Panzerfaust 3
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The Panzerfaust 3 (lit. "armor fist" or "tank fist") is a modern semi-disposable recoilless
anti-tank Anti-tank warfare originated from the need to develop technology and tactics to destroy tanks during World War I. Since the Triple Entente deployed the first tanks in 1916, the German Empire developed the first anti-tank weapons. The first dev ...
weapon, which was developed between 1978 and 1985 and first entered service with the
Bundeswehr The ''Bundeswehr'' (, meaning literally: ''Federal Defence'') is the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. The ''Bundeswehr'' is divided into a military part (armed forces or ''Streitkräfte'') and a civil part, the military part con ...
in 1987 (although they did not officially adopt it until 1992). It was first ordered in 1973 to provide West German
infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...
with an effective weapon against contemporary
Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
armor, thereby replacing West Germany's aging PzF 44 Light Lanze launchers and the heavy Carl Gustaf 84 mm anti-tank recoilless rifle manufactured in Sweden. The Panzerfaust 3 is operated by at least 11 countries and has seen combat in
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and
Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inva ...
.


History

The Panzerfaust 3's name dates back to the
Panzerfaust The ''Panzerfaust'' (, "armour fist" or "tank fist", plural: ''Panzerfäuste'') was a development family of single-shot man-portable anti-tank systems developed by Nazi Germany during World War II. The weapons were the first single-use light an ...
used by the German
army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
in
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
, which consisted of a small, disposable preloaded launch tube firing a
high-explosive anti-tank High-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) is the effect of a shaped charge explosive that uses the Munroe effect to penetrate heavy armor. The warhead functions by having an explosive charge collapse a metal liner inside the warhead into a high-velocity ...
(HEAT) warhead, operated by one soldier. The introduction of reactive and active armors on combat vehicles of the then
Warsaw Pact The Warsaw Pact (WP) or Treaty of Warsaw, formally the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, was a collective defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Poland, between the Soviet Union and seven other Eastern Bloc socialist republic ...
countries started a development in the technology of the ability of the warheads, the effective range and the optical sights of anti-tank recoilless rifles were therefore improved substantially. Despite these technological improvements, the primary role of the recoilless firing system as the most effective weapon against armored tanks, at a distance up to 600 meters, remained the most important to infantrymen until the late 1990s. After the formation of the Bundeswehr in 1956, one task of all troop formations was "fighting armored vehicles and tanks". The Bundeswehr at the time was equipped with the aging Panzerfaust 44 and the heavy Carl Gustaf 84 mm recoilless rifle. These infantry weapon systems equipped with an armor-piercing shaped charge warhead would have fought not only tanks but also machine gun nests, anti-tank positions, bunkers or field positions, etc. in open terrain. During the 1970s, new conceptional and tactical considerations were made in order to balance the constantly progressing development in tank technology.


Timetable

In 1979,
Dynamit Nobel Dynamit Nobel AG is a German chemical and weapons company whose headquarters is in Troisdorf, Germany. It was founded in 1865 by Alfred Nobel. Creation After the death of his younger brother Emil in an 1864 nitroglycerin explosion at the fam ...
AG received a development order. The first troop test began in 1986, and in 1992 the Panzerfaust 3 was officially introduced. The improved PzF 3-T replaced the original model in the late 1990s. This introduced a dual hollow charge "tandem" warhead to defeat
explosive reactive armor Reactive armour is a type of vehicle armour that reacts in some way to the impact of a weapon to reduce the damage done to the vehicle being protected. It is most effective in protecting against shaped charges and specially hardened kinetic ener ...
. This means that the spike projecting from the warhead also contains an explosive charge to set off reactive armor and free the path to the main armor for the secondary warhead. The latest incarnation of the Panzerfaust 3, the PzF 3-IT-600, can be fired from ranges up to 600 meters thanks to an advanced computer-assisted sighting and targeting mechanism. As of 2005, there were two more models in the development or testing stage, both relying on smaller, and therefore lighter, warheads. These were the Rückstoßfreie Granatwaffe RGW (''Recoilless Grenade Weapon'') in calibres 60 and 90 millimeters. Both new weapons are expected to help facilitate the transition in German military doctrine from preparation for major tank battles to urban and low-level warfare.


Principle

The Panzerfaust 3 series of launchers is a compact, lightweight, shoulder-fired, unguided antitank weapon series. It consists of a disposable canister with a 110-mm warhead and reusable firing and sighting device. The DM12 and DM12A1 projectile consists of a shaped-charge warhead and is filled with Octol 7030. The tandem DM22 warheads are made of PBX octogene (ca. 95% β-HMX) including the propulsion unit. The penetration performance of the Panzerfaust 3 is due to the shaped charge principle and the quick response of the percussion fuse; the effect on the target does not depend on the impact velocity. The Panzerfaust 3 is light enough to be carried and fired by one person. However, earlier variants were described as being excessively cumbersome and uncomfortable. Furthermore, the firing mechanism was prone to jamming. It can be fired from enclosed spaces since it does not have a significant backblast. The rear of the tube, filled with plastic granulate, minimizes the blast effect by the so-called ''recoilless countermass principle''. The booster propellant for the projectile in its tube is ignited by a bolt via a spring mechanism. Once ejected from the launcher, the projectile coasts a safe distance and then the rocket motor is ignited, boosting it to its maximum speed, after which it coasts until impact. The gunner carries at least two rounds, while the assistant grenadier carries another three rounds. The ergonomic design of the controls, such as handles, launcher, barrel shape and optical sight, is a predefined standard. All controls are easy to handle in all shooting positions (lying, kneeling, or standing). After the weapon is fired, the firing mechanism with the attached optical sight is removed and the barrel thrown away, the firing mechanism is reusable. The effective combat range of the Panzerfaust 3 is from 15 to 300 meters against moving targets and up to 600 meters against static ones. An optical sight with line pattern fixed to the reusable firing mechanism enables it to engage moving or static targets. To ensure night combat ability, a night-vision device or residual light amplifier can be set up in front of the optical sight. As a safety precaution, the built-in fuse for the warhead is released by a safety mechanism. This arms the warhead after a flight distance of approximately five meters. Once armed, the warhead detonates on impact or when the propellant is exhausted, thus safeguarding against future unexploded ordnance hazards.


Further development

A new sight called ''Dynarange'' is currently being procured as part of the German Infantryman of the Future project. Essentially, this is a computer controlled aiming sight with range finder. It is meant to cope with the fact that some soldiers have had difficulties with the regular sight, as its scope is quite complex to the untrained eye. It would increase the weapon's effective range to 600 m (2,000 ft) against moving and stationary targets. Dynarange is already in service with the
Royal Netherlands Marine Corps The Netherlands Marine Corps ( nl, Korps Mariniers) is the elite naval infantry corps of the Royal Netherlands Navy. The marines trace their origins back to the establishment of the on 10 December 1665, by the then grand pensionary of the Dutc ...
and the Dutch Army.


Variants

Data * : ** Original system with 110-mm HEAT grenade (nose probe for 700 mm penetration). ** Optical day sight limits range to 300m moving, 400 stationaries. * : ** Upgrade with 3-T tandem HEAT grenade and original day sight. ** It is effective against targets to 300m moving, 400m stationary. ** Night sight is optional. * : ** Upgrade adds the IS2000 computer laser day sight with range of out to 600 m for moving targets. ** Advanced tripod mount with a SIRA sensor package uses acoustic detection and IR sensor triggering. ** It uses the Simrad KN250 series II night sight. ** Acquisition-to-firing time is 3–4 seconds * Panzerfaust 3-IT600: ** Ability upgrade adds more recent 3-IT grenade which penetrates 900 mm armor (equals 750 mm vs armor behind ERA). ** Pzf-3-LR/RS, PzF-N version available. ** Pzf-3-LR semi-active laser homing (SAL-H) system and requires a laser guidance unit and SAL-H grenade. ** Pzf-N designed to compete for UK NLAW. * : ** Light-weight launcher weighing less than 10 kg. * : ** Long-range semi-active laser homing (SAL-H) system and requires laser guidance unit and SAL-H grenade. ** Range: 800 m; armor penetration: 700 mm.


Specifications


PzF 3

Standard anti-tank version with
hollow charge A shaped charge is an explosive charge shaped to form an explosively formed penetrator (EFP) to focus the effect of the explosive's energy. Different types of shaped charges are used for various purposes such as cutting and forming metal, init ...
warhead A warhead is the forward section of a device that contains the explosive agent or toxic (biological, chemical, or nuclear) material that is delivered by a missile, rocket, torpedo, or bomb. Classification Types of warheads include: * Explosiv ...
* Calibre: ** launcher: ** warhead: * Weight: ** fire-ready weapon: ** warhead: ** spare rounds: * Length: * Muzzle velocity: * Highest possible speed: * Sights: telescope sights (can be reused) * Maximum effective range: ** Stationary targets: ** Moving targets: * Minimum effective range: * Penetration ability: **
Rolled homogeneous armour Rolled homogeneous armour (RHA) is a type of vehicle armour made of a single steel composition hot-rolled to improve its material characteristics, as opposed to layered or cemented armour. Its first common application was in tanks. After World ...
(RHA): **
Concrete Concrete is a composite material composed of fine and coarse aggregate bonded together with a fluid cement (cement paste) that hardens (cures) over time. Concrete is the second-most-used substance in the world after water, and is the most wi ...
:


PzF 3-IT

Improved anti-tank version with tandem hollow charge warhead (designed to penetrate
reactive armour Reactive armour is a type of vehicle armour that reacts in some way to the impact of a weapon to reduce the damage done to the vehicle being protected. It is most effective in protecting against shaped charges and specially hardened kinetic ener ...
) * Calibre: ** launcher: ** warhead: * Weight: ** fire-ready weapon: ** warhead: ** spare rounds: * Length: * Muzzle velocity: * Highest possible speed: * Sights: telescope sights (can be reused) * Maximum effective range: ** Stationary targets: ** Moving targets: ( with DYNARANGE sight) * Minimum effective range: * Penetration ability: ** RHA:


PzF 3 Bunkerfaust

Designed for use against hardened
bunker A bunker is a defensive military fortification designed to protect people and valued materials from falling bombs, artillery, or other attacks. Bunkers are almost always underground, in contrast to blockhouses which are mostly above ground. ...
s, lightly armored vehicles & soft targets * Calibre: ** launcher: ** warhead: * Weight: ** fire-ready weapon: ** warhead: ** spare rounds: * Length: * Muzzle velocity: * Highest possible speed: * Sights: telescope sights (can be reused) * Maximum effective range: * Minimum effective range: * Manufacturer: Dynamit-Nobel, Germany * Penetration capacity: ** RHA: ** Concrete: ** Sandbags:


Ammunition

* PzF 3: ** HEAT -125, HEAT-90, HESH, MZ-110 (Multipurpose-Frag), Illumination, IR Smoke, Smoke. Penetration: 600m/800+ mm ** 3LW-HESH, 3LWD Multipurpose PZF-3 (110mm HEAT-original rd), BASTEG Bunker Busters. Penetration: 300-400m/700+ mm * PzF 3-IT: ** Pzf-N (Tandem HEAT). Penetration: 600m/900+mm ** Pzf-3-LR (Tandem SAL-H). Penetration: 800m/700+mm ** Other munitions as noted above.


Operators

* * Jones, Richard D. ''Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010''. Jane's Information Group; 35 edition (January 27, 2009). . * ** –
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200 launchers and 2,500 rockets * 2,000 launchers with 17,000 rockets delivered since middle '90s; 7,100 Panzerfaust 3-T (PZF3-T) delivered in 2007 * * * : 1,700 Panzerfaust 3 rockets and 181 launchers. * * * : Supplied by the Netherlands and Germany during
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.


See also

*
PzF 44 The PzF 44 (abbreviation for Panzerfaust 44 mm, formally also Leichte Panzerfaust, meaning "Light Armor-fist" (literal translation) or "Light Close-Range Antitank Launcher" (rough formal translation), but also known as ''Panzerfaust Lanze'' (l ...
*
PSRL-1 The Precision Shoulder-fired Rocket Launcher-1 also known as the (PSRL-1) is a modified American clone of the Soviet/Russian RPG-7 shoulder-fired rocket-propelled grenade launcher developed by AirTronic USA. The PSRL-1 is primarily manufactured ...
*
Alcotán-100 Alcotán-100 is a recoilless, one-man portable, single-use (firing control unit is reusable) anti-tank rocket launcher system used by infantry, manufactured by Instalaza. The firing control unit predicts the future aiming point based on calculat ...
*
Armbrust Armbrust (German: ''Crossbow'') is a lightweight unguided anti-tank weapon designed and developed by Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm of Germany, who later sold its manufacturing rights to Chartered Industries of Singapore (the predecessor of ST Kin ...
*
MATADOR (weapon) A bullfighter (or matador) is a performer in the activity of bullfighting. ''Torero'' () or ''toureiro'' (), both from Latin ''taurarius'', are the Spanish and Portuguese words for bullfighter and describe all the performers in the activity ...


References


External links

* {{Current German infantry weapons Anti-tank rockets Cold War anti-tank rockets of Germany Post–Cold War weapons of Germany Military equipment introduced in the 1980s