AT48 Recoilless Rifle
| AT48 Recoilless Rifle | |
|---|---|
| File:At84 recoilless rifle.png AT48 Mk 3 | |
| Type | Multi-role (anti-armor, anti-fortification, anti-personnel, illumination) |
| Place of origin |  Arthurista |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1948–present |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Arthuristan Dynamics |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 14.2kg (Mk 1), 8.4kg (Mk 2, Mk 3) |
| Barrel length | 1.2m |
| Crew | Two (gunner and loader), but may be used by a single operator at a reduced rate of fire. |
| Caliber | 84 mm |
| Rate of fire | 6 rounds per minute |
| Muzzle velocity | 230–255 m/s (750–840 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range | With iron sights:
With Smart-Sight:
|
| Feed system | Hinged breech |
| Sights | Telescopic sight, backup iron sight, laser rangefinder (optional) |
The AT48 Recoilless Rifle was designed as a platoon-level anti-tank/bunker-busting weapon, complementing disposable launchers such as the disposable one-shot Crossbow. The first version of the weapon, the AT48 Mk 1, was introduced as a section-level AT weapon in 1948, replacing the PIAT. The Mk 2 version was inducted in 1989. It replaced the heavy steel outer layer of the launch tube with fibreglass, while retaining the steel rifled inner sleeve of the barrel. This reduced the weight of the weapon from more than 14kg to 8.4kg. . The weapon may be mounted on a bipod or tripod.
In 1989, the a 132mm muzzle-loaded rocket-assisted over-sized tandem HEAT round designed to penetrate the front armour of modern MBTs.
AT48 Mk 3
The current configuration of the AT48 is designated the Mk 3, entering service in 2004. The weapon is fitted with picatinny rails and iron sights. A smart-sight was also introduced, featuring a rangefinder, simple miniature ballistic computer and rangefinder, allowing accurate firing against moving targets up to a range of nearly 1km. The new ammunition types introduced around the same time allows the weapon to be fired in confined spaces. At the rear of the round is a vial filled with shredded plastic, which is sprayed out the launch tube's rear upon firing, acting as a countermass to nullify much of its predecessor's dangerous backblast, significantly enhancing the AT48's utility in urban warfare. It remains backwards-compatible with older ammunition, although they are not safe to use in confined spaces, unlike the AT84's own rounds.
The following three new rounds were introduced in 2008:
1. A smart anti-personnel round is available which can be pre-programmed to airburst once it is fired into a room or above a trench, efficiently neutralising hostiles sheltering behind cover.
2. Another smart round is also available, featuring a magnetic sensor which triggers the firing of two explosive-formed penetrators when it overflies an enemy tank in succession, allowing it to neutralise heavy armour with top-attack capability previously only available in dedicated ATGMs. The round is semi-guided in the following manner: the operator tracks the movement of the target for two seconds, allowing the seeker in the round to record the gunner's movement and predict a flight path to the target.
3. When not confronting major armour threats, smaller, lighter subcalibre 72mm rockets are available, which fits within the barrel with plastic sabots. As recoilless rifle rounds are spread among the troops of a platoon in light infantry formations, this allows for a lighter burden per man.
The following munitions are in production as of early 2014:
- RCM1: 84mm HEAT tandem warhead (penetration is 500mm RHA behind ERA)
- RCM2: 84mm HE Frag
- RCM3: 84mm overfly top attack
- RCM4: 84mm flechette
- RCM5: 84mm thermobaric/incendiary
- RCM6: 84mm HESH (High Explosive Squash Head - demolition/anti-structure)
- RCM7: 72mm smart airburst
- RCM8: 72mm HEDP (High Explosive Dual Purpose, penetration is 100mm RHA)
- RCM9: 132mm muzzle-loaded rocket-assisted oversized tandem HEAT round
- RCMI: Illumination
- RCMS: Smoke/target-marking round (White Phosphorus)
- RCMT: 20mm subcalibre training round
