RPO "Rys" (
Russian: реактивный пехотный огнемёт «Рысь» (РПО «Рысь»), Rocket-propelled Infantry Flamethrower "Lynx") is a
napalm
Napalm is an incendiary mixture of a gelling agent and a volatile petrochemical (usually gasoline (petrol) or diesel fuel). The name is a portmanteau of two of the constituents of the original thickening and gelling agents: coprecipitated alu ...
rocket-propelled grenade
A rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) is a shoulder-fired missile weapon that launches rockets equipped with an explosive warhead. Most RPGs can be carried by an individual soldier, and are frequently used as anti-tank weapons. These warheads are ...
launcher classified as
flamethrower
A flamethrower is a ranged incendiary device designed to project a controllable jet of fire. First deployed by the Byzantine Empire in the 7th century AD, flamethrowers saw use in modern times during World War I, and more widely in World Wa ...
by Russian military. The RPO had first entered service in 1975 and it was intended to replace the obsolete
LPO-50 flamethrowers. Later it was replaced by the
RPO-A Shmel.
Description
The RPO Rys shares some parts with
RPG-16, like the firing mechanism. It also resembles
RPG-29 and can be mistaken for it. The weapon is
breech loaded with capsuled, solid propellant,
napalm
Napalm is an incendiary mixture of a gelling agent and a volatile petrochemical (usually gasoline (petrol) or diesel fuel). The name is a portmanteau of two of the constituents of the original thickening and gelling agents: coprecipitated alu ...
filled rockets. The rockets are filled with 4 liters of napalm and have muzzle velocity of around 125 m/s with effective range of 190 meters. The RPO also has a bipod for stability and maximum sighting range of 400 meters.
See also
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RPO-A Shmel:
Thermobaric
A thermobaric weapon, also called an aerosol bomb, a vacuum bomb or a fuel air explosive (FAE), is a type of explosive that uses oxygen from the surrounding air to generate a high-temperature explosion. The fuel–air explosive is one of the b ...
grenade launcher / flamethrower
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MGK Bur:
Miniaturized
thermobaric
A thermobaric weapon, also called an aerosol bomb, a vacuum bomb or a fuel air explosive (FAE), is a type of explosive that uses oxygen from the surrounding air to generate a high-temperature explosion. The fuel–air explosive is one of the b ...
grenade launcher / flamethrower
Users
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References
Rocket-propelled grenade launchers
Modern incendiary weapons of Russia
Flamethrowers of the Soviet Union
Military equipment introduced in the 1970s
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