Description
The German designation is Armbrust which translates to crossbow. The Armbrust is a man portable, short range, shoulder-fired, recoilless, low-signature, disposable launcher containing a fin stabilized, high explosive antitank (HEAT) or antipersonnel (APERS) projectile. The projectile incorporates a setback armed, impact fired, base detonating fuze containing a piezoelectric crystal. The weapon is issued as a one shot, expendable launcher, with the projectile and countermass factory installed in the launcher. The apers projectile contains a fragmentation warhead consisting of steel pellets. The Armbrust SC uses a 17 millimeter subcaliber practice projectile with tracer and an inert filled warhead in a reloadable launcher. The Armbrust is also available in a training version which uses a projectile that cannot be fired. Further information about this version is unknown.
The HEAT and APERS projectiles are painted black with a 30 millimeter (1.18 inch) yellow band painted around the fuze section and olive drab plastic fins. The Armbrust launcher is olive drab with black end caps, black sight and sight housing, and a black trigger housing/tube support. It has one 30 millimeter (1.18 inch) yellow or brown band and three 14 millimeter (0.55 inch) black bands and is marked with decals stating manufacturing and storage information, warhead identification, and warnings. The practice projectile is painted blue. The Armbrust SC reloadable launcher has a 30 millimeter (1.18 inch) blue band and is marked with an inscription stating that it is used in target practice.
Functioning
No information about functioning.
Hazardous Components
No information about hazardous components.
See Also
Cartridge, 67mm APERS, ARMBRUST
Cartridge, 67mm HEAT, ARMBRUST
Source(s)
Iraq Ordnance Identification Guide (2004)
Afghanistan Ordnance ID Guide, Volume 1 (2004)
