L6 WOMBAT (Weapon Of Magnesium, Battalion, Anti-Tank)

History

Armored combat operations in World War II influenced much of the doctrine and weapon designs of the ensuing Cold War years. Tanks are still the main threat and all the major world powers are starting to introduce various counters for them, including recoilless rifles. Recoilless rifles provide a (sometimes) portable tank kill/defeat solution in which the recoil of the existing projectile is somewhat offset by the proper dispersion of gas at the rear of the launch tube. The British adopted the Ordnance 3.45" RCL too late to see action in WWII (1993-1945), but its design influenced the final choice of the L6 WOMBAT in the 1950s.

In fact, the L2 influenced the BAT ("Bataillon Anti - Tank") and L4 MOBAT ("MObile BAT") themselves are predecessor designs related to the RCL itself.

The L6 WOMBAT (Weapon of Magnesium, Battalion, Anti-Tank) represents a more portable solution to the already available L4 MOBAT vehicle-mounted weapon. However, it's not nearly as portable as the RCL before it, weighing a whopping 680 pounds, requiring the use of a wheeled cart and three crew members. The new gun fires a 28-pound, 120-millimeter projectile at four rounds per minute and a muzzle velocity of 1,520 feet per second. It has an effective range of 1,000 meters and an extreme range of up to 1,600 meters.

Aiming is carried out by means of integrated optics. The wheeled frame allows 360-degree traversal with elevation angles ranging from -8 to +17 degrees. This is a line-of-sight weapon that requires the crew to have an unobstructed view of the intended target.

Despite its heavy weight, the WOMBAT still proves to be a mobile solution compared to heavier vehicle versions. This allows it to be used by specialized anti-tank groups and lightly armed paratroopers on the battlefield who rely on any useful artillery after being dropped from an aircraft. Magnesium alloy is used throughout the WOMBAT construction to reduce overall weight, and a lighter locking mechanism also helps control weight.

The detachable wheeled cart has also been purposely designed as a compact, lightweight stand.

In practice, the L6 is widely used as a field weapon and in-vehicle system. In the latter, WOMBAT is equipped with a light British Army Land Rover. Others go into the roofs of armored vehicles and serve as point defenses against enemy armor.

The British Navy stationed in the Norwegian Arctic has their L6 weapons mounted on their "Snow Trac" tracked vehicles.

The L6 WOMBAT remained in service until the wider introduction of improved wire-guided anti-tank missiles. Since then, the front-line role played by recoilless rifles in all modern armies has diminished, leaving only the weapons of a few units, such as special forces.

Specification

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Changes