Along with the American Javelin third-generation anti-tank complexes, NLAW rocket-propelled grenade launchers may begin to arrive in the Ukrainian army.
Currently, the characteristics and combat capabilities of these weapons are being discussed on social networks in comparison with already known RPGs or ATGMs, as well as their advantages and disadvantages
There are videos on the Internet from landfills where these armored vehicles developed more than ten years ago were tested at one time.
It can be seen that during the tests conducted at different times of the year, decommissioned T-72M and T-72M1 main battle tanks purchased in Germany, which were in service with the National People's Army of the GDR, were used as targets.
NLAW has mounted combat units that are optimized for hitting targets in their most vulnerable part - the roof.
For precise guidance, there is an inertial control system that calculates the parameters of the movement of the object of attack, as well as magnetic and optical sensors. The firing range is 800 meters, the weight is 12.5 kilograms.
Although it is claimed that such grenade launchers can easily destroy a moving enemy, in the above-mentioned videos, the "seventy-second" stand rooted to the spot, and do not intensively maneuver, do not cover themselves with aerosol curtains, besides they lack dynamic protection and anti-cumulative screens, which may significantly reduce armor penetration.
What looks good in commercials often does not demonstrate the declared characteristics in a real situation. For example, at the recent APU exercises, an attempt to test the Javelin ATGM on a tank layout showed very dubious results.
Alexey Brusilov