RPG-29

Infobox Weapon
name= RPG-29


caption= RPG-29 launcher with PG-29V rocket
origin= flagicon|USSR USSR
type= Rocket propelled grenade
is_ranged=yes
is_bladed=
is_explosive=yes
is_artillery=yes
is_vehicle=
service= 1989–Present
used_by= Russia, Hezbollah, Iran, Syria
wars= Iraq War, 2006 Lebanon War
designer=
design_date=
manufacturer= Bazalt
production_date=
number=
variants=
weight= 12.1 kg unloaded (with optical sight)
18.8 kg loaded (ready to fire)
length= 1,000 mm (disassembled for transportation)
1,850 mm (ready to fire)
part_length=
crew=
cartridge= PG-29V tandem rocket
TBG-29V thermobaric rounds
caliber= 105 mm barrel
65/105mm warheads
action= 750 mm: Rolled homogeneous armor (after reactive armor effects)
1,500 mm: Reinforced concrete or brick
3,700 mm: Log and earth fortification
rate=
velocity= 280 m/s
range= 500m
max_range=
feed=
sights= Iron, optical, and night sights available with ranges up to 450 m
breech=
recoil=
carriage=
elevation=
traverse=
blade_type=
hilt_type=
head_type=
haft_type=
diameter=
filling=
filling_weight=
detonation=
yield=The RPG-29 Vampir is a Russian hand held anti-tank grenade launcher.

Description

The RPG-29 is a tube-style rocket launcher designed to be carried and used by a single soldier. On the top of the launch tube is the x 2.7 1P38 optical sight. On the bottom of the tube is a shoulder brace for proper positioning along with a pistol grip trigger mechanism. A 1PN51-2 night sight can be fitted.

Two projectiles are available for the weapon; the PG-29V anti-tank/anti-bunker round and the TBG-29V thermobaric anti-personnel round. The PG-29V round has a tandem-charge HEAT warhead for defeating explosive reactive armour (ERA). Eight fins pop out as the rocket leaves the launch tube and stabilize the rocket in flight.

The warhead is extremely powerful, and in tests conducted against T-80 and T-90 tanks it penetrated the tanks over their frontal arcs. [cite web|url=http://armor.kiev.ua/fofanov/Tanks/TRIALS/19991020.html|title=20.10.1999 T-80U and T-90 Protection Trials|work=Vasiliy Fofanov's Modern Russian Armour Page]

History

The RPG-29 entered service with the Soviet army in 1989.

Claims were made by the Israeli newspaper "Haaretz" that significant numbers of the RPG-29 were passed on from Syria to Hezbollah and were reportedly a major source of IDF casualties in the 2006 Lebanon War. [ [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/746929.html "Hezbollah anti-tank fire causing most IDF casualties in Lebanon"] , "Haaretz", 2006-08-06.] A spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry denied that Russia had supplied arms directly to Hezbollah, even though the Israeli allegation was that the weapons were supplied indirectly by Syria. [ [http://en.rian.ru/russia/20060810/52496375.html "Russia denies sending anti-tank weapons to Hizbollah - ministry"] ,"RIA Novosti", 2006-08-10.] According to " Kommersant" magazine, unidentified Russian sources involved in the talks acknowledged the possibility of a weapons transfer between Syrian officers and Hezbollah during the Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon. [ [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/10/20/europe/EU_GEN_Russia_Israel_Hezbollah.php "Russian Minister says Russia, Israel have settled differences over Hezbollah arms"] , "International Herald Tribune", 2006-10-20.] The Russian government in fact has moved to tighten control over the use of Russian-made weapons by the importing states, suggesting that the visit of the Israeli delegation did bear fruit. [cite news| url=http://www.government.ru/government/governmentactivity/rfgovernmentdecisions/archive/2006/10/11/6401484.htm
publisher=Government of the Russian Federation|title=Provisions for the control of the compliance by foreign states to the rules of use of military equipment supplied by the Russian Federation|date=2006-10-11]

In 2007, British officials confirmed that an RPG-29 round penetrated the frontal ERA and hull of a Challenger 2 tank during an engagement in al-Amarah, Iraq, injuring a crew member. [cite news |title=MoD kept failure of best tank quiet |author=Sean Rayment|work="Sunday Telegraph" |date=May 12, 2007 *|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/05/13/nmod13.xml]

In May 2008, "The New York Times" disclosed that an American M1 tank had also been damaged by an RPG-29 in Iraq. [cite news |title=Operation in Sadr City Is an Iraqi Success, So Far |author=Michael R. Gordon |work=The New York Times|date=May 21, 2008 |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/21/world/middleeast/21sadr.html?_r=2&hp&oref=slogin&oref=slogin]

Operators

Current operators

*
*flagicon|Iran Iran
*flagicon|Mexico Mexico
*flagicon|Russia Russia
*flagicon|Syria Syria
*UKR

Former operators

*flagicon|Soviet Union Soviet Union

ee also

* Rocket-propelled grenade (includes a description of tactics and history.)
* RPG-7
* RPG-26
* LRAC F1

References

External links

* http://world.guns.ru/grenade/gl04-e.htm
* http://www.rusarm.ru/p_prod/army/rpg29.htm
* http://www.defense-update.com/products/r/rpg.htm RPG - A Weapon's Profile
* http://www.defense-update.com/features/du-1-04/rpg-threat.htm Countering the RPG Threat