicts of the second half of the twentieth century.
The RPG-7 grenade launcher has become a significant step forward, the range of its direct shot and the sighting range have increased. In addition, the RPG-7 and its modifications could be fired not only at tanks, self-propelled artillery mounts and other armored means of the enemy, but also to destroy enemy fire weapons and manpower located both in light field-type shelters, in buildings urban type or in an open area; for the destruction or damage of bunkers, bunkers, buildings (up to 80 sq. m.). It is allowed to fire at hovering helicopters.
The RPG-7 grenade launcher consists of a barrel with mechanical sighting devices, a firing mechanism with a safety lock, a striker mechanism, and a PGO-7 optical sight.
The barrel of a grenade launcher, designed to direct the flight of a grenade and remove powder gases when fired, is a smooth pipe, in the middle of which an expansion chamber is located. The branch pipe has a bell, and in the middle part there is a nozzle made in the form of two converging cones. In the RPG-7, the barrel and the branch pipe are threaded. The branch pipe in the front part has a nozzle, in the rear - a bell with a safety plate that protects the breech part of the barrel from contamination in case of accidental sticking into the ground, etc. The barrel has a cutout in front for the grenade retainer, on top there is a folding front sight and a sight on special bases, a trigger mechanism is attached from the bottom, assembled in a pistol fire control grip, which makes it easier to hold the grenade launcher when firing. On the left of the barrel there is a bar for mounting the telescopic sight bracket. On the right are mounted swivels for attaching a belt with covers and a shoulder strap. On the barrel of the grenade launcher, two symmetrical birch veneer pads are fixed with clamps, which protect the grenade launcher's hands from burns when firing.
The trigger mechanism has an open hammer, a coil mainspring, a trigger, a push-button safety catch. To put the grenade launcher on the safety, the button must be pressed to the right. The hammer is cocked behind the spoke with the thumb of the hand.
In connection with the increase in the aiming range of up to 500 meters for the RPG-7 grenade launcher, the Novosibirsk Central Design Bureau "Tochpribor" developed a 2, 7-fold optical sight PGO-7 of a prismatic type with a field of view of 13 degrees, which became the main sight for this type of weapon. Its reticle includes a sight scale (horizontal lines), a lateral correction scale (vertical lines), and a rangefinder scale (solid horizontal and curved dotted lines) to determine the distance to a target with a height of 2.7 meters.
The scale division of the sight is 100 meters, the lateral correction scale is 0-10 (10 thousandths). The scope scale limits are from 200 to 500 meters. The divisions (lines) of the sight scale are designated by the numbers "2", "3", "4", "5", corresponding to the firing ranges in hundreds of meters (200, 300, 400, 500 m). The divisions (lines) of the lateral correction scale are indicated below (to the left and to the right of the central line) by numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. The distance between the vertical lines corresponds to ten thousandths (0–10). The scale line corresponding to a range of 300 m, and the center line of the lateral correction scale are doubled to facilitate the selection of the necessary divisions when aiming. In addition, the center line is extended below the sight scale to detect the lateral tilt of the grenade launcher.
The rangefinder scale is designed for a target height of 2.7 meters (approximate tank height). This target height is indicated at the bottom of the horizontal line. Above the upper dashed line there is a scale with divisions, which correspond to a change in the distance to the target by 100 m. The numbers on the scale 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 correspond to distances of 200, 400, 600, 800, 1000 m. The sign "+ ", Which serves to check the sight.
The sight is equipped with alignment screws in height and direction, a handwheel for entering a temperature correction, a reticle illumination device, a rubber forehead and an eyecup. The PGO-7 optical sight is the main sight of the grenade launcher.
A mechanical sight (with a folding front sight and as a whole) is used as an auxiliary sight in case of damage (failure) of the main optical sight. Its bar has a movable clamp with a slot and a latch, the bar divisions "2", "Z", "4", "5" correspond to ranges of 200, 300, 400 and 500 m. On the RPG-7 V, in addition to the main one, a folding additional front sight was also mounted: the main one was used at minus, and the additional at plus air temperature.
The active-reactive 85-mm round of PG-7 V consisted of an over-caliber PG-7 grenade (weighing 2, 2 kg) and a powder (propellant) charge. The PG-7 anti-tank grenade included a warhead with a shaped charge, a fairing and a conductive cone (while the head and bottom parts were connected into a single chain through a fairing and a cone), a powder jet engine with six nozzle holes, a stabilizer with four folding feathers and a turbine … To communicate the initial speed of the grenade (120 m / s), a starting powder charge was attached to the jet engine during loading, placed in a paper case to protect it from moisture and mechanical damage during storage and transportation. A jet engine with a length of 250 mm, which served to increase the flight speed of a grenade from 120 m / s to 330 m / s, was attached to the rear of the head of the grenade. The jet engine was activated only after the grenade was at a distance of 15–20 meters from the shooter. The nozzles of the power unit were located at an angle to the body, to create a rotational movement of the grenade in flight. The stabilizer ensured a steady flight of the grenade along the trajectory. On the stabilizer tube there was a retainer, which, when loaded, entered the cutout on the muzzle of the grenade launcher.
The flexible tail of the grenade was bent around the stabilizer tube and in this position was secured with a ring. The impeller housed a tracer for observing the flight of a grenade. The fuse served to explode a grenade when it meets a target (obstacle). It has a head and a bottom part connected by an electric circuit. The fuse time was 0, 00001 seconds. The armor penetration of the PG-7 B grenade was 260 mm.
The set of the grenade launcher included spare parts, a shoulder strap, two bags for grenades and powder charges. Wearable ammunition was 5 shots.
For training grenade launchers, the PUS-7 device is used, externally imitating a PG-7 V shot, but having a barrel inside, equipped with a 7, 62-mm automatic cartridge arr. 1943 with a tracer bullet.
To load a grenade launcher, it was necessary first of all to put it on the fuse, and then insert the prepared grenade into the muzzle of the barrel. In this case, the grenade stabilizer lock was included in the cutout on the barrel. In this position, the primer is opposite the firing pin hole.
To make a shot, it was necessary: to put the trigger on a combat platoon; remove the grenade launcher from the fuse and press the trigger with your index finger. Under the action of the mainspring, the trigger vigorously turned up and hit the striker. The striker moved upward, breaking the primer-igniter of the grenade, the powder charge was ignited. The grenade was ejected from the bore by the pressure of the powder gases. After the release of the grenade from the barrel of the grenade launcher, under the action of the incoming air flow (and centrifugal forces, since the grenade was given rotation), the stabilizer feathers opened, which ensured the stability of the grenade in flight. When fired, the tracer also ignited and the retardant began to burn, from which the propellant charge of the jet engine ignited. Due to the outflow of powder gases through the nozzle holes, a reactive force was formed, and the flight speed of the grenade increased. In the future, the grenade flew by inertia. The engine was started at a safe distance from the grenade launcher.
At a distance of 2.5–18 m from the muzzle of the barrel, the fuse was cocked - the electric detonator was connected to the electrical circuit. The slow rotation of the grenade around its longitudinal axis in flight partially compensated for the deviation of the engine thrust, increasing the accuracy of fire. When a grenade meets an obstacle (target), the piezoelectric element of the fuse was compressed, as a result of which an electric current was generated, under the action of which the electric detonator of the fuse exploded. There was an explosion of the detonator and the rupture of the explosive of the grenade. When a grenade exploded, a cumulative jet was formed, which pierced the armor (barrier), struck manpower, destroyed weapons and equipment, and also ignited fuel. As a result of the concentration of the explosion energy and the creation of a compacted gas-metal jet in the area of the cumulative recess, the particles of the outer metal layer of the funnel under the action of an elastic impact received motion, breaking away from the funnel, and flew at high speed (up to 12000-15000 km / s), forming a needle cumulative jet. The cumulative energy of the jet was converted into pressure energy equal to P = 1,000,000–2,000,000 kg / cm2, as a result of which the armor metal expired without heating to the melting temperature (the temperature of the cumulative jet was 200–600 ° C).
If the grenade did not hit the target or the electrical part of the fuse failed, then 4–6 seconds after the shot, the self-liquidator would go off and the grenade would explode. When fired, the RPG-7 grenade launcher had no recoil. This was ensured by the outflow of powder gases back through the nozzle and the bell of the barrel branch pipe. The resulting forward reactive force counterbalanced the recoil force.
The RPG-7 hand-held anti-tank grenade launcher in battle was served by two crew numbers - a grenade launcher and an assistant grenade launcher. Since the early 1960s, the RPG-7 grenade launcher with the PG-7 B round has become the main anti-tank melee weapon of the motorized rifle squad of the Soviet Army.
With the improvement of armored vehicles, with the expansion of the range of tasks facing motorized rifle divisions, domestic weapons designers had to constantly modernize and improve grenade launcher systems.
In the mid-1960s, the family of domestic hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers expanded with the adoption of another - the landing version of the RPG-7 D (TKB-02). Created in 1960-1964 by the designer of the Tula Central Design and Research Bureau of Hunting and Sporting Weapons (TsKIBSOO) VF Fundaev, this grenade launcher was intended for arming the Airborne Forces. He had a collapsible barrel. Before the paratroopers were boarding the aircraft, the RPG-7 D grenade launchers were disassembled into two parts (with a total length of 630 mm in the landing position) and packed into a single pack, and quickly assembled on the ground within 50-60 seconds. For this, the barrel and the branch pipe of the RPG-7 D were connected with a quick-disconnect rusk connection, and to prevent the breakthrough of powder gases at the junction there was an obturator. The locking mechanism prevented a shot when the pipe was not turned. For firing RPG-7 D grenade launchers were equipped with a quick-detachable bipod.
And soon there were two more modifications of the RPG-7 N and RPG-7 DN grenade launchers with the PGN-1 night telescopic sight. They were also equipped with a quick release bipod.
Simultaneously with the improvement of the combat qualities of the RPG-7 hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers, there was an improvement in the shots to them. So, already in 1969, a 70-mm modernized shot PG-7 VM with a mass of 2.0 kg appeared. Compared to the PG-7 V shot, the new shot was not only lighter, but also surpassed it in terms of armor penetration, accuracy of combat and wind resistance. So, its armor penetration was now 300 mm of homogeneous steel armor. The PG-7 VM shot was produced until 1976. The adoption of this shot also led to the creation of an improved optical sight PGO-7 V.
In connection with the appearance of our potential opponents of new tanks (in the USA - "Abrams" M1; in Germany - "Leopard-2"; in the UK - "Chieftain" Mk. 2) with multilayer composite armor, which designers, our gunsmiths urgently had to look for new ways to solve this problem. The capabilities of the RPG-7 grenade launcher have increased significantly with the advent of new, more effective shots.
In the early 1970s, RPG-7 grenade launchers received more powerful 72-mm rounds PG-7 VS and PG-7 VS1, the armor penetration of which increased to 360-400 mm. In 1977, the Soviet army entered service with another 93-mm grenade launcher PG-7 VL (which had the unofficial name "Luch") with increased armor penetration up to 500 mm, significantly expanding the combat capabilities of the RPG-7 grenade launchers. The mass of the shot was now 2, 6 kg. In addition, this more powerful grenade could also pierce a one and a half meter brick wall or a reinforced concrete slab with a thickness of 1.1 m.
The qualitative growth of the armor protection of main battle tanks, the widespread introduction of mounted or built-in dynamic protection elements in their designs in the 1980s required the creation of new anti-tank rounds. To effectively combat new enemy tanks in 1985 at the State Scientific and Production Enterprise "Bazalt", the designer AB Kulakovsky creates a PG-7 BP ("Resume") shot with a tandem warhead. Two shaped charges PG-7 VR are installed coaxially and spaced apart. The first 64-mm charge undermined the reactive armor element, and the second, the main 105-mm charge, pierced the armor itself. To increase the armor penetration, the caliber of the warhead had to be increased to 105 mm, and the increased mass of the grenade reduced the aimed firing range to 200 m. The PG-7 VR grenade allows you to penetrate a one and a half meter reinforced concrete block. For greater ease of carrying in the stowed position of the PG-7 VR shot, the warhead is separated from the jet engine with a propelling charge.
The experience of the last local wars and military conflicts of the late XX - early XXI centuries has clearly demonstrated the need to transform hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers into a multi-purpose vehicle to support a motorized rifle (airborne) squad, capable of fighting various types of targets. During the hostilities of the Soviet troops in Afghanistan, even the PG-7 V and PG-7 VL cumulative grenades more than once helped the grenade launchers in the fight against the enemy's sheltered firing points. To expand such capabilities, the same designer A. B. Kulakovsky developed a thermobaric jet shot TBG-7 V ("Tanin") with a charge mass of 1.8 kg and an effective firing range of 200 m. and then the main charge of the thermobaric mixture. The volumetric explosion results in significantly more severe damage than conventional artillery ammunition. This shot is designed to defeat enemy personnel in trenches and light field shelters. In terms of the effectiveness of the high-explosive action of the TBG-7 V, it is comparable to a 120-mm artillery shell or mortar mine. As a result of a shot at buildings, a hole with a diameter of 150-180 mm or a breach of 200 by 500 mm is formed with guaranteed defeat of manpower by small fragments within a radius of up to 10 m. obstacles.
In 1998-1999, to combat manpower (including those equipped with personal protective equipment - body armor) and unarmored equipment, an OG-7 B round was created with a 40-mm fragmentation grenade without a jet engine, with an aimed firing range of up to 300 m The firing accuracy of this grenade declared by the manufacturer is sufficient to destroy a separate firing point in a room, an embrasure of a firing structure, etc.
The creation of new grenade launcher shots with an increased mass and increased ballistic characteristics required the modernization of the RPG-7 V grenade launcher itself. Therefore, in the early 1990s, the Russian army adopted its modernized RPG-7 B1 model (in the landing version of the RPG-7 D2) with a removable bipod and improved sights - a new PGO-7 V3 optical sight and an improved mechanical sight. Along with the PGO-7 B3 optical sight, the RPG-7 B1 grenade launcher also received a new universal sighting device UP7 V, which made it possible to increase the aimed firing range with TBG-7 V (up to 550 m) and OG-7 V (up to 700 m) shots. The upgraded grenade launcher can fire all previously created shots.
