Disposable Anti-Tank Weapon (DAW)

Disposable Anti-Tank Weapon (DAW)
DAW armed, unarmed, and Disposable Assault Weapon
Type	Disposable/Reloadable Shoulder-Fired Recoilless Rifle Crew-Served Infantry Support/Anti-Tank Weapon
Place of origin	The Empire of Common Territories
Service history
In service	2014-Present
Used by	TECT Armed Forces
Production history
Designer	Arrow Solutions
Designed	2010
Manufacturer	Wolf Armaments, Gewehr Foundries, Käufer Solutions
Unit cost	$800 NSD
Produced	2014-Present
No. built	N/A
Variants	Disposable System (single-use warhead), Reloadable Assault Weapon
Specifications
Weight	3 kgs (standard), 6.6 kgs (DLU)
Length	600 mm (unarmed), 880 mm (armed) 750mm (unloaded), 1,320 mm (loaded)
Caliber	80 mm (warhead)
Rate of fire	3 rounds per minute (practical)
Muzzle velocity	185 m/s
Maximum firing range	500 m (Disposable System) 2,000m (Assault Weapon)
Feed system	Disposable. Detachable single-rocket casing (Assault Weapon).
Sights	Iron sights. Telescopic sight (Assault Weapon).

The Disposable Anti-Tank Weapon or DAW (also known as the Panzerfaust-14/RPG-14) is a highly portable, single-use, anti-tank/fortification weapon similar to the M72 LAW. M72 was utilized widely in the Empire even after it became largely obsolete when destroying modern armor. Soldiers could carry the system easily, making them popular choices at disabling, destroying, or otherwise damaging enemy armor and fortifications. M72I, a clone of the M72 developed by Arrow Solutions, was introduced in 1982 to Imperial forces as a modern upgrade to the popular M27. Boasting an improved set of sights and modern warhead, M72I would continue being used and manufactured until 2006 when Arrow Solutions fulfilled its final M27I order. Arrow Solutions failed to secure future orders. Now relying on royalties, Arrow Solutions would begin developing a replacement to their M27I. DAW, or Disposable Anti-Tank Weapon, was in its early development in 2010 when Arrow Solutions, in default, was acquired by Wolf Armaments. DAW consists of a tube casing that holds the projectile, a recoilless HEAT round with LOVA propellant (RDX), and a second extendable tube inside the first that extends out the rear of the system. Other features include folding iron sights (glass interior), rear safety cap, arming handle (located on the top of the casing, it is slid into locking position), and a push-down trigger. DAW, like the M27 LAW, is designed to defeat lightly armored targets at close range and is capable of damaging heavier armored foes even at extended ranges. Although DAW was a considerably impressive upgrade to the existing M27I, consisting of modern ergonomics and improved warhead, the Imperial Armed Forces took little interest in the project. While the Empire only continues to buy limited reoccurring orders to replace stockpiles, colonial vassals such as Luttenried invested heavily into DAW and its subsequent variants.

DAW is still popular among ground troops to this day. Although less used in anti-tank units even as small as teams, Imperial and vassal infantry units often carry numerous DAW systems within the unit due to their effective warheads and lightweight carry load. Materials used to construct DAW (aside from the warhead) make the weapon system remarkably cheap compared to other anti-tank weapons, resulting in deep saturation among infantry throughout the Empire and her vassals. The casing material is constructed with high-impact resistant hard plastics that protect the casing from external damage. DAW is sealed with water-proof caps on both ends of the system as well as a safety cap over the rear end that protects the extending barrel section; this also allows users whom cancel their shots to shove the barrel back into the system and place the cap back onto the system. Once the safety cap at the rear is removed and the second tube extended, the water-proof seal in the second tube is broken. Interior of the first tube is lined with Eglin Steel (a cheap and durable super alloy steel) while the second tube is entirely made of the material. The second tube is also filled with a plastic granulate, minimizing the blast effect by the so-called recoilless countermass principle; this allows DAW to be fired from enclosed spaces since it does not have a significant backblast. A set of iron sights (glass interior presenting range information that illuminates at night) flip open and lock into place for the user to accurately aim onto targets at long ranges - the user can fold the sights down into their previously locked position if they choose to not fire the weapon. Upon firing, the striker in the rear tube impacts a primer, which ignites the propellant and launches the warhead forward. Once the warhead emerges from the launcher, six fins spring out from the base of the warhead, stabilizing its flight path. For safety purposes, DAW is not able to arm unless the second tube is extended - once extended, DAW's arming lever is no longer locked in place but can be returned into its locked state by collapsing the second tube into its original position. Furthermore, the warhead does not arm until it leaves the mouth of the launcher via a mechanical set-back system; a mechanical set-back is a safety device placed into the base of the detonator that grounds the circuit until the rocket has accelerated out of the tube - the acceleration causes a disk in the safety mechanism to rotate 90° in succession, ungrounding the circuit and arming the warhead. The circuit from the nose to the base of the detonator is then completed when the piezoelectric crystal is crushed on impact.

Reloadable Assault Weapon

The Reloadable Assault Weapon (Assault Weapon for short) is a portable shoulder-fired recoilless rifle system designed using the original DAW design. Largely designed for export markets, the Assault Weapon is a variation on the Panzerfaust-11's design, utilizing the same firing unit. The only significant differences between DAW and RAW are the overall weight and warhead payload (11 is loaded from the front and extends past the barrel while 14 is encased and loaded into the rear of the firing unit). RAW was designed primarily to fulfill the TECT Armed Forces' conditions for acquisition of the weapon system, although it was never fully adopted within the Armed Forces; said conditions stipulated that RAW had to use the same firing unit as the RPG 11. To meet this condition, Wolf Armaments merely crafted a firing tube-firing unit system, creating a single firing device.

Similar to its predecessor, a user with the firing unit simply has to load a round into the receiving end of the system, lock-in, aim, and fire. Once fired the casing can be quickly detached and the disposed of. Aiming is done so by using the telescopic sight (or other compatible devices) that can be used day or night; it consists of an LED battery to illuminate during nighttime (adjustable), a reticle that presents range according to size (range finder), and a range adjustment control. This basic sight has since been replaced with a computerized variant that assists operators with range and eye issues. The firing unit itself consists of a sight mount, an adjustable stock rest, two grip handles for stability, and a trigger mechanism that has a safety setting for arming of the warhead. Although the system was not bought in large numbers by the Imperial Armed Forces, vassal states like Luttenried made it their primary anti-tank weapon system. The lack of munition options and significant heavy armor penetration capabilities ultimately lead to RAW being dropped by the Imperial Armed Forces in 2018. RAW failing was largely blamed on manufacturing/development priorities which shifted focus away from RAW and towards other significant projects.

DAW/RAW Mk.2 (Luttenried)

Mk.2 of the Disposable Anti-Tank Weapon and Reloadable Assault Weapon was introduced by Luttenried in early 2014 as a significant modernization upgrade to both systems. Luttenried had bought heavily into the system, preferring it over the heavier Panzerfaust 11, and even went as far as securing licensing from Wolf Armaments to produce its own models domestically with or without Wolf Armaments assistance. Although some modifications were made, Luttenried's Gewehr Foundries and Käufer Solutions (domestic Lutten manufacturers) were convinced an overhaul was needed. Thus, starting in 2014, the two companies introduced the "Mk.2" they had co-developed. Wolf Armaments, the patent holder, agreed to the manufacture of the Mk.2 on the grounds that royalties would continue to be paid on all related products, that it could manufacture and sell said Mk.2 items, and that its other rights as patent holder were respected. In exchange for the terms, Wolf Armaments agreed to share profits on exports and reduce royalties significantly on domestic sales for Mk.2.

Gewehr was responsible for redesigning the firing unit and developing new optics for the system. Aside from basic modularity and soldier comfort additions (namely strap mounts, padding, and railings), Gewehr was able to reduce the weight of the system slightly while using stronger alloys proven capable of reducing wear & tear. Mk.2 RAW's new Gewehr AW-14 sight was based on the original Assault Weapon's sights but vastly improved upon. The unit had built in 1x-4x magnification modes that relied on glass rather than digital controls to zoom in and out, each mode has its own range finding calculations and aiming assistance as well. Aside from the other rudimentary improvements, AW-14 also supported night operation with illuminated markings compatible with nighttime and night-vision as well, a digital rangefinder was also mounted and displayed in the bottom right corner of the scope regardless the magnification. Käufer was responsible for redesigning the casing and even went as far as designing multiple munitions to fit its new casing. Introduced thus far have been training rounds, support rounds (namely smoke and illumination), and three anti-tank/general purpose rounds. Although DAW was redesigned as well, its most notable change was the introduction of different warhead options; this allows users to fire HEDP rounds, HEAT rounds, and Improved HEAT rounds instead of having access to just one type of disposable round.

Since its introduction in 2014, Mk.2 has been widely used by Luttenried's Armed Forces, finding its home in every infantry unit within the Armed Forces. The Imperion Coalition's Foreign Legionnaires have also had their Mk.1s replaced with Mk.2s. Although interested, the Empire never invested into the project for its own troops. Continued for the time being according to Luttenried authorities, development and introduction of the Panzerfaust-22 MPSW has been seen as the final blow to at least the Mk.2 Assault Weapon. With orders for MPSW rising and Mk.2 RAW decreasing, it is only a matter of time before domestic acquisition comes to a grinding halt yet again.

Name	Type/Warhead	Target	Penetration	Effective Range	Blast Radius
PRACTICE	Inert; 80 mm Inert Dart; LOVA propellant.	Practice Targets only.	N/A.	15 meters to 2,000 meters.	N/A.
SMOKE (SMK)	Red Phosphorous, Smoke Generating Warhead; 80 mm warhead; LOVA propellant.	Areas requiring concealment or marking.	N/A	15 meters to 2,000 meters.	Potential White Phosphorous burns in immediate blast range.
ILLUMINATION (ILL)	Flare; 80 mm warhead; LOVA propellant.	Area illumination.	N/A.	15 meters to 2,000 meters.	500-600 meters of illumination.
High Explosive Dual-Purpose (HEDP)	Hollow Charge, High Explosive; 80 mm warhead; LOVA propellant.	Infantry, soft/moderately armored vehicles, fortifications.	RHA 200 mm+.	15 meters to 2,000 meters.	Roughly 15 meters of fragmentation, lethal at 10 meters.
High Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT)	Hollow Charge; 80 mm warhead; LOVA propellant.	Soft to heavily armored vehicles.	RHA 400 mm+.	15 meters to 2,000 meters.	Fragmentation can spread up to 8 meters.
High Explosive Anti-Tank Tandem (HEAT-T)	Hollow Charge, Tandem; 80 mm warhead; LOVA propellant.	Moderate to heavily armored vehicles.	RHA 600 mm+.	15 meters to 1,200 meters.	Fragmentation can spread up to 8 meters.