RKG-3 anti-tank grenade

thumb|right|RKG-3E grenades including one grenade cutaway in ([[DOSAAF Museum, Minsk)]]

RKG-3 () is a series of Soviet anti-tank hand grenades.

Design

The RKG-3 grenade has an odd strap-like lever (or "spoon") that covers the base of the handle and runs up each side of the handle. When the pin is pulled, the "spoon" falls away, and when the grenade is thrown a spring deploys a four-panelled drogue parachute. This parachute stabilizes the grenade in flight and ensures that the grenade strikes the target at a 90-degree angle, maximising the effect of the shaped charge. Realistic accurate throw ranges are within . The lethality radius is within due to concussion and fragmentation. The casualty radius is within and the danger space from fragmentation is within .

The fuze in the handle activates the grenade. When the parachute deploys, its ejection throws a weight to the rear of the handle and disables the safety. When it impacts or stops, inertia causes the weight to fly forward and hit the spring-loaded firing pin, which activates the primer detonator in the base. This sets off the booster charge in the base of the shaped charge, detonating and enhancing the main charge. The sensitive fuze guarantees that the grenade will detonate if it impacts any target.

Armour penetration depends on the model. The original RKG-3 used a basic shaped charge with a steel liner and could penetrate against Rolled Homogeneous Armor (RHA). The RKG-3M used a copper-lined shaped-charge warhead and had a penetration of 165 mm; the RKG-3T had an improved copper liner that had a penetration of 170 mm. The RKG-3EM has a larger warhead and boasts a penetration of .

History

The RKG-3 was adopted into Soviet service in 1950, having superseded the RPG-43, RPG-40 and RPG-6 series.

Later, it was replaced by the disposable RPG-18 rocket launcher in 1972, but it saw limited use during the Soviet–Afghan War, mostly for demolishing buildings and destroying enemy equipment.

Other countries made ample use of the RKG-3 series: Viet Cong sappers made use of RKG-3 grenades against bunkers and other fortified positions during the Vietnam War. According to Rottman, these grenades could penetrate almost of hard soil. During the Arab–Israeli conflict, both Egypt and Syria were supplied with RKG-3s, with the former receiving assistance to produce them locally.

Both RKG-3 and RKG-3M grenades were used by Chechen forces against the Russians during the First Chechen War.

Iraq War

During the Iraq War, the Iraqi insurgency made widespread use of RKG-3 grenades which replaced improvised explosive devices. Their main targets were American Humvees, Strykers and MRAPs.

Insurgents carrying concealed grenades would get close as possible to Coalition vehicles and barricades and throw them in two or three volleys before quickly disappearing amongst the civilian population, though Shea has noted that some of the attackers were killed by standing too close to the fragmentation radius of their own grenades. eventually designated as the RKG 1600 by changing the fuze timing and adding 3D printed fins to stabilise its trajectory when dropped from a commercial drone.

Baba Yaga drones can carry up to three grenades, which can penetrate the top armor of all Russian main battle tanks. The estimated total cost per bomblet is "less than $100".

Users

− RKG-3M
− RKB-M79