Useless help: Polish rocket-propelled grenade RPG-76 Komar
Rocket-propelled anti-tank grenade RPG-76 in firing position. Photo by Wikimedia Commons
Currently, Poland is providing military-technical assistance to Ukraine and transferring various weapons to it. Together with other products of the Ukrainian army, a number of RPG-76 Komar rocket-propelled anti-tank grenades were sent. In the past, the Polish army, faced with a number of problems, abandoned such grenades, but now they have found someone to give them to. How useful such assistance will be is a big question.
Grenade launcher add-on
By the beginning of the seventies, the Polish army had mastered the Soviet RPG-7 grenade launcher and issued a technical assignment for its own model of anti-tank weapons. As an addition to the RPG-7, they wanted to get a lightweight, small-sized disposable system capable of hitting light armored vehicles. Such a product, without increasing the mass of equipment, made it possible to significantly improve the anti-tank capabilities of the infantry.
Development work on this topic started in 1971 and received the Argon code. The military-technical institute Wojskowy Instytut Techniczny Uzbrojenia (Zelonka) was chosen as the lead developer. In the future, it was planned to involve other Polish enterprises and organizations from the near abroad in the work.
At the first stage of the project, the scheme of the future was chosen weapons. Schemes of a recoilless grenade launcher and a system with a rocket-propelled grenade and a closed pipe were considered. The second option had certain advantages, and also allowed the use of existing developments. It was accepted for further development, but outside help was needed. The Bulgarian military-technical institute was involved in the Argon project - it was required from it to develop a starting device and a jet engine for a grenade.
Product transfer. Photo weaponland.ru
The first stage of development was completed in 1973, and a prototype called the RPG-73 was shown at one of the exhibitions. However, the development of the grenade was delayed, and the experimental series was only produced in 1980. Soon new difficulties arose - Bulgaria withdrew from the project, and the NDP had to complete the work on its own.
In 1983, the Zakłady Sprzętu Precyzyjnego plant (Nevyadov) began mass production of new grenades, and soon the first batches went to the army's combat units. In 1985, the product was officially adopted under the designations RPG-76 and Komar. The production of grenades continued until 1995 and was carried out only in the interests of the Polish army. A total of approx. 100 thousand units
Disposable weapon
The product RPG-76 "Komar" was an anti-tank weapon, consisting of a disposable launcher and an over-caliber cumulative grenade. A jet launch method was used from a closed barrel. The grenade was installed in the launcher at the factory; reloading after use was not provided.
The length of the system in combat position is 1,2 m. The total weight is only 2,1 kg, of which approx. 1,8 kg accounted for a grenade. At the same time, the small mass had to be paid for by a significant reduction in combat characteristics.
The use of "Komar" by Polish soldiers in one of the local conflicts
The starting device was made on the basis of a pipe-barrel with a smooth inner channel with a diameter of 40 mm. A grenade was inserted into the barrel in front; the back end had a plug. There was a front sight on the top of the pipe in front. A folding rear sight for shooting at 50, 150 or 250 m was placed at the rear cut. There was also the simplest trigger mechanism.
The barrel was equipped with a folding butt. In the stowed position, it was laid on top of the pipe and fixed. The layout was carried out by turning up and back. At the same time, the rear sight was automatically raised and the USM was cocked. After fixing the butt in the working position, the grenade was ready to fire.
Ammunition for the RPG-76 was made using the ideas and solutions of the Soviet product PG-7V, but in different sizes and weights. It was an over-caliber ammunition with a cumulative warhead placed in a body of several conical parts with a maximum diameter of 68 mm. A contact fuse was placed in the nose fairing without the possibility of self-destruction. Penetration - not less than 260-280 mm of homogeneous armor. Overcoming dynamic protection is impossible.
A 40-mm tubular shank with a solid fuel charge and foldable stabilizer planes was attached to the head part. The nozzles were moved forward and were located directly behind the head and outside the launch tube. The nozzles were placed with the collapse outward, due to which the engine gases at start-up diverge to the sides of the grenade launcher. With the help of such an engine, the grenade gained speed of 145 m / s and had an effective range of no more than 150-200 m, depending on the target.
A Ukrainian instructor shows a "new" grenade launcher. Frame from Youtube video / War Alert
Without much success
According to the results of several years of mass production, the RPG-76 Komar disposable grenade has become sufficiently widespread among the troops and, as required, has become a massive addition to full-fledged RPG-7 grenade launchers. Some advantages of such weapons were noted, but complaints and complaints were received at the same time.
The advantage of "Komar" was small size and weight; in this respect, it was more convenient than the RPG-7. In addition, the chosen method of launching a grenade made it possible to shoot from the windows of buildings or loopholes of equipment - in contrast to a recoilless grenade launcher.
Convenience and other advantages were offset by limited range and efficiency. The RPG-76 product could not hit the frontal projection of the main tanks, and the fight against them was possible only from other angles. Light armored vehicles were confidently hit at all distances and directions - provided they hit the target. After several years of operation, the lack of a self-liquidator on a grenade was considered a disadvantage. This led to unnecessary risks.
In the second half of the nineties, the Polish army decided to abandon the Mosquitoes due to an unsuccessful balance of characteristics and capabilities, due to a certain danger and due to the presence of more effective weapons. All remaining products went to storage.
The weapon is ready to fire. Frame from Youtube video / War Alert
However, at the beginning of the 76s, they remembered rocket-propelled grenades. They were included in the ammunition of the Polish formations sent to Afghanistan and Iraq. The RPG-XNUMX was planned to be used as a means of fire reinforcement for rifle units. They performed well in this capacity, but there was no talk of a full-fledged return to service or use in their original role.
New owners
In 2018, the Polish Ministry of Defense posted an advertisement for the sale of approx. 25 thousand disposable RPG-76 grenades from storage. It was assumed that these were the last items of this type available in Polish warehouses. Whether a buyer was found is unknown. However, in the future, such weapons did not appear anywhere, which indirectly spoke of the absence of those who wanted to acquire them.
A few days ago it became known that Komar products, along with other weapons, were handed over to the Ukrainian army. The volumes and terms of supply are unknown, but Ukrainian units have already begun to master such grenades. Perhaps in the near future they will try to use them in battles.
Obviously, the transfer of obsolete disposable grenades is uniquely useful only to Poland. Its army gets the opportunity to free up space in warehouses for modern weapons, and with minimal costs for "disposal". In addition, the Polish side demonstrates its willingness to help its neighbor.
Shot. You can see the divergence of jet streams, which ensures the safety of the grenade launcher. Frame from Youtube video / War Alert
At the same time, the benefits of grenades for the recipient country are at least questionable. Products "Komar" do not have high performance and are not without flaws. In addition, even the newest grenades are already 26-27 years old, and engine charges could degrade. Finally, RPG-76s can be destroyed while being transported to the front or abandoned by new owners - as was the case with foreign weapons before.
Lucky failure
The Argon project had specific tasks, but Polish engineers coped with them and presented a curious one-time anti-tank grenade RPG-76 Komar. During its development and at the time of its appearance in the army, it generally met the requirements for infantry anti-tank weapons, while they put up with shortcomings.
However, later the situation changed. Just 10-12 years after the appearance of the "Mosquito" in the troops, the shortcomings outweighed the advantages, and it was decided to abandon it. Now, obsolete grenades are also being removed from storage and sent abroad as part of “friendly assistance”. However, it is unlikely that this assistance will bring any real benefit to its recipients.
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