M202 FLASH
Launcher, Rocket, 66mm, 4-Tube, M202 | |
---|---|
Type | Multishot incendiary rocket launcher |
Place of origin | United States |
Service history | |
Used by | See Operators |
Production history | |
Designed | c. 1970 |
Manufacturer | Northrop Corporation, Electro-Mechanical Division[1] |
Produced | 1978 |
Variants | M202, M202A1 |
Specifications | |
Mass | 11.5 lb (5.22 kg) empty 26.6 lb (12.07 kg) loaded |
Length | 27 in (686 mm) closed 34.75 in (883 mm) extended |
Cartridge | M235 Incendiary TPA |
Caliber | 2.6 in (66 mm) |
Action | Single shot (each rocket has its own firing pin) |
Muzzle velocity | 375 ft/s (114 m/s) |
Effective firing range | 22 yd (20 m) minimum |
Maximum firing range | 820 yd (750 m) (area target) 219 yd (200 m) (point target) |
Feed system | 4 rocket clip[2] |
Sights | Reflex |
The M202 FLASH ("Flame Assault Shoulder")
History
The United States Army issued M202s as needed, with each rifle company's headquarters being authorized a single launcher, generally issued as one per
In USMC service, the M202 was issued to dedicated teams of 0351 Assaultman at the battalion level. The Weapons Platoon's assault section contained three squads, each with a launcher team.[5] With the introduction of the SMAW in the mid 1980s, the M202 was phased out and replaced by SMAW launchers.
The M202A1 has been among weapons listed on the inventory of U.S. units in the
Design
The M202A1 features four tubes that can load 66 mm incendiary rockets.[7] The M-74 rockets are equipped with M235 warheads, containing approximately 1.34 pounds (610 g) of an incendiary agent. The substance, often mistaken for napalm [citation needed], is in fact TPA (thickened pyrophoric agent).
TPA is
The weapon is meant to be fired from the right shoulder, and can be fired from either a standing, crouching, or prone position. It is loaded with a
The M202A1 was rated as having a 50% chance of hit against the following targets at the noted ranges, assuming all four rockets were fired at the same time:
- Bunker aperture: 50 meters
- Window: 125 meters
- Weapons position or stationary vehicle: 200 meters
- Squad-sized troop formation: 500 meters
Operators
- South Korea
- United States
- United States Army and US Marine Corps[8]
See also
- FHJ 84
- RPO-A Shmel (Bumblebee)
Notes
- ^ Authorization for Military Procurement, Research, and Development, Fiscal Year 1971, and Reserve Strength. U.S. Govt. Print. Off. 1970.
- ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=4zIuAAAAYAAJ . US Army Manual, April 1978
- ^ https://nationalinterest.org/blog/reboot/arnold-loved-it-us-militarys-last-flamethrower-flash-180721
- ^ "DTIC AD0868942: XM191 Multishot Portable Flame Weapon - ENSURE 263". March 1970.
- ^ "Marine Infantry Battalion FMFM 6-3" (PDF). United States Department of the Navy. 1978.
- ^ Hambling, David (May 15, 2009). "U.S. Denies Incendiary Weapon Use in Afghanistan". Wired.com. Accessed 27 May 2010.
- ^ https://modernfirearms.net/en/grenade-launchers/u-s-a-grenade-launchers/m202-flash-eng/
- ^ https://sofrep.com/news/m202-flash-rocket-launcher/
References
- US Army Manual, TC 23-2, 66 mm rocket launcher M202A1, April 1978
- TM 3-1055-456-12 M202A1 Operator's Manual.
- U.S. patent 4,230,509: Pyrophoric flame composition
External links
- M202A1 Flame Assault Shoulder Weapon (Flash) at Gary's U.S. Infantry Weapons Reference Guide]
- 66 mm Incendiary Rocket M74 at Designation Systems
- TC 23-2 66 mm Rocket Launcher M202A1—US Army Manual, April 1978
- M202 FLASH on Youtube
- This Rocket Launcher Was the U.S. Army’s Last Flamethrower War is Boring