LAW 80
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The LAW 80 (Light Anti-armour Weapon 80), sometimes erroneously referred to as LAW 94, is a man-portable one-shot disposable anti-tank weapon used by the British Army and others.
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[edit] Description
The weapon consists of an extendable launch tube with an integrated 9 mm spotting rifle 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 sets back out of the 7.62 mm casing, unlocking the breech of the spotting rifle in what could be termed a form of primer actuation.[1] The spotting rifle on the USMC Mk.153 Mod.0 SMAW (Shoulder-Launcher Multipurpose Assault Weapon) 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).
[edit] 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-electric impact fuze, scrub and foliage proof
- Graze angle: <= 10°
- Temperature range: -46 °C to +65 °C
- Rear danger area: < 20 m
- Shelf life: 10 years
[edit] Operators
- Entered British service in 1987 replacing the L14A1 84 mm Carl Gustav recoilless rifle and M72 Light Anti-Tank Weapon (Rocket 66mm HEAT L1A1) anti-tank weapons. It is currently being replaced by the L2A1 Interim Light Anti-tank Weapon (ILAW), which in turn will be replaced by the Next-generation Light Anti-tank Weapon (MBT LAW).
[edit] Addermine
Addermine is an acoustic sensor system which utilises the LAW 80 as a kill mechanism to create an off-route mine. It can also be command detonated from up to 200 m away.
[edit] Notes
[edit] References
- Jane's Infantry Weapons 2005-2006
- Jane's Infantry Weapons 1991-1992
[edit] External links
| Modern (post Korean War) UK infantry weapons |
|---|
| Side-arms (Self-loading Pistols) |
| Browning L9A1 | L105A1 | L107A1 | L102A1 (Compact) |
| Rifles, Carbines, & LSWs |
| L1A1 SLR | SA80 series (L85 IW, L86 LSW, L22A1 L108A1, L110A1 (Para) | L101A1 | M16/A1/A2 | L119A1 (Diemaco SFW) | L100A1 |
| Sniper Rifles |
| L42/A1 | L96/A1 | L115A1 | L82A1 | AW50F |
| Submachine guns |
| L2A1 to L2A3, L34A1 | L80A1, L90A1 L91A1, L92A1 |
| Shotguns |
| L32A1 | L74A1 (Remington 870 Wingmaster) |
| Machine-guns & other larger weapons |
| L4 | L7 "GPMG" | L1A1 Heavy Machine Gun | L17A1/A2 | LAW 80 | L14/A1 L2A1 (ILAW) | L9A1 51 mm Mortar | L16/A1 81mm Mortar | MILAN | Javelin |
