×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Infantry Arms Warships & Submarines Military Pay Chart (2023) Military Ranks
Advertisements
HOME
INFANTRY
MODERN ARMIES
SPECIAL FORCES
COUNTRIES
MANUFACTURERS
COMPARE
BY CONFLICT
BY TYPE
BY DECADE
COLD WAR
Infantry Small Arms / The Warfighter

Raytheon M47 Dragon


Portable Wire-Guided Anti-Tank Missile System [ 1975 ]



The Raytheon M47 Dragon anti-tank missile system saw service from 1975 through 2001 and took part in the Iran-Iraq War, Grenada and Persian Gulf War.



Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 09/24/2018 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

GO TO SPECIFICATIONS [+]
Advertisements
As World War 2 (1939-1945) showcased the value of ranged armor-defeating weapons on the battlefield - primarily through anti-tank rifles, anti-tank guns and shoulder-fired systems - concepts continued to emerge into the Cold War years (1947-1991) which saw the West face off against the might of the Soviet Empire and its supporters. It was assumed that another full-scale war would eventually engulf Europe and an grand ground assault would be spearheaded by masses of Soviet armor - similar in concept to the battles of World War 2. As a counter, the shoulder-fired, anti-tank rocket launcher of old was now evolved into the anti-tank missile which offered better penetration qualities and additional control through a portable launch system that included optics and a guidance package. Improved warheads provided the armor-defeating qualities required and wire-guidance provided the necessary in-flight control of the missile. Wire-guidance allowed just that - the operator sent corrective signals to the launched missile to adjust the flight path as it was guided towards the intended target. Such weapons ultimately grew in their tactical value, proving serviceable for "bunker-busting" duties as well as tank-killing. In 1975, the United States Army completed work on a new shoulder-mounted, anti-tank missile system through the FGM-77 initiative and adopted the weapon as the M47 "Dragon".

Design work on the M47 began in March of 1966 and was headed by Raytheon. Along with McDonnell Douglas providing manufacture capabilities, some 7,000 launchers were eventually made to go along with 33,000 missiles produced. By this time, the Soviet Union had unveiled their latest Main Battle Tank as the T-72 and this proved a popular offering to many Soviet-aligned customers. The T-72 (over 25,000 produced) joined stocks of the famous, and numerous, T-54/T-55 series which was already well-entrenched globally (estimated production reached 100,000 units). Another 22,700 were of the T-62 which brought about a new 115mm smoothbore main gun. If a new land war were to greet Europe, the West would be ready with their new M47 tank-killing system among other counters being developed/fielded. Initial units received their M47 kits in January of 1975 and both the United States Army and Marine Corps made use of the weapon. Some European powers eventually joined the fray as was the case with the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland. The M47 then found export customers in Iran, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Thailand. During the Iran-Iraq War, examples of M47s fell to advancing Iraqi forces making them another, albeit indirect, operator of the Dragon system.©MilitaryFactory.com
Advertisements
The Dragon utilized a rocket-propelled missile projectile featuring a hollow charge warhead intended to defeat the armor protection schemes of the day. The weapon held a maximum engagement range out to 1,500 meters though proved most effective between 75 meters and 1,000 meters. Due to its wire-guided nature - a limited length of wire unspooling from the launch system - the missile could only travel a certain length before its effectiveness was reached. The missile traveled at a speed value of 660 feet per second.

The weapon system, as a whole, showcased a caliber of 140mm and required a crew of just one, making it an ideal, portable anti-tank weapon - particularly in urban fighting. A bipod was affixed to the front of the fiberglass launcher for support while the rear of the tube was held by the operator's shoulder. The tube was of smoothbore design internally (i.e. non-rifled). Optics were offset to the side of the launcher and were affixed during preparation of the unit. Optics were reusable and thusly removable from the launcher. The typical firing position for the user was either a kneeling, crouched or sitting position (as the battlefield situation dictated). The missile was actuated via a trigger unit and onboard battery pack. The operator was required to keep the target sighted while the missile directed itself to the target. This was known as SACLOS (Semi-Automatic Command, Line-Of-Sight). As such, line-of-sight to the target was required which presented a danger to the operator.

The M47 led a relatively sort operational service life with the US military. The weapon was not a favorite of infantry for its size, peculiar launch qualities and the limited effective engagement ranges. It was officially replaced in the US inventory by the FGM-148 "Javelin" though it continues life in storage, possibly for scrapping, future sale or emergency use. The M47 saw active combat service in the 1991 Persian Gulf War with US forces. Prior to that, it was used in the 1983 Grenada campaign.

A 1985 initiative upgraded the penetrative capabilities of the Dragon missile, leading to the "Dragon II" designation being used. In 1990, a similar initiative - attempting to keep pace with modern armor developments - begat the "Super-Dragon". The Iranian "Saeghe" series is nothing more than a local Iranian copy of the M47 series - brought about by the arms embargo to Iran resulting from the 1978-79 Islamic Revolution which toppled pro-US leadership.©MilitaryFactory.com
Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.
Advertisements

Specifications



Service Year
1975

Origin
United States national flag graphic
United States

Classification


Portable Wire-Guided Anti-Tank Missile System


Raytheon / McDonnell Douglas - USA
(View other Arms-Related Manufacturers)
National flag of Iraq National flag of Iran National flag of Israel National flag of Jordan National flag of Morocco National flag of the Netherlands National flag of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia National flag of Spain National flag of Switzerland National flag of Thailand National flag of the United States Iran; Iraq (captured); Israel; Jordan; Morocco; Netherlands; Saudi Arabia; Spain; Switzerland; Thailand; United States
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
Anti-Armor / Anti-Tank / Anti-Material
Designed to engage and defeat armor / enemy tanks at range.


Overall Length
1,154 mm
45.43 in
Barrel Length
1,154 mm
45.43 in
Sights


Affixed SACLOS Sighting Device.


Action


Single-Shot, Line-of-Sight, Hollow Charge

(Material presented above is for historical and entertainment value and should not be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation - always consult official manufacturer sources for such information)


Caliber(s)*


140mm

Rounds / Feed


Single-Shot, Single-Use
Cartridge relative size chart
*May not represent an exhuastive list; calibers are model-specific dependent, always consult official manufacturer sources.
**Graphics not to actual size; not all cartridges may be represented visually; graphics intended for general reference only.
Max Eff.Range
246 ft
(75 m | 82 yd)
Rate-of-Fire
1
rds/min
Muzzle Velocity
660 ft/sec
(201 m/sec)


FGM-77 - Developmental Designation
M47 "Dragon" - Production Designation
"Dragon II" - Updated and Improved Dragon; increased penetration value; appearing in 1985.
"Super Dragon" - Improved Dragon II; appearing in 1990; increased penetration value and maximum effective range.
"Saeghe 1" - Iranian reverse-engineered version of the Dragon; appearing in 2002.
"Saeghe 2" - Improved Iranian Version


Military lapel ribbon for the American Civil War
Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft
Military lapel ribbon for the Cold War
Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War
Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft
Military lapel ribbon for the Ukranian-Russian War
Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2


Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective campaigns / operations.

Images Gallery



1 / 14
Image of the Raytheon M47 Dragon
An M47 Dragon launcher and projectile on display; note bipod design and projectile size compared to launcher
2 / 14
Image of the Raytheon M47 Dragon
A soldier readies his M47 Dragon anti-tank launcher
3 / 14
Image of the Raytheon M47 Dragon
Caught at the point of exit, this picture shows the back-blast of a firing M47 Dragon; note soldiers covering their ears
4 / 14
Image of the Raytheon M47 Dragon
A soldier peers into the sights of his M47 Dragon anti-tank launcher
5 / 14
Image of the Raytheon M47 Dragon
A soldier tracks a target through the optics on his M47 Dragon anti-tank launcher
6 / 14
Image of the Raytheon M47 Dragon
Close-up detail view of the optics component of an M47 Dragon anti-tank launcher
7 / 14
Image of the Raytheon M47 Dragon
A US Marine showcases the M47 Dragon to a little girl; note M47 rear detail
8 / 14
Image of the Raytheon M47 Dragon
A soldier moves forward with his M47 Dragon draped over his shoulder; note size of Dragon system
9 / 14
Image of the Raytheon M47 Dragon
Photograph taken at the moment an M47 Dragon was fired; note debris blast in background
10 / 14
Image of the Raytheon M47 Dragon
An M47 Dragon projectile exiting the launcher; note shock wave ring
11 / 14
Image of the Raytheon M47 Dragon
An M47 Dragon operator assumes the firing position
12 / 14
Image of the Raytheon M47 Dragon
The complete M47 Dragon launcher on display
13 / 14
Image of the Raytheon M47 Dragon
Seconds after an M47 Dragon projectile is fired; note flame trail
14 / 14
Image of the Raytheon M47 Dragon
Seconds after an M47 Dragon projectile is fired; note flame burst and shock wave ring


Advertisements




Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies


2023 Military Pay Chart Military Ranks DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons.

View day-by-day actions of the American Civil War with CivilWarTimeline.net. View day-by-day actions of World War II with SecondWorldWarHistory.com.


©2023 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2023 (20yrs)