From the moment of the invention of armor by man, the question of opposing armor and projectile has risen sharply. The invention of the RPG made major changes in the tactics of armored troops and, in general, also had a significant impact on the conduct of hostilities. In detail, we consider the RPG-30 grenade launcher, which has received the name “Hook”, a relatively new and successfully passed a series of state combat checks.
RPG-30 hand-held anti-tank rocket launcher is a single-use weapon of 105 mm caliber. Designed to counter the main modern battle tanks, equipped with various means of protection - both active and dynamic. It was adopted by the Russian army at the end of 2012, the developer of the "Hook" was the enterprise NGO "Basalt".
Structure and device RPG-30 Hook
Innovation in the creation of this type of weapon is its bikalibernosti and equipping the so-called "false target", whose function is to create conditions for the unhindered defeat of the enemy.
The overall design of the grenade launcher consists of two pipes of different diameters, arranged parallel to each other. Shells are placed inside, the ends of the pipes are tightened with rubber petal membranes, which burst when fired, releasing the projectile. Equipped with a folding mechanical sight, the trigger and aiming device are one.
The larger diameter pipe contains the main anti-tank grenade, which is in many ways similar to the projectile of the earlier RPG-29 grenade launcher. In the smaller container there is a shell-simulator, which has an identical radar signature and trajectory to the main grenade.
Compared with its predecessor, the RPG-29, whose length is 2 meters, the “Hook” is significantly smaller - just over 1 meter.
The principle of the RPG-30 Hook
The main purpose of the grenade launcher "Hook" - defeat armored vehicles from short distances. Bringing the RPG into combat readiness is carried out by raising the aiming bar and cocking the trigger mechanism.
With a sight and pressing the trigger, a projectile charge is triggered on both grenades - the first smaller projectile comes out of its barrel first, followed, at a short interval, by the main one. By the protection complexes, the simulation shell is classified as a rocket-propelled grenade, which attacks the tank and thereby triggers them. The counter-shells using the method available to him (the blast wave or the field of splinters) hit the target simulator, and immediately the PG-30 projectile following it causes a crushing blow to the enemy’s armored vehicles. For all KAZ, the area of damage is often quite small and the first shock wave does not bring much damage to the main projectile of the Hook. Moreover, the fragments and the plasma cloud after the first explosion mask an approaching grenade, which prevents both identifying the threat and counteracting it.
As a result, the main armor layer of the tank is penetrated by a cumulative projectile. Armored vehicles are exposed to fire and detonation of ammunition.
Damage Scales
The RPG-30 grenade launcher shot, by definition, is capable of penetrating:
- 650 mm even the most modern armor, breaking the dynamic protection;
- about 1.5 m of reinforced concrete structures - barriers;
- more than 2 m of brick barriers;
- about 4 m obstacles of wood-earth type.
Having set for itself the main task - to create weapons, with the help of which the armed forces of the Russian Federation will be able to resist any adversary and any modern equipment, the developers of the NPO Basalt have achieved their goal. It is impossible to escape from such weapons, or to resist them - the grenade launcher affects all types of armored and unarmored vehicles, protected fortifications and, of course, manpower.
In 2009, after state verification and approval of the RPG-30, the Russian army acquired 1000 copies at an approximate price of 83,000 r. a piece. For comparison, this is 2.5 times more expensive than the RPG-26 and RPG-22 grenade launchers, which at that time were in service with the army. Suppliers argue that the imitator is quite expensive. And the waste of funds, in fact, is completely justified.
Main structural and combat characteristics:
- caliber - 105 mm;
- weight - 10.5 kg;
- length - 1135 mm;
- shot distance - 200 m;
- range of sight - 200 m;
- the thickness of the obstacles to be pierced: armor - 600 mm, reinforced concrete - 1500 mm, bricks - 2000 mm, earth - 3700 mm;
- grenade starting speed - 120 m / s;
- caliber main grenades - 105 mm.
