Description
These are shoulder fired, fin stabilized, high explosive light antitank weapons used primarily to penetrate armored targets. The rockets use an M54 rocket motor. The M72 uses an M18 warhead and an M412 point initiating base detonating (PIBD) fuze. The M72A1 uses an M18A1 warhead and an M412 PIBD fuze. The M72A2 and M72A3 use an M18A1 warhead and an M412A1 PIBD fuze.
M72A1 rocket which is representative of all in the series. The rockets are launched from M72, M72A1, M72A2, and M72A3 fiberglass launchers. The M72 of early manufacture has a bail handle and a short rear sight cover. Those of later manufacture have no bail handle; therefore, the safety pin is connected to the rear sight cover. The M72 rockets are obsolete. This weapon system also has an elongated rear sight cover. Some M72A2 systems were modified to include a fiberglass and vinyl tape wrapping at fuze closure and warhead junction. Check front sight of launcher if 100 and 150 meter markings are yellow or white, remove sight and place it in a sealed plastic bag. Contact local radiological control officer/environmental officer for disposition instructions.
The rocket launcher is painted olive drab with instruction labels on olive drab backgrounds with white printing. The manufacturing information is printed in white. Those launchers with limited light sights have a decal stating such and front sights coated with a yellow or white colored radioactive material at the 100 and 150 meter range markings with remaining markings in red. Front sights not coated for night use will have all range markings in red. The rocket motor is brown and the warhead is black with yellow markings.
Functioning
No information about functioning.
Hazardous Components
No information about hazardous components.
See Also
Nothing else to see.
Source(s)
TM 43-0001-30, Rockets (chg 14, 2001)
TM 9-1385-51, Ammunition (Conventional) for Explosive Ordnance Disposal (1967)
