RPG-26

Disposable Rocket-Propelled Grenade Launcher

Soviet Union | 1970

"The RPG-26 featured a disposable launch tube and could be called upon to engage various hardened targets."

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 04/29/2022 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Close-up view of an RPG-26 disposable anti-tank rocket launcher on display

The RPG-26 (Rocket Propelled Grenade 26) was developed as a single-shot, disposable anti-tank battlefield solution for the Red Army during the Cold War. The weapon consisted of a non-descript cylindrical launch tube housing the 72.5mm anti-armor rocket within. The rocket was designed with spring-actuated stabilizing fins that emerged once the rocket cleared the launch tube upon firing. Penetration was made possible by the shaped-charge warhead to which some 440mm of armor thickness could be penetrated at effective ranges within 250 meters. In addition to its anti-armor function, the weapon could also be used to engage fortified structures as required. Overall length of the launch system was 770mm while overall weight was 2.9 kilograms.

The RShG-2 was a variant of the base RPG-26 system and utilized the same form and function as the original design. However, the rocket fitted a thermobaric warhead and the complete system weighed in at 3.5 kilograms. This solution also fielded a much more limited range, its effectiveness being limited to targets within 115 meters.

In all, the RPG-26 family of anti-tank solutions was comparable to the American M72 LAW, another disposable anti-tank weapon system utilizing a spring-loaded fin-stabilized 66mm rocket fielded in large numbers by the West during the Cold War.

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Performance
Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the RPG-26. Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.

820 ft
249.9 m | 273.3 yds
Max.Eff.Range

1
Rounds-Per-Minute
Rate-of-Fire

Physical
The physical qualities of the RPG-26. Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.

770 mm
30.31 in
O/A Length

770 mm
30.31 in
Barrel Length

6.39 lb
2.90 kg
Weight

Shoulder-Launched; Single-Use Disposable
Action

72.5mm
Caliber(s)

Single-Shot; Disposable
Feed

Iron; Optional Optics
Sights

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the RPG-26 Disposable Rocket-Propelled Grenade Launcher family line.

RPG-26 - Base Series Designation.

RShG-2 - Variant featuring projectile fitting a thermobaric warhead; reduced firing range due to added weight.

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the RPG-26. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national small arms listing.

Contractor(s): State Factories - Soviet Union

[ Russia; Soviet Union; Ukraine ]

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Close-up view of an RPG-26 disposable anti-tank rocket launcher on display

Going Further...
The RPG-26 Disposable Rocket-Propelled Grenade Launcher appears in the following collections:

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