Man-portable anti-tank systems

Man-portable anti-tank systems (MANPATS or MPATS) are traditionally portable shoulder-launched projectile systems firing heavy shell-type projectiles (although throwing and lunge weapons have existed), typically designed to combat protected targets, such as armoured vehicles, field fortifications and at times even low-flying aircraft (especially helicopters).

MPATS-launchers can be either unguided or guided weapons and generally fall into three distinct categories:

• Disposable systems, consisting of a small pre-loaded, single-shot launch tube meant to be disposed after firing, operated by one soldier. Examples include:
  Panzerfaust 1, M72 LAW, Miniman, AT4, FGM-148 Javelin, NLAW
  , etc.
• Reusable systems, consisting of a reloadable firing system onto/into which a rocket or cartridge is loaded, operated by one or two soldiers. Examples include:
  Panzerfaust 2
  , etc.
• Semi-disposable systems, where the launcher is manufactured pre-loaded and issued as a single unit of ammunition meant to be launched from a reusable firing and sighting device and discarded after one use. Examples include,
  Bofors Bantam, BGM-71 TOW, 9M113 Konkurs, Panzerfaust 3, 9M133 Kornet
  , etc.

Arguably, the first MANPATS could be

Rocket launchers

One of the more common projectile types in MPAT-systems are rocket projectiles, commonly referred to as

The majority of rocket launchers are reloadable, but there is no rule against single-use weapons. Loading of the rockets is either done from the breech or the muzzle depending on the system.^[2]

History

The first man-portable rocket launcher to be mass-produced was the American 60 mm M1 rocket launcher, more commonly known as the

A recoilless rifle (RR) or recoilless gun is a type of lightweight artillery system or man-portable launcher that is designed to eject some form of counter mass, such as propellant gas, from the rear of the weapon at the moment of firing, creating forward thrust that counteracts most of the weapon's recoil. Technically, only devices that use a rifled barrel are recoilless rifles. Smoothbore variants are recoilless guns. This distinction is often lost, and both are often called recoilless rifles.^[4] Though similar to a rocket launcher, a recoilless weapon fires shells that use conventional gun propellant. The key difference from rocket launchers (whether man-portable or not) is that the projectile of the recoilless rifle is initially launched using conventional explosive propellant rather than a rocket motor. While there are rocket-assisted rounds for recoilless launchers, they are still ejected from the barrel by the detonation of an initial explosive propelling charge.

Anti-tank missile

An anti-tank missile (ATM), anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW), or anti-armour guided weapon is a guided missile primarily designed to hit and destroy heavily armoured military vehicles. ATGMs range in size from shoulder-launched weapons, which can be transported by a single soldier, to larger tripod-mounted weapons, which require a squad or team to transport and fire, to vehicle and aircraft mounted missile systems. The introduction of smaller, man-portable ATGMs, such as the M47 Dragon and FGM-148 Javelin, with larger warheads to the modern battlefield has given infantry the ability to defeat light and medium tanks at great ranges, though main battle tanks using composite and reactive armours have proven to be resistant to smaller ATGMs.^[5][6] Earlier infantry anti-tank weapons, such as anti-tank rifles, anti-tank missiles, and magnetic anti-tank mines, had limited armour penetration abilities and/or required a soldier to approach the target closely. See: List of anti-tank missiles.

See also

• List of man-portable anti-tank systems
• Anti-tank grenade
• Anti-tank missile
• Lunge mine
• Mine shell
• PIAT
• Anti-tank rifle grenades
• Sticky bomb
• Sturmpistole/Pocket mortar

Notes