RPG-18
Rocket-propelled grenade
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The RPG-18 Mukha (Russian: Муха, romanized: Fly) is a Soviet short-range, disposable light anti-tank rocket launcher designed in 1972, based on the American M72 LAW. The RPG-18 has been in service in over 20 conflicts and used by over 20 armed forces across the world.
| RPG-18 | |
|---|---|
RPG-18 rocket launcher with PG-18 rocket | |
| Type | Rocket-propelled grenade |
| Place of origin | Soviet Union |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1972–present |
| Used by | See users |
| Wars | Vietnam War Cambodian Civil War Laotian Civil War Sino-Vietnamese War Cambodian–Vietnamese War Third Indochina War Soviet–Afghan War[1] Salvadoran Civil War Gulf War First Nagorno-Karabakh War Tajikistani Civil War First Chechen War Congo Civil War Second Chechen War War in Afghanistan Iraq War Russo-Georgian War Kivu conflict Syrian civil war Russo-Ukrainian War |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1972 |
| Manufacturer | Bazalt (Soviet Union) VEB Mechanische Werkstätten (East Germany) |
| Produced | 1972-1990 (Soviet Union) 1978-1989 (East Germany |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 1.4 kg (projectile) 2.6 kg (loaded) |
| Length | 705 mm (unarmed) 1,050 mm (ready to fire) |
| Crew | 1 |
| Shell | PG-18 HEAT |
| Caliber | 64 mm |
| Rate of fire | Single shot |
| Muzzle velocity | 115 m/s |
| Effective firing range | 100-150m |
| Maximum firing range | 200m |
| Sights | Mechanical flip-up sight |
History
![](#/media/File:Combat_UAV_"Soaring_tube"_complex_during_the_"Armiya_2021"_exhibition.jpg)
The RPG-18 is very similar to the US M72-series LAW anti-tank rocket launcher,[2] with captured examples during the Vietnam War likely being sent to the Soviet Union.[3][4] The RPG-18 has been succeeded by the RPG-22, a very similar design with a larger warhead.
Description
The RPG-18 fires a 64 mm PG-18 high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead mounted on a small rocket able to engage targets within 200 meters. The warhead self-destructs six seconds after launch, placing a limit on range even if a sight was used that was effective with targets beyond 200 meters.[5]
The RPG-18 can penetrate up to 300 mm of conventional vehicle armor (RHA); up to 500 mm of reinforced concrete; and up to 1,000 mm of brickwork.[6] However, performance is significantly lessened when the RPG-18 is used against targets protected by HEAT-resistant explosive reactive armour (ERA) or composite armor.[7]
Unlike similar weapons, the RPG-18 requires only one operator as it is not reloadable.[6]
Users
Afghanistan[8]
Armenia[6]
Azerbaijan[6]
Belarus[6]
Chad[9]
Congo[10]
Georgia[11]
Greece[12]
Hamas[13]
Iraqi insurgents[14]
Islamic State[15]
Kazakhstan[16][circular reference]
Kyrgyzstan[6]
Moldova[6]
Panama[18]
Russia
Syria[6]
Tajikistan[6]
Turkmenistan[6]
Ukraine[20][21]
Uzbekistan[6]
Former users
Chechen Republic of Ichkeria[22]
Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda[9]
Donetsk People's Republic:[23] Used by DPR forces during the War in Donbas and the Russian invasion of Ukraine before their annexation by Russia in November 2022.- Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN)[18]
East Germany[24]
Nicaragua: Sandinista Popular Army[18]
Soviet Union: Passed on to successor states.[6]- Real Irish Republican Army[25]
See also
- RPG-76 Komar – (Polish People's Republic, Poland)
- M80 Zolja – (Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia)
