RPG-29 Vampir (Vampire) Rocket-Propelled Grenade Launcher (1989)
The RPG-29 entered service with the Red Army in 1989 and still sees widespread use around the globe today.
Rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launchers differ highly from their anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) counterparts principally in the technology utilized. RPGs are a most utilitarian battlefield weapon requiring little training and in-the-field support and are relatively inexpensive to produce in large numbers while requiring one operator to use successfully. Conversely, anti-tank guided missile weapon systems are technologically-laden, making them expensive to procure in large numbers and usually requiring the services of two or more well-trained personnel in their use. These weapons tend to be heavier and larger in dimension than the RPG weapons but also offer up unprecedented armor-defeating capabilities at longer ranges. As such, the RPG has proven the weapon of choice with guerilla forces and irregular army combatants the world over - particularly in war-torn areas that were proliferated by Soviet weaponry in the Cold War. RPGs also make for ideal urban weapons where enemy armor tends to lose much of its tactical advantage in more confined areas.
Design of the RPG-29 is highly basic and characterized by the long-running body making up the launch tube. A shoulder support is integrated for some comfort when firing and a pistol grip manages the action. Standard day optics include the 1P38 series of 2.7 magnification of targets though a night sight can be substituted in its place. The weapon system weighs 27lbs unloaded and 40lbs loaded. Despite this weight, the weapon is designed to be managed by a single operator which is of extremely valuable tactical value in a running fight or ambush setting. Rockets are loaded through the breech and the system is laid upon the shoulder. The operator need only squeeze the trigger to fire the projectile which burns of all of its propellant while within the launch tube itself. The RPG-29 is, therefore, a simple "point and shoot" weapon and is relatively transportable.
The RPG-29 series is afforded two specialized types of projectiles made up of the "PG-29V" and the "TBG-29V". PG-29V is the anti-armor projectile of choice intended to be used against armored vehicles and even against fortified structures. The type makes use of a "tandem-charge" High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) warhead for the role. The tandem-charge nature ensures that the main detonation is preceded by a smaller penetrative detonation function which is useful in defeating such preventative measures as Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA) blocks. The TBG-29V is classified as the RPG-29's "anti-personnel" projectile. As such, this form is utilized against concentrations of enemy troops or "soft targets" where its thermobaric formula creates a fuel-air explosive effect at the intended area - proving lethal to anyone around the detonation area at the moment of impact. Eight spring-loaded fins maintain the rocket's flight trajectory. Recoil is inherently violent but manageable with exposure and training.
The RPG-29 lists a rated muzzle velocity of 920 feet per second which provides for excellent penetration value at range while effective range is out to 1,600 feet. Visual ranging is accomplished by way of the integrated optics package or through use of the basic iron sights which requires that the target or target area be "line of sight" from the firer. When set up for firing with the rocket placed in the breech, the weapon showcases a running length of 6 feet. The weapon can then be broken down into a more compact 3 foot length for transport and a shoulder strap facilitates carrying. An operator can, therefore, still managed his basic assault rifle/light machine gun with the RPG-29 launcher held across his back, the weapon ready to be used as needed. Since the launch tube is reusable, the operator can carry several reloads into the fight.
RPG-29 rocket launchers were known to be utilized in the 2003 American invasion of Iraq by Iraqi military personnel. Their ongoing use eventually showcased the weapon's ability to defeat even the most stoutly armored American M1 Abrams and British Challenger 2 tanks in service - these once deemed impervious to all known anti-tank instruments of war. In 2006, Hezbollah guerilla forces in Lebanon found success with their RPG-29s against Israeli armor with these weapons believing to have originated from Syria - a historically Soviet/Russian military ally in the region. Such combat experiences has certainly shown the value of the RPG-29 against all other preceding Soviet rocket propelled grenade weapons to this point.
The RPG-29 was eventually issued to Soviet allies Czechoslovakia and East Germany. Other operators of the type went on to include Bulgaria, Brazil, Cuba; Iran, Mexico, Pakistan, Syria, Ukraine and Vietnam as well Hezbollah forces. Text ©2003-2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • No Reproduction Permitted
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Specifications for the
RPG-29 Vampir (Vampire)
Rocket-Propelled Grenade Launcher
Country of Origin: Soviet Union
Manufacturer: Bazalt - Soviet Union, Russia / Avibras - Brazil / SEDENA - Mexico
Initial Year of Service: 1989
Overall Length: 1850mm (72.83in)
Barrel Length: 1,850.00mm (72.83in)
Weight (Empty): 26.68lbs (12.10kg)
Cartridge: 65mm; 105mm
Action: Manually-Actuated Trigger; Rocket-Propelled Projectile
Feed: Single-Shot; Reusable Launch Tube
Muzzle Velocity: 920ft/sec (280m/sec)
Rate-of-Fire: 2 rounds per minute
Range: 1,600ft (488m; 533yds)
Sights: 2.7x1P38 Optical Sight; Optional Night Sight
Variants:
RPG-29 ("Vampir") - Base Series Designation
Operators:
Brazil; Cuba; Czechoslovakia; Bulgaria; East Germany; Hezbollah; Iran; Mexico; Pakistan; Romania; Russia; Soviet Union; Syria; Ukraine
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