Sigh. It’s the "man portable" and "offering for sale" part of this that bothers me.
North Industries Corporation (NORINCO) is offering manportable weapons fitted with thermobaric warheads, it has been revealed. At least two weapons with a thermobaric warhead are being marketed by NORINCO: one for the widely deployed Russian RPG-7 rocket-propelled grenade launcher and the second for the locally developed portable Type PF89 anti-tank rocket launcher. The Chinese version of the RPG-7 is called the 40mm rocket launcher Type 69-1, the 40mm being the diameter of the launch tube, not the warhead. The recently introduced thermobaric rocket has a calibre of 105mm and weighs 4.2kg. The overall length of the fin- stabilised rocket is 884mm.
The maximum range and accuracy of the unguided rocket depends on a number of factors, especially wind and training of the operator. According to NORINCO, it has a maximum range of 1,000m. However, effective range is considered to be less than this. While the RPG-7/Type 69-1 is a highly flexible weapon system and can fire a wide range of unguided rockets, it has a number of drawbacks, including significant launch signature. It also cannot be fired from within a confined space because of back blast. However, the operator can rapidly select a projectile to suit the type of target being engaged, for example anti-armour, high-explosive or thermobaric.
The standard PF89 disposable rocket launcher, with a calibre of 80mm and weighing 3.7kg, has been in service with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) for some years. It fires a fin- stabilised high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) projectile which will penetrate about 200mm of conventional steel armour at an angle of 65º. Muzzle velocity is about 147 m/s and maximum effective range is about 300m. The version that launches a thermobaric warhead is designated the Type WPF89-1 and weighs 7kg. Maximum range is being quoted as 850m with an effective range of 200m. The projectile used with the Type WPF89-1 is very similar in appearance to that used with the Russian RPO-A Schmel shoulder-launched system. This 93mm disposable system was developed in the 1980s. It was used in combat for the first time in Afghanistan in 1983-84 and proved to be highly effective against guerrillas in caves. More recently it has seen combat service in Chechnya.
Thermobaric weapons are highly effective, relying on blast and heat to neutralise the target, although there is concern in the West about the more widespread fielding of this type of weapon on the grounds of human rights and legality. NORINCO has for some years been marketing the Red Arrow 8 anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW) family. This is offered with a single HEAT warhead, tandem HEAT warhead and a special bunker buster. It is possible that in the future this and other Chinese ATGWs could be marketed with thermobaric warheads. Russia has for some years marketed most of its ATGWs with the option of a tandem HEAT or thermobaric warhead. It has also developed a thermobaric warhead for the RPG-7. The US has for some years been developing thermobaric type warheads for a variety of air and land applications and some of these were used during Operation ’Enduring Freedom’ in Afghanistan (JDW 3 December 2003). The UK has a requirement for an Anti Structure Weapon, understood to be of the enhanced blast type, as opposed to the true thermobaric type. |