Rocket-propelled anti-tank grenade RPG-30 "Hook" in the Special Operation
A fighter with an RPG-30 in the zone of the Special Operation, March 2022. Photo by Telegram / "Corner of the Sith"
The Russian ground forces are armed with a wide range of various anti-tank weapons, and all of them are actively used in the current Special Operation. A prominent place in the processes of combating enemy armored vehicles is occupied by disposable rocket-propelled anti-tank grenades. In particular, it is known about the use of RPG-30 "Hook" grenades. Due to the special design, such products are able to hit even the most complex armored targets with additional protection.
grenade in battle
The first information about the presence of RPG-30 grenades in the combat zone was received already in the first days of the Special Operation - at the turn of February-March 2022. Later, various photos and videos regularly appeared in open sources showing "Hooks" in the hands of our fighters, in caps etc. Both combat-ready products and used "pipes" fell into the frame.
Video footage of the combat use of the RPG-30 in different situations was published several times. Regardless of the circumstances, the shooting process looked the same: the grenade launcher takes an advantageous position, finds a target and directs weaponand then fires a shot. For obvious reasons, front-line operators and photographers do not always have the opportunity to capture the moment a grenade hit and the results of firing. Nevertheless, the results of the use of "Hooks" are generally clear.
RPG-30 grenades are used primarily by the ground forces of the Russian army, as well as other structures of the armed forces and other departments. In addition, in order to help, such products were transferred to the people's militia of the republics. There is information about the hit of a certain number of "Hooks" in the hands of the enemy. However, these products were soon recaptured.
It is obvious that the use of RPG-30 in the zone of the Special Operation will continue. Such weapons will have to complement other anti-tank weapons of the Russian army. The presence of several different grenades, grenade launchers and missile systems in a certain way will improve the capabilities of the infantry in combating enemy armored vehicles and will make it possible to solve this problem more flexibly.
Soldier of the special forces of the Russian Guard with the "Hook", May 2022. Photo by Telegram / "Special Purpose Channel"
It should be expected that in the near or medium term, the value of reactive "Hooks" may increase. Several foreign states have promised to transfer to Ukraine a number of modern tanks NATO pattern. To combat these objects, various weapons will be needed, incl. RPG-30 products. However, in the current situation, a large number of anti-tank weapons will not be superfluous.
For complex tasks
A promising reactive anti-tank grenade RPG-30 (code "Hook") was developed at NPO "Basalt" (Krasnoarmeysk, Moscow region) in the XNUMXs. The goal of the project was to create a new one-time infantry weapon capable of hitting any modern main tanks, incl. equipped with additional protection - dynamic and active.
To solve the set technical problems within the framework of the "Hook" theme, fundamentally new ideas were proposed that were not previously used in domestic projects. The development of such solutions required time and effort, but the work was successfully completed. At the turn of the 30s and XNUMXs, tests were carried out, and the finished RPG-XNUMX grenade confirmed its characteristics.
Based on the results of tests in 2012, the RPG-30 "Hook" product (GRAU index 7P53) was put into service. Shortly thereafter, it became known about the start of mass production and procurement of weapons for the armed forces. In addition, the new product was regularly shown at military-technical exhibitions in order to attract potential customers. However, nothing is known about export contracts yet. For one reason or another, foreign armies prefer other Russian-made anti-tank systems.
It can be assumed that the experience of using "Hooks" in the current Special Operation will affect the future fate of these weapons. If its real indicators meet or exceed the expectations of the Ministry of Defense, purchases will continue, incl. with increasing volumes. In addition, the rocket-propelled grenade will receive some kind of publicity, and this will attract foreign customers.
Grenade launchers and grenades found in the "cache" of the enemy, April 2022. Among the samples found is the "Hook" (above). Photo Telegram / Colonelcassad
Double action
The rocket-propelled anti-tank grenade RPG-30 "Hook" is designed to destroy modern main battle tanks equipped with active and / or dynamic protection. The product includes several main components, the composition of which corresponds to the intended task. This is a launcher of an unusual layout, equipped with aiming and shot control tools, as well as a combat grenade and a simulated grenade.
The launcher "Hook" has a specific design and outwardly differs from other domestic RPGs. It consists of two sealed tubes-containers connected to each other. The diameter of the larger pipe is 105 mm. The total length of the product is 1135 mm. The curb weight is 10,3 kg, of which about half is accounted for by two ammunition.
A PG-30 combat grenade is placed in a larger container pipe. This is a 105 mm caliber rocket ammunition, more than 1 m long and weighing 4,5 kg. The leading and main charges of the cumulative warhead, as well as the solid propellant engine, are sequentially placed in the body of variable diameter. The hull has a stabilizer that deploys in flight.
In a container of smaller diameter, an IG-30 grenade simulator is placed. This is a small-sized "rocket" with its own engine and a corner reflector in the head. The simulator has the same ballistics and radar signature as the live grenade. At the same time, the product does not carry its own warhead.
"Hook" is equipped with a simple mechanical sight with a folding frame. Similar devices are used on previous domestic RPGs. The launch of both grenades is carried out by a common trigger that supplies an electrical impulse to the engine igniters. A safety mechanism is provided to ensure the safety of transportation and handling.
RPG-30 on display. Photo Vitalykuzmin.net
The principle of operation of the RPG-30 is quite simple. The grenade launcher brings the product into combat position, finds the target and performs aiming. When you press the trigger, the "Hook" first launches the IG-30 simulator. A fraction of a second later, a PG-30 grenade launches. On approaching the target, the simulator is detected by its active protection complex. KAZ perceives it as a full-fledged threat and strikes at a safe distance.
For a short time after the launch, the KAZ cannot respond to new threats from the same angle - due to interference from flash and smoke, the need to turn the launcher / turret, etc. It is at this moment that a live grenade breaks through the gap in the active defense. Its leading charge triggers dynamic protection, if any, after which the main charge pierces the armor.
The 105 mm PG-30 grenade is capable of fighting well-defended targets. Having broken through the KAZ and DZ, the main charge pierces 600 mm of homogeneous armor. Effective shooting at fortifications is also possible. So, it breaks up to 1,5 m of reinforced concrete or 2 m of brick.
Excess power
The unusual design gives the RPG-30 product special combat capabilities. This grenade is capable of hitting almost any armored fighting vehicles available to Ukrainian formations, incl. in the most protected projections. At the same time, it is easy to see that in a number of situations, the firepower of the "Hook" is even excessive for actual or expected combat missions.
Products NPO "Basalt" at the exhibition. The second from the bottom is a split layout of the "Hook". The PG-30 grenade and the IG-30 simulator are clearly visible. Photo "Rostec"
The fact is that the Ukrainian tank fleet is gradually shrinking, and the enemy has to actively use equipment of other classes. Infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers and armored vehicles are guaranteed to be hit by any domestic anti-tank grenade launchers and grenades, incl. simpler than the RPG-30. In addition, in this case, the ability of the "Hook" to overcome the DZ is simply unnecessary.
The ability of two grenades to deal with active protection also does not find application. Not a single Ukrainian armored vehicle is currently equipped with KAZ, and the appearance of such systems is not expected. In the indefinite future, foreign tanks are promised to be transferred to Ukraine - but they are unlikely to be equipped with active protection. In addition, it should be remembered that DZ is also not widely used on NATO-style armored vehicles. At the same time, a tandem warhead with a high total power will be quite useful for combating any enemy armored vehicles.
Efficiency and prospects
Thus, the Russian army has at its disposal a variety of anti-tank weapons, incl. capable of solving the most complex problems. Thus, a significant part of domestic grenade launchers and grenades is capable of hitting armored vehicles with dynamic protection, and the RPG-30 "Hook" can also overcome active protection.
So far, the Hook product has had to deal with KAZ only in the conditions of the landfill, and it is not clear whether such targets will appear in the future. The tanks remaining in Ukraine do not have such equipment, as well as the promised foreign models. Whether the Russian army will ever have to fight tanks with KAZ is unknown. But in this case, she already has an effective weapon.
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