Rocket Launchers

Rocket launchers are man-portable, vehicle-mounted, or aircraft-integrated weapon systems that fire unguided or guided rocket projectiles against armored vehicles, fortified positions, aircraft, and area targets. These weapons give infantry units, special operations forces, and vehicle crews an organic anti-armor and direct fire support capability without requiring artillery or air support.

Man-portable rocket launchers divide into two primary categories. Single-shot disposable launchers — including the M72 LAW, RPG-7, and AT4 — are lightweight, pre-loaded, and require no maintenance between firings. The RPG-7 fires a 40mm rocket with a PG-7VL warhead generating a shaped charge jet capable of penetrating 500mm of rolled homogeneous armor (RHA). It weighs 6.3kg loaded and reaches effective ranges of 300 meters against moving targets and 500 meters against stationary targets. Furthermore, reloadable multi-shot launchers including the Carl Gustav M4 at 6.6kg and the SMAW fire a range of warhead types — anti-armor, thermobaric, anti-structure, illumination, and smoke — from a single reusable launcher body. This versatility suits special operations and infantry units requiring a single system across multiple mission profiles.

Vehicle-mounted rocket launcher systems use pintle, ring, or remote weapon station configurations on light tactical vehicles, APCs, and naval vessels. Multiple launch configurations including the M261 19-round 2.75-inch (70mm) rocket pod mount on helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft — delivering rapid area suppression against troop concentrations, light vehicles, and fortified positions at ranges out to 8 kilometers on folding-fin aerial rockets (FFAR). Additionally, anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) launchers such as the TOW, Kornet, and Baktar-Shikan fire wire-guided or laser-guided rockets at ranges of 3 to 5 kilometers — defeating main battle tank armor through shaped charge or explosively formed penetrator (EFP) warheads that kinetic energy penetrators cannot replicate at these standoff distances.

Pakistan Ordnance Factories produces RPG-7 rockets and 40mm warheads domestically — making these systems directly supportable through indigenous production without import dependency for basic ammunition resupply during sustained operations.

These systems serve Pakistan Army infantry and armored formations, Special Services Group anti-armor teams, Frontier Corps fire support elements, Pakistan Air Force ground attack rocket pod programs, and Pakistan Navy vessel weapon systems requiring direct fire rocket capability across Pakistan’s conventional and counter-insurgency operational environments.