Anaya Nolan
The M72 Light Anti-tank Weapon System (LAW) is a lightweight, portable, and self-contained anti-armor weapon. It consists of a rocket housed within a launcher made up of two tubes, one inside the other. The M72 LAW is issued as a round of ammunition and can be fired from either shoulder. It was designed in the early 1960s and has seen several improvements and variations over the years, including the M72A4, M72A5, M72A6, and M72A7. While the M72 is primarily used as an anti-armor weapon, it can also be employed against secondary targets such as buildings and light vehicles.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Description | A lightweight, self-contained, anti-armor weapon consisting of a rocket packed in a launcher |
| Weight | 5.5 pounds |
| Usage | Issued as a round of ammunition, it can be fired from either shoulder |
| Firing Mechanism | Percussion-type firing mechanism that activates the rocket |
| Variants | M72A1, M72A2, M72A3, M72A4, M72A5, M72A6, M72A7, M72A8, M72A10 |
| Range | Effective range up to 100 meters, with a less than 50% chance of hitting the target beyond this range |
| Reload | Single-shot weapon that requires reloading after each rocket |
| Rate of Fire | Maximum rate of fire of 14 RPM |
| Safety | Certified for air delivery by individual parachutist or by pallet |
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What You'll Learn
- The M72 LAW is a lightweight, anti-armor weapon
- It's a rocket packed in a launcher, issued as a round of ammunition
- The rocket is percussion-ignited, fin-stabilized, and has a fixed munition
- The launcher consists of two tubes, one inside the other, and is watertight
- The M72A2 variant has an improved warhead that penetrates 30 cm of armour
The M72 LAW is a lightweight, anti-armor weapon
The M72 LAW is a lightweight, self-contained, anti-armor weapon. It is a combination of two World War II weapons: a miniaturized bazooka and the Panzerfaust. Designed in the early 1960s, the M72 was intended to be used against light tanks of that era. It consists of a rocket within a launcher made up of two tubes, one inside the other. The outer tube houses the trigger mechanism and sights, while the inner tube telescopes outward, guided by a channel assembly in the outer tube. This design serves as a watertight container for the rocket and its percussion-cap firing mechanism.
The M72 LAW is man-portable and can be fired from either shoulder. It is typically issued as a round of ammunition and requires minimal maintenance, including a visual inspection and some operator maintenance. The rocket is percussion-ignited, fin-stabilized, and attached to the inside of the launcher by an igniter. When ignited, the rocket motor burns completely, producing gases that propel the rocket towards the target. The M72 has a small explosive charge and limited penetration capabilities, making it more suitable for light vehicles, gun emplacements, and buildings rather than heavier armored targets.
Several variants of the M72 LAW have been developed over the years, including the M72A1, M72A2, and M72A3. More recent improvements in the 1990s led to the creation of the M72A4, M72A5, M72A6, and M72A7, which feature enhanced range, lethality, and overall system reliability. The M72A8 and M72A10 variants offer anti-armor and anti-structure capabilities, respectively. The M72A10, in particular, features a multipurpose warhead and a self-discriminating fuse that adapts to the target.
The M72 LAW has been used by various military forces worldwide, including the Australian Defence Force, the Finnish Army, and the US military. It continues to be utilized in modern conflicts, such as the Russo-Ukrainian War, where Canada supplied Ukraine with M72s. The M72's lightweight and compact design make it a versatile weapon for patrols and engaging lighter targets, despite its limitations in terms of range and penetration power.
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It's a rocket packed in a launcher, issued as a round of ammunition
The M72 Light Anti-tank Weapon System (LAW) is a lightweight, self-contained, anti-armor weapon. It consists of a rocket packed in a launcher, featuring two tubes, one inside the other. The outer tube houses the trigger assembly, trigger arming handle, front and rear sight assemblies, and the rear cover. The inner tube telescopes outward toward the rear, guided by a channel assembly that rides in an alignment slot in the outer tube's trigger housing assembly.
The M72 LAW is issued as a round of ammunition and can be fired from either shoulder. It is man-portable and requires little from the user beyond a visual inspection and some operator maintenance. The rocket is percussion-ignited, fin-stabilized, and fixed to the inside of the launcher. Six spring-loaded fins are attached to the rear of the rocket motor, which stabilise the rocket in flight. The rocket consists of a 66mm HEAT warhead, a point-initiating, base-detonating fuze, and a rocket motor.
The M72 LAW has been in use since the 1960s, with more recent versions produced in the 1990s, including the M72A4, M72A5, M72A6, and M72A7. The M72A8 and M72A10 variants were announced in 2024. The M72A8 contains a high-explosive anti-armor warhead, while the M72A10 is a multi-purpose, anti-structure munition. The M72A10 features an advanced warhead design with a multipurpose explosive and a self-discriminating fuse.
The M72 LAW has seen use in various conflicts, including the Vietnam War and the Russo-Ukrainian War. It is known for its lightweight and portable design, allowing soldiers to carry multiple M72s. However, it has limitations in terms of range and penetration capabilities.
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The rocket is percussion-ignited, fin-stabilized, and has a fixed munition
The M72 Light Anti-tank Weapon System (LAW) is a lightweight, portable, and self-contained anti-armor weapon. It consists of a rocket within a launcher made up of two tubes, one inside the other. The rocket is percussion-ignited, fin-stabilized, and has a fixed munition. The M72 LAW is issued as a round of ammunition and is typically fired from the shoulder. Its lightweight design allows soldiers to carry multiple M72s, making it a versatile weapon for patrols and engaging fortifications and buildings.
The rocket is attached to the inside of the launcher by the igniter. It features a 66-mm HEAT warhead, a point-initiating and base-detonating fuze, and a rocket motor. Six spring-loaded fins are attached to the rear of the rocket motor and are folded forward along the motor when the rocket is in the launcher. When the rocket is ignited, the propellant burns, producing extremely high temperatures and gas pressure that propels the rocket towards the target.
The M72 LAW has undergone several improvements over the years, with variants such as the M72A4, M72A5, M72A6, and M72A7 introduced in the 1990s. These newer versions offer enhanced range, more lethal warheads, and improved system reliability. The M72A8 and M72A10 configurations further expanded the capabilities of the weapon, with the latter featuring an advanced warhead design and a self-discriminating fuse for engaging structures and enemy personnel.
The M72 LAW has seen use in various military forces worldwide, including the Finnish Army, Australian Defence Force, and the US Army. It has also been featured in video games such as Call of Duty, where it is known as the “M72 Anarchy" in upgraded form and offers a fully automatic fire mode.
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The launcher consists of two tubes, one inside the other, and is watertight
The M72 Light Anti-tank Weapon System (LAW) is a lightweight, self-contained, anti-armor weapon. It is a combination of two World War II weapons: a miniaturized bazooka and a Panzerfaust. The M72 LAW consists of a rocket within a launcher, which itself is made up of two tubes, one inside the other. This design serves as a watertight container for the rocket and the percussion-cap firing mechanism that activates it.
The outer tube houses the trigger housing assembly, which includes the trigger assembly, trigger arming handle, front and rear sight assemblies, and the launcher's rear cover. The inner tube telescopes outward toward the rear, guided by a channel assembly that rides in an alignment slot in the outer tube's trigger housing assembly. This inner tube contains the rocket, which is attached by an igniter to the inside of the launcher.
The M72 LAW is typically issued as a round of ammunition and can be fired from either shoulder. It is a single-shot weapon that must be reloaded after each rocket is fired. The reload process can be expedited through methods such as Sleight of Hand or Reload Cancel. The M72A2 variant of the M72 LAW, for example, has a penetration capability of 30 cm (12 in) of armor.
The M72 LAW has seen use in various military forces, including the Finnish Army, the Australian Defence Force, and the US Army. It has also been featured in the video game Call of Duty, where it is capable of locking onto aircraft or being freely fired.
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The M72A2 variant has an improved warhead that penetrates 30 cm of armour
The M72 LAW (Light Anti-tank Weapon) is a lightweight, self-contained, anti-armor weapon. It is a combination of two World War II weapons: a miniaturized bazooka and a Panzerfaust. The M72 was designed in the early 1960s and was produced from 1963 to 1983. It consists of a rocket within a launcher that consists of two tubes, one inside the other. The outer tube serves as a watertight container for the rocket and the firing mechanism. The rocket is issued as a round of ammunition.
The M72A2 variant of the M72 LAW has an improved warhead that can penetrate 30 cm (12 in) of armour. This is a significant improvement over the M72A1, which had a warhead that could penetrate up to 200mm of armour. The M72A2 also has an improved motor facility, and its systems are essentially identical in performance to the M72A3. The M72A2 is known to have been used by the Finnish Army, where it was designated 66 KES 75, but it is no longer in service.
The M72 series has seen several improvements and variations over the years, including the M72A4, M72A5, M72A6, and M72A7, which were produced in the 1990s. The M72A4 featured revised safety features, while the M72A5 had a revised launcher design. The M72A6 is a low-velocity variant with an improved warhead and launcher. The M72A7 is the US Navy designation of the US Army's M72A6.
The M72 LAW remains in service today, despite plans to replace it with the AT4, due to its lighter weight and flexibility in manoeuvrability. It is currently produced by Nammo Raufoss AS in Norway and their subsidiary, Nammo Defense Systems, in Arizona.
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Frequently asked questions
The M72 LAW is a single-shot weapon that must be reloaded after a rocket is fired. It is issued as a round of ammunition and is mainly used as an anti-armor weapon.
The M72 LAW (Light Anti-tank Weapon) is a lightweight, self-contained, anti-armor weapon consisting of a rocket packed into a launcher.
The M72 LAW has an effective range of up to 200 meters, but it is very hard to hit anything beyond 100 meters.
There are several variants of the M72 LAW, including the M72A1, M72A2, M72A3, M72A4, M72A5, M72A6, M72A7, and M72A8. Each variant has specific improvements and designations.
The M72 LAW is lightweight, easy to use, and has improved system reliability and safety. It is also very flexible and maneuverable due to its lightweight design.
