APILAS
| APILAS | |
|---|---|
| The APILAS on display at the 2014 Flag Day event, sponsored by the Finnish military. | |
| Type | Anti-tank weapon |
| Place of origin | France |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1985-present |
| Used by | See Operators |
| Wars | |
| Production history | |
| Designer | GIAT Industries |
| Manufacturer | GIAT Industries |
| Unit cost | 2,000ドル |
| Produced | 1985-2006 |
| No. built | 120,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 9 kg (19.84 lb) |
| Length | 1,300 mm (51.2 in) |
| Barrel length | 180 mm (7.1 in) |
| Caliber | 112 mm (4.4 in) |
| Muzzle velocity | 293 m/s (961 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range | 25–350 m |
| Maximum firing range | 500 m |
| External images | |
|---|---|
| APILAS - 1983 1st Version | |
| image icon APILAS and soldier 1 [3] | |
| image icon APILAS and soldier 2 | |
| image icon APILAS and soldier 3 | |
| image icon APILAS and soldier 4 | |
| image icon APILAS launcher and rocket | |
| image icon APILAS rocket projectile |
The RAC 112 APILAS (RAC - Roquette AntiChar (French for "anti-tank rocket"), APILAS - Armour-Piercing Infantry Light Arm System) is a portable one-shot 112 mm recoilless anti-tank rocket launcher, designed in France by GIAT Industries. Over 120,000 of the APILAS launchers have been produced, and they are in service with many countries.
History
[edit ]84,000 were ordered in 1984 by the French Army to replace the LRAC F1 until the adoption of the Eryx short-range missile.[4] The French company Matra Manurhin Défense (now NEXTER - ex GIAT) produced 120,000 APILAS between 1985 and 2006.[5]
Design
[edit ]The APILAS is supplied in an aramid fibre launcher tube with a retractable sight. The effective range of APILAS is from 25 m (it takes 25 m for the rocket to arm itself) up to 300–500 m depending on the target. The shaped charge warhead is electrically fused and will detonate at impact angles up to 80 degrees.[6]
Although heavy, the APILAS is able to pierce 700 mm of RHA.[2] Within the French Army it is categorized as "traumatic weapon", because of its blast and noise. A French soldier cannot fire it more than three times in his service during peacetime.[4]
An off-route mine system was developed using the APILAS rocket mounted on a tripod using a sensor package, or tripwires.
Operators
[edit ]
- Belgium [6]
- Chad [7] [8]
- Chile [5]
- Colombia [5]
- Cyprus [8]
- Djibouti [citation needed ]
- Finland [6]
- France [6]
- Italy [6]
- Jordan [6]
- Morocco [citation needed ]
- Saudi Arabia [8]
- South Africa [9]
- South Korea [6]
- Spain [6]
- Syria:
- Taiwan [6]
- Ukraine [10]
Former operators
[edit ]See also
[edit ]- LRAC F1 – (France)
- Eryx – (France)
- LAW 80 – (United Kingdom)
- AT4 – (Sweden)
- C-100 – (Spain)
- Kestrel – (Taiwan)
References
[edit ]- ^ Rottman, Gordon L. (1993). Armies of the Gulf War . Elite 45. Osprey Publishing. pp. 58-59. ISBN 9781855322776.
- ^ a b c Jenzen-Jones, N.R. (8 September 2015). "French APILAS anti-tank weapon in Syria". armamentresearch.com .
- ^ the first versions did not have the gunner's face mask, but was added later due to unburn propellant after the projectile left the tube
- ^ a b "ROQUETTE ANTICHAR DE 112 mm appelée également " RAC 112 APILAS "". musee-infanterie.com (in French). Archived from the original on 3 August 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
- ^ a b c "Nous sommes fiers de – Lance-roquette anti-char APILAS" [We are proud of – APILAS anti-tank rocket launcher]. manurhin-group.com (in French). Archived from the original on March 28, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Gander, Terry J. (2001). "Giat Industries APILAS light anti-tank weapon". Jane's Infantry Weapons 2002–2003. pp. 1790–1791.
- ^ Darcourt, Pierre (January 1984). "Tchad: le désert des Tartares". La Gazette des armes (in French). No. 125. pp. 16–19. Archived from the original on 2021年02月25日. Retrieved 2018年10月18日.
- ^ a b c The Military Balance 2009. Routledge. January 26, 2009. pp. 173, 264, 293. ISBN 9780415498463.
- ^ "Establishment of the 1 Reconnaissance Commando".
- ^ Janovsky, Jakub; naalsio26; Aloha; Dan; Kemal. "Joining NATO, Joining The Cause: Finnish Aid To Ukraine". Oryx. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
Sources
[edit ]- Jane's Infantry Weapons 2005–2006
- Jane's Mines and Mine Clearance 2005–2006
