Americanized RPG-7v2 for US FMS & SOF

[John Kettler]

AirTronicUSA demonstrated two Americanized and greatly improved RPG-7v2 based weapons at the key for American defense procurement AUSA (Association of the United States Army) exhibition mid October 2015. The first is a somewhat lightened tweak called the PSRL-1 and is a slightly lighter weapon than the RPG-7V2 featuring Eotech Red Dot Sight with additional ability to take magnified sights and other goodies on no less than three Picatinny rails, which are also found on the vastly more capable PSRL-2. The article is confusing in that it referred to both Red Dot sights and AirtronicUSA custom designed sights. Range is considerably enhanced via the sights, but also by new, already in production ammo with far more lethal warheads. This weapon enters production second quarter next year. The second, the PSRL-2, is such a radical redesign that with its camouflage paint it looks like something out of Halo. It weighs half of what the Russian weapon weighs. Both weapons have a 90% first round hit probability at 800 meters--twice that of the RPG-7V2 As if that wasn't exciting enough, guided rounds are already in development with a 2000 meter range, creating a much cheaper than Javelin option for killing things! These Americanized RPGs seem entirely credible to me as candidates for inclusion in CMBS at some point. Supplying Ukraine with these, especially the lightweight and very durable PSRL-2, would greatly improve Ukrainian ability to defend vs armored attack.

Regards,

John Kettler

Edited October 18, 2015 by John Kettler

[Imperial Grunt]

That is very interesting! I wonder how this will go alongside that 40mm laser guided munition that was also posted. 

Man the modern battlefield just keeps getting more and more lethal!

[Luka]

Very interesting article, thanks for the find John

There's a lot of new developments going on right now, its quite an exciting time for those who follow. However, that also means many many candidates to put into CMBS and I feel like we'd need to wait for a lot more info to come out on the various projects we'd love to see before the guys should seriously think about adding them. 

Edited October 18, 2015 by Luka

[akd]

They've been pimping these things for years.  Leave it to Americans to come up with a way to make RPG-7 expensive.

[MikeyD]

I recall reading years ago that the Pentagon really doesn't like oversize warhead-outside-tube weapons of the RPG/Panzerfaust 3 variety. People have been trying to sell them weapons systems with oversize warheads for years without success. I think it has something to do with storage/transport/handling concerns. Look at what we field - everything is a warhead-in-tube weapon, even the disposable ones. There may be one exception, a weird special purpose door breaching munition I think. I've forgot the name and lost track of it.

[Sublime]

Wonder why theres that particular concern. After all its not like we dont have NBC weapons and grenades etc.

If anyone would be paranoid about storage and handling of such things youd thing it would be modern Germany thats largely pacifist and almost totally densely populated as opposed to entire regions of the US.

[panzersaurkrautwerfer]

Part of the problem I would argue is that it's a weapons system without a niche.  We've already found "American" answers to the problems the RPG-7 solves.  Which is not to say it is a bad weapon, or that the American solutions are better...but I think you'd have to be looking at scrapping the AT-4, M25, and SMAW-D all at the same time before you'd have the kind of capabilities gap to make a yankilized RPG-7 viable.    

[Sublime]

Not to mention I frankly cant see the US military ever adopting Russian weapons for common use. Even German ones really besides say Rheinmettal cannons for tanks etc. But an entire weapons system?  Too much of a stigma still subconcious or not. If the US military were like that then why didnt we hse AK47s or make copies of them immediately? We have a thing about making our own weapons. Not to say this is universal with everything for example a lot of Swedish weapons are used but thats farcry from the $hitstorm using Russian military equipment it.d raise with the public and politicians imo..

[c3k]

They've been pimping these things for years.  Leave it to Americans to come up with a way to make RPG-7 expensive.

LOL! Spot on...

If I had my druthers, I'd grab a Panzerfaust 3 IT-600 for home defense purposes.

The RPG-7, though, is ubiquitous, cheap, and has an incredible array of munitions available. It's very good at what it does. (Firing HE within firefight ranges and keeping AFV's on their toes around the crunchies.)

[db_zero]

Pretty slick. I could see it being copied by China or Iran and end up being used against the US or one of its proxies. If we supply these to one of our proxies like the Afghan army they will likely find their way into the hands of ISIS or someone else one way of another.

[MikeyD]

Hmmm.... I see those Picatinny rails more as a 'fashion statement' than a feature. They've become the ultimate macho accessory, applied to everything these days from chrome-plated Smith & Wesson handguns to baby bottles.