KBP RPO-A (Shmel)

History

In the late Cold War (1947-1991), the Soviet Army introduced a formidable new anti-infantry weapon called the RPO-A "Shmel". This shoulder-fired rocket launcher, classified by the Soviet Union as a flamethrower, was designed to use many types of rockets, including those equipped with a primary thermobaric warhead (RPO-A). Incendiary rockets (RPO-Z) as well as normal smoke bombs (RPO-D) were also introduced.

Launched in the late 1980s, the series debuted during the Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1989), the Chechen War and most recently the Syrian Civil War (early 2011) and the Donbas War (against Ukraine).

The RPO-A was used to replace the aging, outward-facing flame-directed RPO "Rys" launcher, which was in circulation at the time.

The Shmel, still in service today, fires a 700mm long, 93mm rocket from a 920mm shoulder-fired tube with an effective range of 200 meters. The minimum range is 20 meters and the maximum range is 1000 meters (though the field of view is only 600 meters).

The system weighs 11 kg and consists of a launch tube (with integrated optics and trigger unit), spin-stabilized rocket and launch tube assembly.

The RPO-M "Shmel-M" (PDM-A) is a modernized form from 2006, differing in its 90mm caliber, 940mm length and 8.8kg weight load. The MRO-A is a compact one-shot form in a 72.5mm caliber with a single iron sight. The MGK "Bur" is a 62mm caliber compact grenade-style weapon system based on the RPO-M.

Belarus, Fiji, Georgia, India, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Russia (and the former Soviet Union), Sri Lanka, Ukraine, Vietnam, and Syria. The former Yugoslavia is the former operator of the series.

Specification

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Changes