#RocketLauncher

Three weeks ago, Ballistic Highspeed posted a video about their documentation of rocket launchers. Specifically, a Carl Gustaf and RPG-7. During filming there was a catastrophic accident with an RPG-7 resulting in an RPG explosion right next to the shooter’s head. They have come out with a video explaining, to the best of their ability, what they think happened that caused this catastrophic accident to happen.

Back in September 2021 some of the TFB crew were in Refugio Texas for an event. At that event, Brad Gilpin of Blue Force Gear taught us a combat medicine course. Basically how to treat gunshot wounds. At the end of the course, we all got our own Micro Trauma Kits. Brad had set them up with the advanced supplies but he took the chest darts out since we didn’t need those. My Micro Trauma Kit has been sitting unused in my FJ Cruiser and sometimes out on the range with me or in my backpack when I am traveling. I never thought I would have to use it let alone on myself but Murphy’s law reared its ugly head.

In the few years I have dabbled in night vision, never in my wildest dreams have I thought of what I will be covering on this week’s Friday Night Lights. Night vision rocket launchers! More specifically the rocket launcher night vision mount.

If you recall, John (Rocketman) Wild filed Form 1 and made a destructive device (DD). But not just any DD, he made a Panzerfaust! Well, John was not content to sit on his laurels and bask in his own awesomeness. He decided he needed a new challenge. He built a Fliegerfaust. A nine-barreled rocket launcher that was originally designed and developed at the end of WWII by Germany. We were fortunate enough to be invited to document the test firing of his DIY Fliegerfaust and be part of history.

In this episode of TFBTV, James Reeves operates an RPG-7 rocket launcher. Well, kind of. This RPG-7 Trainer is a unit that was demilled, but the fire control unit was reactivated and the launcher restored to being operable.

A shocking announcement blared its way across the nation of Canada on May 1st as the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau ordered the banning of over 1,500 different models of firearms. However, despite claims to the contrary, the bans of so-called “military-style” firearms actually encompass far more than the Prime Minister lets on.

We all love rockets – so let’s fire away in this Photo Of The Day. There’s a lot of fire and smoke involved as rockets do what they do, so the pictures become quite spectacular.

The United States Marine Corps is following in the US Army in the procurement of the Saab M3A1 MAAWS (Multi-Role Anti-Armor/Anti-Personnel Weapon System) recoilless rifle. The M3A1 is a lightweight multipurpose explosive projector weapon which can engage targets at much longer ranges than weapons currently in service with the USMC. The previous MAAWS version, the heavier M3, has been in US Army service since 2011, and was approved for general issue to Army platoons in early 2016.  Military.com’s Hope Hodge Seck reports:

Good things come in lightweight, 84mm packages: Following its fielding of the M3 MAAWS last year, the US Army has announced its decision to sole-source 1,111 improved lightweight M3E1 MAAWS recoilless rifles from Saab Dynamics, in a listing at FBO.gov. The new weapon is based on the Saab Dynamics M4 variant of the venerable Carl Gustaf recoilless rifle, which improves over the previous M3 by reducing weight by 30% (22 pounds down to 15.4 pounds) and length by 14% (1,100mm down to 950mm). The M3E1 is expected to be type classified as the M3A1 Multi-Role Anti-Armor/Anti-Personnel Weapon System (MAAWS).

Check out this teaser video form Triggers on The Military Channel. They fire RPGs and blow stuff up. Much better than Tannerite explosions.

The US Army has tested – to some degree – Airtronic USA Inc.’s “Amerikanski” RPG-7 rocket launcher. From Kit Up!:

I thought they just made jets and discontinued automobiles. Saab Defense just unveiled their updated Carl Gustaf 84mm weapon system at AUSA 2014. It is called the M4 Multipurpose Weapon. It is to replace the more commonly known M3 Multi-role Anti-armor Anti-tank Weapon System (MAAWS). The M4 will be known as the M3A1 MAAWS.