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LAW 80
LAW80-US Army Test 1983
LAW 80 Test By US Army 1983
Type Rocket-propelled grenade (Anti-tank, disposable)
Place of origin Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom
Service history
In service 1987 – present
Used by See Users
Production history
Manufacturer Hunting Engineering
Specifications
Mass 10 kg (22 lbs)
Length 1500 mm (59 in) firing
1000 mm (39 in) carrying

Calibre 94 mm
Maximum firing range 500 m

The LAW 80 (Light Anti-armour Weapon 80), sometimes erroneously referred to as LAW 94, is a man-portable, disposable anti-tank weapon currently in use by the British Army and a few other militaries.

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 7.62mm 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 pushes out of the back of the 7.62 mm casing, unlocking the breech of the spotting rifle in a form of primer actuation.[1] The spotting rifle on the USMC Mk.153 Mod.0 SMAW 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)[citation needed].

Specifications[]

Nuvola apps kview External images
LAW 80 Brochure 1985
Searchtool LAW 80(1)
Searchtool LAW 80(2)
Searchtool LAW 80(3)
Searchtool LAW 80(4)
  • 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

Users[]

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.

Notes[]

  1. 9×51mm SMAW - International Ammunition Association
  2. Jones, Richard D. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group; 35 edition (January 27, 2009). ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.
  3. Owen, William F. (2007). "Light Anti-Armour Weapons: Anti-Everything?". http://asianmilitaryreview.com - Asian Military Review. http://www.asianmilitaryreview.com/upload/200712031855161.pdf. Retrieved 2010-05-12. 

See also[]

References[]

  • Jane's Infantry Weapons 2005-2006
  • Jane's Infantry Weapons 1991-1992

External links[]

All or a portion of this article consists of text from Wikipedia, and is therefore Creative Commons Licensed under GFDL.
The original article can be found at LAW 80 and the edit history here.