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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.

GO TO SPECIFICATIONS [+]
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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
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.
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Specifications



Service Year
1970

Origin
Soviet Union national flag graphic
Soviet Union

Classification


Disposable Rocket-Propelled Grenade Launcher


State Factories - Soviet Union
(View other Arms-Related Manufacturers)
National flag of Russia National flag of the Soviet Union National flag of Ukraine Russia; Soviet Union; Ukraine
(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
770 mm
30.31 in
Barrel Length
770 mm
30.31 in
Empty Wgt
6.39 lb
2.90 kg
Sights


Iron; Optional Optics


Action


Shoulder-Launched; Single-Use Disposable

(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)*


72.5mm

Sample Visuals**


Graphical image of a shoulder-fired rocket projectile
Rounds / Feed


Single-Shot; Disposable
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
820 ft
(250 m | 273 yd)
Rate-of-Fire
1
rds/min


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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Images Gallery



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


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