LAW 80
Encyclopedia
The LAW 80 sometimes erroneously referred to as LAW 94, is a man-portable, disposable anti-tank weapon currently in use by the British Army
and a few other militaries.
and 1× sight. The spotting rifle has five rounds of ammunition, and is ballistically matched to the rocket
. The rounds it uses are quite unusual, consisting of a 9 mm tracer
bullet loaded in a necked up 7.62 mm NATO shell casing, with a .22 Hornet
blank
mounted in the base of the larger case, providing the propellant
charge. Upon firing, the .22 cartridge case pushes out of the back of the 7.62 mm casing, unlocking the breech
of the spotting rifle in a form of primer actuation. The spotting rifle on the USMC
Mk.153 Mod.0 SMAW
was derived from LAW 80.
To launch the rocket the firer removes the large protective end caps and extends the rear of the launch tube, opens the sight, and moves the arming lever to "armed". The weapon is then in spotting rifle mode. To fire the rocket, the firer moves a charge lever forward with his firing hand thumb. The rocket motor burns out before it leaves the launch tube, the resulting blast being directed rearwards from the launch tube. The rocket then coasts to the target, arming itself after it has passed a certain arming distance. The warhead
is a HEAT
shaped charge
and can reportedly penetrate 700 mm of armour (RHA
).
recoilless rifle
and M72 Light Anti-Tank Weapon
(Rocket 66mm HEAT L1A1) anti-tank weapons.
to create an off-route mine. It can also be command detonated from up to 200 m away.
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and a few other militaries.
Description
The weapon consists of an extendable launch tube with an integrated 9 mm spotting rifleSpotting rifle
A spotting rifle is a small-calibre rifle used as a sighting device for artillery. The ballistics of the spotting rifle are matched to those of the artillery piece, so that if a shot from the spotting rifle lands on the target, it may be assumed that the main weapon will also do so.- Anti-tank...
and 1× sight. The spotting rifle has five rounds of ammunition, and is ballistically matched to the rocket
Rocket
A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...
. The rounds it uses are quite unusual, consisting of a 9 mm tracer
Tracer ammunition
Tracer ammunition are bullets that are built with a small pyrotechnic charge in their base. Ignited by the burning powder, the phosphorus tail burns very brightly, making the projectile visible to the naked eye...
bullet loaded in a necked up 7.62 mm NATO shell casing, with a .22 Hornet
.22 Hornet
The .22 Hornet is a low-end vermin, small-game and predator centerfire rifle cartridge. It is considerably more powerful than the .22 WMR and the .17 HMR, achieving higher velocity with a bullet twice the weight. The Hornet also differs very significantly from these in that it is not a rimfire...
blank
Blank (cartridge)
A blank is a type of cartridge for a firearm that contains gunpowder but no bullet or shot. When fired, the blank makes a flash and an explosive sound . Blanks are often used for simulation , training, and for signaling...
mounted in the base of the larger case, providing the propellant
Propellant
A propellant is a material that produces pressurized gas that:* can be directed through a nozzle, thereby producing thrust ;...
charge. Upon firing, the .22 cartridge case pushes out of the back of the 7.62 mm casing, unlocking the breech
Breech-loading weapon
A breech-loading weapon is a firearm in which the cartridge or shell is inserted or loaded into a chamber integral to the rear portion of a barrel....
of the spotting rifle in a form of primer actuation. The spotting rifle on the USMC
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
Mk.153 Mod.0 SMAW
Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon
The Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon is a shoulder-launched rocket weapon, based on the Israeli B-300, with the primary function of being a portable assault weapon and a secondary anti-armor rocket launcher. It was introduced to the United States armed forces in 1984...
was derived from LAW 80.
To launch the rocket the firer removes the large protective end caps and extends the rear of the launch tube, opens the sight, and moves the arming lever to "armed". The weapon is then in spotting rifle mode. To fire the rocket, the firer moves a charge lever forward with his firing hand thumb. The rocket motor burns out before it leaves the launch tube, the resulting blast being directed rearwards from the launch tube. The rocket then coasts to the target, arming itself after it has passed a certain arming distance. The warhead
Warhead
The term warhead refers to the explosive material and detonator that is delivered by a missile, rocket, or torpedo.- Etymology :During the early development of naval torpedoes, they could be equipped with an inert payload that was intended for use during training, test firing and exercises. This...
is a HEAT
Heat
In physics and thermodynamics, heat is energy transferred from one body, region, or thermodynamic system to another due to thermal contact or thermal radiation when the systems are at different temperatures. It is often described as one of the fundamental processes of energy transfer between...
shaped charge
Shaped charge
A shaped charge is an explosive charge shaped to focus the effect of the explosive's energy. Various types are used to cut and form metal, to initiate nuclear weapons, to penetrate armor, and in the oil and gas industry...
and can reportedly penetrate 700 mm of armour (RHA
Rolled homogeneous armour
Rolled homogeneous armour is a type of steel which is used to armour vehicles.-Composition:Armoured steel must be hard yet impervious to shock in order to resist high velocity metal projectiles. Steel with these characteristics is produced by processing cast steel billets of appropriate size and...
).
Specifications
- Contractor: Hunting Engineering
- Calibre: 94 mm
- Launcher length:
- Firing mode: 1.5 m
- Carrying mode: 1 m
- Weight:
- Carrying weight: 10 kg
- Shoulder weight: 9 kg
- Projectile weight: 4.6 kg
- Dispersion: approx 1 mil
- Warhead arming range: 10 to 20 m
- Effective range: 20 to 500 m
- Fuze:
- Type: Piezo-electricPiezoelectricityPiezoelectricity is the charge which accumulates in certain solid materials in response to applied mechanical stress. The word piezoelectricity means electricity resulting from pressure...
impact fuze, scrub and foliage proof - Graze angle: <= 10°
- Type: Piezo-electric
- Temperature range: -46 °C to +65 °C
- Rear danger area: < 20 m
- Shelf life: 10 years
Users
: Adopted in the early 1990s, replacing the L14A1 84 mm Carl GustavCarl Gustav recoilless rifle
The Carl Gustav is the common name for the 84 mm man-portable reusable multi-role recoilless rifle produced by Saab Bofors Dynamics in Sweden...
recoilless rifle
Recoilless rifle
A recoilless rifle or recoilless gun is a lightweight weapon that fires a heavier projectile than would be practical to fire from a recoiling weapon of comparable size. Technically, only devices that use a rifled barrel are recoilless rifles. Smoothbore variants are recoilless guns...
and M72 Light Anti-Tank Weapon
M72 LAW
The M72 LAW is a portable one-shot 66 mm unguided anti-tank weapon, designed in the United States by Paul V. Choate, Charles B. Weeks, and Frank A. Spinale et al...
(Rocket 66mm HEAT L1A1) anti-tank weapons.
Addermine
Addermine is an acoustic sensor system which utilises the LAW 80 as a kill mechanismBooby trap
A booby trap is a device designed to harm or surprise a person, unknowingly triggered by the presence or actions of the victim. As the word trap implies, they often have some form of bait designed to lure the victim towards it. However, in other cases the device is placed on busy roads or is...
to create an off-route mine. It can also be command detonated from up to 200 m away.
External links
- http://www.law80.com
- http://www.army.mod.uk/equipment/pw/pw_law.htm
- www.armedforces.co.uk