The GM-94 is a pump action

grenade launcher A grenade launcher is a weapon that fires a specially-designed large-caliber projectile, often with an explosive, smoke or gas warhead. Today, the term generally refers to a class of dedicated firearms firing unitary grenade cartridges. The mo ...

developed by the KBP design bureau for use by Russian special and security forces.

Description

The GM-94 is a short range weapon, allowing it to be used in close urban environments. With a minimum safe distance of only 10 meters, the GM-94 is well suited to close, room-to-room fighting. Its simple design and operation allows it to operate in dusty and dirty environments and even after being immersed in

water Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as ...

. The launcher is capable of firing VGM-93.900

high explosive An explosive (or explosive material) is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure. An ...

fragmentation, VGM-93.100

thermobaric A thermobaric weapon, also called an aerosol bomb, a vacuum bomb or a fuel air explosive (FAE), is a type of explosive that uses oxygen from the surrounding air to generate a high-temperature explosion. The fuel–air explosive is one of the be ...

, VGM-93.300 smoke and VGM-93.200

tear gas Tear gas, also known as a lachrymator agent or lachrymator (), sometimes colloquially known as "mace" after the early commercial aerosol, is a chemical weapon that stimulates the nerves of the lacrimal gland in the eye to produce tears. In ...

canisters, VGM-93.600 rubber slugs and other non-lethal payloads. The VGM-93.100 thermobaric grenade contains around 160 grams of explosive filler. It can penetrate up to 8 mm of mild steel or interior wall, while producing minimal primary fragmentation. In June 2005, GM-94 with

VGM-93.100 ammunition was adopted by the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs. In October 2007, the Russian armed forces adopted a new launcher designated LPO-97 developed in the KBP Instrument Design Bureau on the basis of the GM-94 with a thermobaric grenade, in 2008 GM-94 adopted for the branches of the Federal Security Service. Though the launcher was intended for use by Russian security forces, the GM-94 has been spotted as far afield as

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...

and

Libya Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Suda ...

. Russian forces have fired the tear gas version of canisters on protesters in Ukraine.

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References

Bibliography

* {{cite book, title=The Russian GM-94 Grenade Launcher , url=http://armamentresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/The-Russian-GM-94-Grenade-Launcher.pdf, publisher=Armament Research, first1=Maxim , last1=Popenker, first2=N.R., last2=Jenzen-Jones, series=Arms & Munitions Brief, isbn=978-0-9924624-5-1, date=September 2015 Grenade launchers of Russia KBP Instrument Design Bureau products Riot guns Riot control weapons Teargas grenade guns Military equipment introduced in the 2000s

Description

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See also

References

Bibliography