QS-6

QS-6 "Midan" ميدان
Type	Rocket-propelled grenade
Place of origin	Riysa
Service history
In service	1992 - present
Used by	Riysa
Production history
Designer	Riysian High Command
Designed	1992
Unit cost	Launch tube and sight kit: $1,200 Rockets: $100 - $250
Specifications
Weight	5.8 kg unloaded and without sight
Length	960 mm unloaded
Calibre	52 mm barrel
Muzzle velocity	105 - 140 m/s
Effective firing range	350 m day optics
Maximum firing range	1,000 m
Sights	MQ-6 2.8x optical day sight, night sights
Engine	Solid fuel rocket

The QS-6 Midan (Arabic: ميدان ; Battlefield) is a Riysian reusable rocket-propelled grenade system. First entering mass production in 1994, the Midan replaced older squad-level rocket-propelled grenade launchers as part of Project Sadma, alongside the heavier QS-7 and the disposable QS-8. Originally designed as an anti-armor weapon, the Midan has quickly evolved into a multipurpose infantry support complex thanks to its flexible design, with a variety of specialist munitions available for use.

History

The 1980s saw the rise of composite and reactive armor arrays, and their implementation on main battle tanks worldwide. This development rendered previous anti-tank rocket launcher and recoilless gun systems mostly ineffective against modern armor, especially with some designed specifically to counter the shaped charge penetrators used by man-portable anti-tank weapons. To prevent a loss in capability, Riysian High Command ordered the initiation of Project Sadma (Arabic: صدمة; Impact), a program to design and field systems capable of combating armored fighting vehicles protected by reactive and composite armor means.

One of the directions of the project was the development of an improved handheld anti-tank rocket launcher, for use at the infantry squad level. The design had to meet the exacting technical-tactical requirements of the project, which at the forefront was a combination of effectiveness against modern main battle tanks, future growth potential, and ease of use. This competition was won by the design team from the Bartizan factory, with their "Midan" prototypical model, using an overbarrel system to project a large charge without increasing the size of the system. Following some minor revisions, the prototype passed a second round of state tests, and entered service in 1992 as the QS-6 Midan.

Design

Of the technical-tactical requirements for the Midan, one of the most important was maintaining ease of use. To this end, the Midan is not inherently complicated, with the entire system consisting of the main barrel through which the projectile is loaded, the trigger/grip assembly, and basic iron and optical sights. An average person can generally be taught how to operate and fire it within 20 minutes, though becoming proficient with it takes much longer. Total system weight is 5.8 kilograms unloaded, fulfilling the mobility requirement.

The Midan does not work on the principles of traditional recoilless guns or anti-tank rocket launchers, but is an unusual hybrid. The ammunition it fires uses an initial propelling charge to clear the barrel like a recoilless gun, but flies towards its target under power from a rocket engine. This soft-launch capability allows it to be fired indoors, as long as there's two meters of backblast clearance behind the barrel. Any flammables or personnel should be 30 meters or farther away from the backblast.

Barrel

The barrel tube takes up the majority of the size and mass of the system, and gives it its distinct look. Made of steel alloy, and 960 millimeters long, it can be divided into two sections - the main tube, and the expansion chamber and rear socket to the back. The back of the tube is covered by a polymer - wood on the prototype - heatguard, protecting the firer from the heat generated by launch. The expansion chamber helps accumulate the gases to make the launch more efficient. At the very end is a nozzle, which helps accelerate the gasses produced during the launch of the rocket.

All ammunition is loaded through the muzzle, even the in-caliber rounds. A groove on each round fits directly into a notch at the top of the muzzle, allowing the loader to ensure that the round is properly secured through touch. The end of the round will directly connect with the threaded socket between the chamber and the nozzle.

Some versions of the Midan have a barrel that can be taken down. In this case, the rear tube is detached from the expansion chamber, and slotted on lugs underneath for easier transport. In this travel configuration, the launcher can be loaded with a round, but it can not be aimed or fired, due to the barrel being in the way and preventing the safety from going off of the "safe" setting. Originally designed for paratroopers, it became valued with the mechanized infantry as well due to the cramped space inside their transport vehicles. Due to its popularity, the latest universal versions of the system include this feature. Beyond the take-down barrel, all versions of the Midan feature a universal side mount for Riysian optics on the left side, mounting points for a standard canvas sling, and a detachable bipod for greater stability while firing.

Trigger and Grip

The trigger/grip assembly of the Midan is relatively simple, with a foregrip, trigger grip, and stock. Both the foregrip and the stock are collapsible for ease of transport, and are made of plastic to save weight. The trigger assembly is made of steel like the rest of the Midan, with a plastic grip.

The trigger itself is a simple mechanical trigger, which ignites the boost charge to launch the rocket projectile. Behind the trigger is the cocking switch, which when switched down, cocks the Midan for firing. After the trigger is pulled, the switch returns back to its "safe" position.

Sights

The Midan has two standard sights - the integral iron sights, and the MQ-6 telescopic sight. The telescopic sight is the primary sighting system, allowing the user to take full advantage of the Midan, while the iron sights are used as a back up in case of a failure in the MQ-6, or in a close combat situation. Both can be used at the same time, as the rear iron sight fits under the MQ-6's assembly.

The MQ-6 is the standard issue optical sight issued with the Midan, designed for use with the Midan's projectiles. The sight is designed for surveillance and combat, and to withstand the extremes of battlefield service in accordance with the needs of its operators. It is a 2.7 factor magnification telescopic sight, with a 13 degree field of view and 27 mm of eye relief, and weighs in at 0.54 kilograms. With the sight, the Midan operator can estimate range points out to around a kilometer, and engage targets under extremes of temperatures from -50 to 50 degrees centigrade, low light/night, and low visibility conditions. A knob on the side of the battery compartment adjusts the sight for the operating temperature, with the options being hot, cold, or temperate, and dry nitrogen inside the casing prevents any fogging up of the lens with temperature change. The hot setting is intended for temperatures above 25 C and is marked with a + sign, cold is intended for temperatures below 15 C and is marked with a - sign, and the temperate setting isn't marked. For operation under low light conditions or at night, the reticle can be illuminated with a red LED bulb activated by a switch on the left side of the sight, powered by a 3 volt battery inserted into a side compartment. A single battery lasts for 50 hours of operation. When operating in low visibility conditions, such as in fog or smoke, filters can be attached to the lens of the sight for better resolution. Windage and elevation can be adjusted through knobs on the side and the bottom of the optic, respectively. To keep the lens from being damaged, a rubber cap attached to the front of the optic covers it up when not in use. The whole MQ-6 kit issued to an operator consists of the carrying bag, the MQ-6 sight itself, two spare 3V batteries, a spare rubber lens cap, a spare LED bulb, two neutral density filters for high brightness conditions, two orange filters for improved contrast in cloudy and dusty conditions, a screwdriver, and a lens cloth. Total weight of the kit is 0.84 kilograms.

Supplementing the MQ-6 are the Midan's iron sights. The iron sights lack any wind or lead adjustment, simply providing range. Both windage and elevation can be adjusted, but unlike the MQ-6 there is no temperature adjustment option available. Technically, the sights can be used to shoot out to 500 meters, but in practice are most effective at less than 200 meters. This makes them most useful for combat at ranges where sighting with the MQ-6 would be too cumbersome. When not in use, the sights are folded into their slots offset on the top of the Midan tube.

Beyond the two main sighting systems, the Midan can in theory use any sight that fits onto the Riysian universal mount. Most commonly seen are night vision sights, granting the operator improved capability during night combat; otherwise, additional types are rarely seen as they do not provide any advantage over the standard issue MQ-6.

Ammunition

Inspired by the modern usage of similar weapons in conflicts around the world, a diverse selection of munitions now exist, expanding the Midan's role beyond its traditional anti-armor/anti-hardpoint role. The development of improved ammunition over time is cheaper and easier than developing a new complex, and will allow the Midan to remain effective for the foreseeable future.

Midan ammunition is divided into three major sections, the warhead, the body & sustainer motor, and the booster charge. Despite the variety of munitions available, the only difference is in the warhead - the remainder remains the same among all types. The warhead and body are joined together, while the booster charge must be screwed on separately before loading the rocket. A trained operator can load and fire a rocket every 10-15 seconds.

When the Midan is fired, the booster charge propels the rocket out of the tube, at around 120 meters per second depending on the weight of the rocket. This produces relatively low noise, and a small backblast smoke cloud half a meter in diameter, which lingers for up to 8 seconds after firing; it is safe to fire it inside structures as long as there is no hard barrier two meters behind the launcher. At around 10 meters from the launcher, the rocket engine activates, accelerating the rocket to over 300 m/s. This also fuses the warhead to become live. The rocket will continue until it impacts, or until it has flown about 1,000 meters from the launcher, at which point it will self-destruct.

Anti-Tank

The primary role of the QS-6 was to be a squad anti-tank weapon; because of that, most of the ammunition development has been in shaped charge anti-tank rockets. The latest anti-tank rockets are powerful enough to combat modern reactive armor-equipped tanks. All anti-tank rockets have the designation of "MD-6", with the type indicated by a variant letter.

• MD-6A: Original anti-tank rocket with a single charge warhead, penetrates 500 millimeters equivalent of steel armor. Production ended in 2005, but is still widely available.
• MD-6T "Taan": Tandem-charge anti-tank rocket, to penetrate vehicles protected by reactive armor. Uses an improved wave shaper to increase penetration. Can penetrate up to 650 millimeters equivalent of steel armor behind reactive armor, but the heavy warhead significantly reduces its effective range. The rocket was adapted into the QS-8 disposable anti-tank rocket launcher.
• MD-6TK: Tandem-charge anti-tank rocket, based on the MD-6A. Intended as an alternative to the MD-6T by adding a probe and a 43 mm charge at its base to the A warhead, allowing it to penetrate 500 millimeters equivalent of steel armor behind reactive armor. The lighter, smaller warhead increases effective range and velocity, and reduces susceptibility to wind.
• MD-6J "Ramah": Unitary charge anti-tank rocket replacing the MD-6A. New long nose probe increases stand-off distance, and with the improved wave shaper allows for the same penetration level to be reached with a smaller and lighter 85 mm rocket.
• MD-6TJ "Kobra": Tandem charge anti-tank rocket. Uses a warhead similar to the QS-7's anti-tank projectile, with a larger secondary charge than the 6TK. Penetration is 550 millimeters equivalent of steel behind reactive armor.
• MD-6Kh: Experimental anti-vehicle rocket. Uses a tandem explosively formed penetrator warhead, instead of a shaped charge.

Name	Image	Warhead Type	Weight	Head Diameter	Penetration	Muzzle Velocity	Effective Range
MD-6A		Unitary HEAT	2.7 kg	93 mm	~500 mm RHAe	120 m/s	500 m
MD-6T		Tandem HEAT	4.8 kg	64/110 mm	800 mm RHAe 650 mm after ERA	105 m/s	300 m
MD-6TK		Tandem HEAT	2.9 kg	43/93 mm	600 mm RHAe 500 mm after ERA	115 m/s	450 m
MD-6J		Unitary HEAT	2.2 kg	85 mm	500 mm RHAe	120 m/s	500 m
MD-6TJ		Tandem HEAT	3.3 kg	64/93 mm	700 mm RHAe 550 mm after ERA	120 m/s	400 m
MD-6Kh		Tandem EFP	2.6 kg	47/85 mm	70 mm RHAe 50 mm after ERA	120 m/s	350 m

Anti-Personnel

The effectiveness of portable anti-tank weapons in the anti-personnel and general purpose role was demonstrated previously in conflicts worldwide. This potential was recognized during the development of the Midan, and so anti-personnel rounds were immediately available when the system was adopted into service. The presence of AP rockets expands the role of the Midan from a specialized anti-armor weapon, to a multipurpose complex, making it more useful in the general squad support role.

Though not optimized for it, the anti-tank warheads also can be used in an anti-personnel role, with the metal body and warhead casing fragmenting on detonation. However, fragmentation is random, and so efficiency is low compared to the anti-personnel warheads. Defeat and suppression ranges are generally lower than their specialized counterparts, though still effective for several meters, and the MD-6T can match the MA-6A rocket due to sheer size.

Effectiveness of a fragmentation warhead is measured by two metrics, in the Riysian Armed Forces. The first one is the range of defeat, while the second one is the range of suppression; terms such as lethal radius or wounding radius are not used by Riysa since wounding by fragmentation is considered to be too probabilistic. The former describes the radius of a circle from the center of the explosion, where at least seven out of ten targets - 70% - standing at the edge will be hit with fragmentation, with the resulting effect the destruction or at least defeat of the target due to the large volume of fragmentation. The latter describes the radius where at least two out of ten targets - 20% - standing at the edge will be hit with fragmentation, which while it won't likely destroy the target, the fragmentation will still at least suppress the activity of the target. While not fully interchangeable, the range of suppression is the metric closest to the western definition of lethal radius, which comparatively sits at around three out of ten targets, or 30%. This allows for some relative level of comparison with foreign ammunition.

All anti-personnel rockets have the prefix "MA-6".

• MA-6A: Main anti-personnel rocket, overcaliber warhead with 350 grams of "Fosfor-5" filler, and a point detonation fuse. Has a fragment sleeve that, upon detonation of the rocket, produces 900 fragments of average mass 3.5 grams, with a resulting range of defeat of 9 meters and range of suppression of 17 meters.
• MA-6K: Lightweight anti-personnel rocket, in-caliber warhead with 250 grams of "Fosfor-5" filler. Has a fragment sleeve that, upon detonation of the rocket, produces 500 fragments of average mass 3.5 grams, with a resulting range of defeat of 7 meters and range of suppression of 12 meters. Primarily used by special forces, but sometimes also used by the mechanized infantry.
• MA-6IH: Airburst anti-personnel rocket, overcaliber warhead with 340 grams of "Karbon-22" filler. While called "airburst", the proper term is in fact "bounding"; when the rocket impacts the ground, the fuse detonates, sending the warhead flying up several meters into the air, which then detonates. The warhead contains a fragmentation sleeve which sends out 800 fragments, resulting in a range of defeat of 17 meters and range of suppression of 32 meters. The rocket supplements both the 6A and the 6K in service.
• MA-6F: Thermobaric rocket, overcaliber warhead with 1.84 kilograms of "Fosfor-100" filler with a 250 gram "Fosfor-9" booster charge. While labeled as an anti-personnel round, the 6F is most effective against hard points such as bunkers, and can be used against light vehicles as well. Damage is mainly done by the blast overpressure of the warhead, which is equivalent to 6 kilograms of TNT, but the metal casing produces a limited number of fragments as well. In open air, the blast causes near 100% fatality in a 4 meter radius, will sympathetically detonate ammunition out to 5 meters, and will still cause fatalities to over 8 meters. The fragments generated have a radius of defeat of 11 meters, and a radius of suppression of 20 meters. Inside an enclosed structure, the blast will cause near 100% fatality in a 80 m3 volume. The rocket can also penetrate light armor; when striking a target, an annular section at the front of the rocket deforms, and the thermobaric explosion drives it forward as a sort of shaped charge, penetrating 30 to 40 millimeters of armor steel and allowing the blast to enter and destroy the vehicle.
• MA-6FK: Thermobaric rocket, overcaliber warhead with 0.95 kilograms of "Fosfor-100" filler with a 150 gram "Fosfor-9" booster charge. Derivative of the 6F with a smaller warhead, primarily intended for special forces use. Effects in open air are reduced to 3 meters for a near 100% fatality radius, 4 meters radius for sympathetic detonation, and nearly 7 meters radius for significant injuries, with the penetration of 10 to 20 millimeters of armor steel. Fragmentation produced has a radius of defeat of 9 meters, and a radius of suppression of 16 meters. Inside an enclosed structure, the fatal blast volume is reduced to 48 m3.

Name	Image	Warhead Type	Weight (w/Booster)	Head Diameter	Radius of Defeat	Muzzle Velocity	Effective Range
MA-6A		HE-FRAG fragment sleeve 350 g Fosfor-9 filler, 900 fragments	2.6 kg	85 mm	9 meters	110 m/s	500 m
MA-6K		HE-FRAG fragment sleeve 250 g Fosfor-9 filler, 500 fragments	1.9 kg	52 mm	7 meters	150 m/s	700 m
MA-6IH		Airburst HE-FRAG w/fragment sleeve 340 g Karbon-25 filler, 800 fragments	2.9 kg	85 mm	17 meters	105 m/s	500 m
MA-6F		Thermobaric 1.84 kg Fosfor-100 with 0.25 kg Fosfor-9 boost charge	4.6 kg	110 mm	11 meters (fragmentation effect)	105 m/s	300 m
MA-6FK		Thermobaric 0.95 kg Fosfor-100 with 0.15 kg Fosfor-9 boost charge	2.8 kg	93 mm	9 meters (fragmentation effect)	110 m/s	500 m

Specialist

A variety of specialist munitions were developed to supplement the Midan in general use. This includes smoke, riot gas, incendiary, and illumination rockets. Due to being intended for specific tasks, these rockets are not widely issued, but instead are held in reserve at various higher command levels until needed.

Each rocket has a different designation, depending on the type. All begin with "S", however.

• ST-6: Training "rocket" for practice and zeroing in sights. Designed to mimic the weight and shape of an MD-6A rocket with its booster, this rocket lacks any actual warhead or motor. Instead, firing through the nose of the rocket is a single-use 7.9 mm subcaliber device, mimicking the ballistic characteristics of an MD-6A rocket to 300 meters, which is used to calibrate the sights for other standard-issue ammunition. Smoke released from the detonation of a conjoined blank cartridge simulates the blackblast. Once spent, a fresh device can be loaded after disassembling the top of the dummy warhead and expelling the spent cartridge; the devices are issued in boxes of 20.

Name	Image	Warhead Type	Weight	Head Diameter	Effect	Muzzle Velocity	Effective Range
ST-6		Training device	2.6 kg	93 mm	7.9 mm subcaliber Sighting range 300 m	N/A	N/A
SD-6		Tactical obscurant/smoke 1 kilogram Karbon-21 mixture	2.3 kg	85 mm	2 minute burn, 50 m long screen	120 m/s	500 m
SD-6I		Tactical obscurant/smoke 1 kilogram Bizmut-34 mixture	2.3 kg	85 mm	2 minute burn, 27-50 m long screen	120 m/s	500 m
SG-6R/S		Less-than-lethal gas (CR or CS)	2.3 kg	85 mm	25 sec burn, 200 m2 area	105 m/s	300 m
SH-6		White phosphorous incendiary	2.2 kg	81 mm	30 m lethal open air	120 m/s	500 m
SI-6		Illumination	2.2 kg	75 mm	35 sec burn, 500,000 candela	115 m/s	700 m
SI-6I		Infrared illumination	2.2 kg	75 mm	35 sec burn	115 m/s	700 m