M72 LAW
| M72 LAW | |
|---|---|
 The M72 LAW in extended position
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| Type | Anti-tank rocket launcher |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1963–present |
| Used by | See Operators |
| Wars |
Vietnam War Falklands War Bougainville Civil War Bosnian War War in Afghanistan Iraq War |
| Production history | |
| Designer | FA Spinale, CB Weeks and PV Choate |
| Designed | Patent filed 1963 |
| Manufacturer | Norway: NAMMO (Raufoss, Norway) U.S.: NAMMO Talley (Mesa, Arizona) Turkey: under license by MKEK |
| Unit cost | €670 or $754.19 US (Converted) |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 2.5 kg (5.5 lb) |
| Length | 24.8 in (630 mm) (unarmed) 34.67 in (881 mm) (armed) |
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| Caliber | 66 mm |
| Muzzle velocity | 145 m/s (475.7 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range | 200 m (660 ft) |
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Detonation
mechanism |
point-initiated, base-detonated |
| 1960s Weapons Similar to M72 | |
 SARPAC top, M72 LAW middle, MINIMAN bottom
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| M72 Enhancements Early 1980s | |
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M72E4, M72E5, M72E6 – Talley brochure
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Pop-up "Rifle Sights" adopted from canceled Talley Viper brochure
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The M72 LAW (Light Anti-Tank Weapon, also referred to as the Light Anti-Armor Weapon or LAW as well as LAWS Light Anti-Armor Weapons System) is a portable one-shot 66-mm unguided anti-tank weapon. The solid rocket propulsion unit was developed in the newly formed Rohm and Haas research laboratory at Redstone Arsenal in 1959, then the full system was designed by Paul V. Choate, Charles B. Weeks, Frank A. Spinale, et al. at the Hesse-Eastern Division of Norris Thermadore. American production of the weapon began by Hesse-Eastern in 1963, and was terminated by 1983; currently it is produced by Nammo Raufoss AS in Norway and their subsidiary Nammo Talley, Inc. in Arizona.
In early 1963, the M72 LAW was adopted by the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps as their primary individual infantry anti-tank weapon, replacing the M31 HEAT rifle grenade and the M20A1 "Super Bazooka" in the U.S. Army. It was subsequently adopted by the U.S. Air Force to serve in an anti-emplacement/anti-armor role in Air Base Defense duties.
In the early 1980s, the M72 was slated to be replaced by the FGR-17 Viper. However, this program was canceled by Congress and the M136 AT4 was adopted instead. At that time, its nearest equivalents were the Swedish Pskott m/68 (Miniman) and the French SARPAC.
The increased importance of tanks and other armored vehicles in World War II caused a need for portable infantry weapons to deal with them. The first to be used (with limited success) were Molotov cocktails, flamethrowers, satchel charges, jury-rigged landmines, and specially designed magnetic hollow charges. All of these had to be used within a few meters of the target, which was difficult and dangerous.
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Wikipedia