Advertisements

Infantry Small Arms / The Warfighter

Pallad wz. 1974 (Palladium)

Under-Barrel Single-Shot Grenade Launcher [ 1974 ]

Poland initiated design of an indigenous Under-Barrel Grenade Launcher during the Cold War - this becoming the useful 40mm Pallad.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 07/18/2018 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

GO TO SPECIFICATIONS [+]

During the Cold War, Polish military industry maintained a path apart from that of the Soviet Union. Founded in 1917, and established to produce mainly foreign-born weapons under license, Tarnow Mechanical Works went on to manage many indigenous developments covering various small arms in the decades following that included semi-automatic pistols, automatic weapons, and Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA). While the Soviet Army adopted the GP-25/GP-30 series of Under-Barrel Grenade Launchers (UBGLs), the Polish Army pursued a local solution in what became the Pallad wz. 1974 ("Palladium"). Design work spanned from 1968 until 1970 when serial production began and formal introduction of the weapon followed in 1974 (hence the designation).

The wz. 1974 succeeded the wz. 1960 grenade weapon which was essentially a Kalashnikov-based carbine arranged (by way of a launcher adapter at the muzzle) to fire rifle-grenades.

The wz. 1974 was primarily developed as an under-barrel component to the AKM assault rifle - this weapon the modernized 1960's derivative of the storied Ak-47 assault rifle family. The launcher was chambered for a 40x47mm grenade which followed accepted practice that continues even today (2015). A stand-alone system emerged in time which equipped a pistol grip and two-strut folding shoulder stock to become the wz. 1983 "Pallad D".

The Pallad went on to provide good service during its time as a frontline weapon and, to an extent, continues to do so today (2015). A stock of ex-Polish Army Pallad launchers were passed on to the Lithuanian Army.©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.

Specifications

BASICS [+] MANUFACTURER(S) [+] OPERATORS [+] ROLES [+] DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT [+] ACTION [+] CARTRIDGE & FEED [+] PERFORMANCE [+] VARIANTS [+] HONORS [+]

Advertisements