Iraq's New Danger: Armor-Piercing Grenades

[RamboLiberal]

Source: CBS News

An al Qaeda propaganda video dated Aug. 15, 2006, shows a brazen attack on U.S. soldiers with a hand grenade that's more deadly than any other. The explosion is huge, as three armor-piercing bombs find their target.

It's not a new weapon on the Iraqi battlefield, but CBS News has learned it's being used more now than ever. And for the first time, the Army has admitted this weapon is killing its soldiers.

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They even used diagrams to show how this Russian-made weapon actually works.

Those diagrams matched military explanations obtained by CBS News: When the pin is pulled and the grenade is thrown, a small parachute is released. It stabilizes the grenade and ensures that it comes down vertically on its target.

The shape charge inside punches through the armor, and slow-burning explosives are released to ensure the deadliest effect.


Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/09/05/america_in_iraq/main3237060.shtml

[w8liftinglady]

1. It doesn't help that The Pentagon sold the troops out on body armor

We currently use interceptor body armor-instead of the superior Dragon Skin
http://www.defensereview.com/article842.html
Is it a coincidence that the retired officer in charge of testing and procurement of interceptor body armor is John Norwood,who is now a vice-president with armor holdings-who makes the interceptor armor?
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/6/7/223249/2673

[lonestarnot]

5. Are they sickening people or what. John Norwood you are one sick ASSHOLE!

[KeepItReal]

2. It's a Russian-made weapon. So is Bush & Co. gonna sanction Putin?

:banghead:

[Phrogman]

3. Heres a video of the weapons in action, warning very disturbing

and very effective.,

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=d8a_1180675064

[krispos42]

6. son of a bitch

It's a wonder we aren't losing more troops.

Those things look like those Nazi German "potato-masher" grenades. A little parachute so they point the right way, and I guess a shaped-charge warhead of some kind to penetrate the armor.

Not a good military weapon, but an excellent insurgent one.




At least the video didn't show the aftermath of the attacks.

[Phrogman]

9. Notice how the boys attacking the US troops were unafraid of the other people on the street?

I noticed one of them waving to a passerby, possibly a friend or neighbor.

Popular support for the insurgency it appears to me, time to get those kids home.

[arikara]

15. Somehow I doubt that the Iraqi people see it

as "insurgency". They are fighting against the invaders and destroyers of their country.

I wish peace for them all.

[saigon68]

11. By kicking in doors and throwing old women to the ground

The US troops are winning hearts and minds for

1. Freedom on the March

2. The New Democracy

P.S. Dropping 1000 lb bombs on Baghdad further wins "hearts and minds"

[24HRrnr]

4. Who is

supplying the munitions?

The article doesn't say but I would think that is a very important factoid.

[eridani]

7. There is a very vigorous global trade in small arms.

It could be anybody.

[Middle finga]

8. Well I be damn, and Cheney said the Iraqis would be throwing

candy and flowers at our soldiers.

[Toots]

10. If the US Army had secured the Ammo dumps instead of the Oil fields this would not be occuring

:shrug: Bush* and Rummy are guilty of killing US soldiers by their negligence..

[YankmeCrankme]

12. RKG3 anti-tank HEAT grenades

http://inert-ord.net/russ02i/rkg3_upg8/index.html

[BrotherBuzz]

13. Wow, it doesn't need to drop down on the target...

It can be thrown directly at it, exploding on impact. The drogue only stabilizes it to direct the shape charge explosion toward the target.

[YankmeCrankme]

14. Plus, it can penetrate 125-165 mm of armor

No humvee or even Bradley has anywhere near that much armor. Although, the Abrams has considerably more armor protection, dropping one from above might have some impact as the thickness of top armor is much thinner. One drawback, it requires getting within 20 meters of target.