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AT-4 / M136
Model: AT4 (Eighty-Four)The M136 AT4 is an 84mm unguided, portable, single-shot recoilless smoothbore weapon built by the Swedish company Saab Bofors Dynamics. The AT4 was designed as a weapon to engage medium to light armored vehicles from any direction, Main Battle Tanks from the sides or rear, and as an assault weapon against buildings and fortifications. It was designed to be simple, rugged, and accurate enough to use against moving targets.
The AT4 uses what the company refers to as a beyond-armor effect, where the warhead causes not only massive fragmentation and spalling inside the vehicle, but also massive overpressure inside the vehicle, an extremely bright light, dense smoke, and excessive heat. Along with killing and injuring enemy crew on impact, this effect will use light and smoke to blind the crew for up to seven minutes and risk igniting the vehicle's ammunition and diesel fuel. All in all, not a pleasant weapon to get hit by.
The AT4 has been in the service of the US military since early 1987. A new version, the AT4-CS (Confined Space), has been developed to solve the problem of a massive backblast. This version uses a saltwater countermass in the rear of the launcher to absorb the back blast; the resulting spray captures and dramatically slows down the pressure wave, allowing troops to fire from enclosed areas.
Where to find:
The AT4 is in service with 21 countries and is very commonly used by the United States Army and Marines Corps. A single weapon costs close to $1500, however they are not currently for sale to civilians.
Complexity:
The AT4 was designed as a very simple and rugged weapon. As a one-shot disposable launcher, it has simple controls and usage. If you can learn all of the buttons, you can fire it with ease.
Size and weight:
Weight 6.7 kg (14.77 lbs) Length 101.6 cm (40 in.)
Action:
Single-shot disposable rocket launcher.
Caliber(s): 84mm
Magazine:
N/A
Trigger:
Single action
Controls:
There is a safety pin at the rear of the tube that blocks the firing rod and prevents the launcher from going off. There are two safeties: a rod cocking lever on the left side of the tube and a red safety lever in front of the rod cocking lever. The red firing button is on the right side of the launcher and pressed with the right thumb.
Loading:
The AT4 is a pre-loaded round of ammunition, but there is a process in preparing to fire.
1) Remove the safety pin at the rear of the tube.
2) Take a firing position and check the rear to ensure that there is nothing that can be damaged by the backblast (65 meters in a 90 degree fan behind the tube). If firing while prone, place your legs to the side to keep them away from the rear of the launcher.
3) Move back the front and rear sight covers to let the sights pop up.
4) Move the rod cocking lever forward and over the top to the right side of the launcher and take aim.
5) Hold down the red safety lever in front of the rod cocking lever. When ready to fire, push the red firing button with your right thumb. The firing button has a similar resistance to an assault rifle's trigger pull, so don't jab at the button; just push it forward like you would squeeze a trigger.
Unloading:
While the rocket itself cannot be unloaded, the weapon can be made safe.
1) Remove your hand from the red safety lever.
2) Move the rod cocking lever back over the tube and pull it back into the SAFE position.
3) Reinsert the safety pin at the rear.
Field Stripping:
This does not apply to this weapon.
Design Quirks:
The extreme backblast of the standard version of this weapon makes it highly unsafe to fire in buildings, and it will more than likely reveal your position to the enemy.
theman838 |
Latest page update: made by theman838
, Mar 31 2012, 11:40 PM EDT
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