RPG-26

Disposable Rocket-Propelled Grenade Launcher [ 1970 ]

The RPG-26 featured a disposable launch tube and could be called upon to engage various hardened targets.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 04/29/2022 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

Close-up view of an RPG-26 disposable anti-tank rocket launcher on display

VIEW SPECIFICATIONS [+]

The RPG-26 (Rocket Propelled Grenade 26) was developed as a single-shot, disposable anti-tank battlefield solution for the Red Army during the Cold War. The weapon consisted of a non-descript cylindrical launch tube housing the 72.5mm anti-armor rocket within. The rocket was designed with spring-actuated stabilizing fins that emerged once the rocket cleared the launch tube upon firing. Penetration was made possible by the shaped-charge warhead to which some 440mm of armor thickness could be penetrated at effective ranges within 250 meters. In addition to its anti-armor function, the weapon could also be used to engage fortified structures as required. Overall length of the launch system was 770mm while overall weight was 2.9 kilograms.

The RShG-2 was a variant of the base RPG-26 system and utilized the same form and function as the original design. However, the rocket fitted a thermobaric warhead and the complete system weighed in at 3.5 kilograms. This solution also fielded a much more limited range, its effectiveness being limited to targets within 115 meters.

In all, the RPG-26 family of anti-tank solutions was comparable to the American M72 LAW, another disposable anti-tank weapon system utilizing a spring-loaded fin-stabilized 66mm rocket fielded in large numbers by the West during the Cold War.©MilitaryFactory.com

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Specifications

Basics [+]

Manufacturer(s)

State Factories - Soviet Union

Operators

Russia; Soviet Union; Ukraine

Service Year

1970

National Origin

Soviet Union

ANTI-ARMOR / ANTI-TANK / ANTI-MATERIAL
Designed to engage and defeat armor / enemy tanks at range.

Overall Length

770 mm / 30.31 in

Barrel Length

770 mm / 30.31 in

Weight (Empty)

6.39 lb / 2.90 kg

Action

Shoulder-Launched; Single-Use Disposable

Caliber(s)*

72.5mm
*May not represent an exhuastive list; Calibers may be model-specific dependent; Always consult official manufacturer sources.

Feed

Single-Shot; Disposable

Sights

Iron; Optional Optics

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.

Max.Effective Range

820 ft / 249.9 m | 273.3 yds

Rate-of-Fire

1 rpm

RPG-26 - Base Series Designation.

RShG-2 - Variant featuring projectile fitting a thermobaric warhead; reduced firing range due to added weight.

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Close-up view of an RPG-26 disposable anti-tank rocket launcher on display

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