A grenade launcher is a weapon that fires a specially designed, large-caliber projectile, often with an explosive, smoke, or gas warhead. Today, the term generally refers to a class of dedicated firearms firing unitary grenade cartridges. The most common type are man-portable, shoulder-fired weapons issued to individuals, although larger crew-served launchers are issued at higher levels of organization by military forces.
The M79 grenade launcher is a single-shot, shoulder-fired, break-action grenade launcher that fires a 40×46mm grenade, which uses what the US Army calls the High-Low Propulsion System to keep recoil forces low, and first appeared during the Vietnam War. Its distinctive report has earned it colorful nicknames, such as "Thumper", "Thump-Gun", "Bloop Tube", "Big Ed", "Elephant Gun", and "Blooper" among American soldiers as well as "Can Cannon" in reference to the grenade size; Australian units referred to it as the "Wombat Gun". The M79 can fire a wide variety of 40 mm rounds, including explosive, anti-personnel, smoke, buckshot, flechette, and illumination. While largely replaced by the M203, the M79 has remained in service in many units worldwide in niche roles.
The Type 89 grenade discharger, inaccurately and colloquially known as a knee mortar by Allied forces, is a Japanese grenade launcher or light mortar that was widely used in the Pacific Theater of World War II. It got the nickname the "knee mortar" because of an erroneous Allied belief that these launchers could be fired by propping its plate against the leg. However, anyone trying to fire it this way would receive a severe bruise from its hefty recoil.
The M2 mortar is a 60 millimeter smoothbore, muzzle-loading, high-angle-of-fire weapon used by U.S. forces in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War for light infantry support.
Denel Land Systems is a division of the Denel group.
The Denel Y3 AGL is a South African-manufactured automatic grenade launcher currently manufactured by Denel Land Systems. Originally developed by Aram Ltd as the AS88 as a support weapon for infantry, the patent rights were purchased and modified by Vektor, which later became a division of Denel Ltd. Further enhancements included rate of fire upgrade and the addition of a ballistics computer, with final qualification testing taking place in 1998, and operational testing in 2002. The Y3 was launched during the 2003 United Kingdom Defence Systems & Equipment (DSEi) International Exhibition.
The L9A1 51 mm light mortar was a man-portable platoon-level mortar used by the British Army from 1988 to 2007.
The LGI Mle F1 is a lightweight, close-support infantry weapon designed to be used by one man to provide indirect fire. The LGI has been used by the French Army since the 1990s and fires high explosive, smoke, and illumination rounds.
The M6 Mortar is a 60 mm lightweight infantry mortar made by Hirtenberger AG of Austria.
The Denel Vektor M1 60mm Mortar is a mortar manufactured by the South African firm Denel Land Systems for use by the South African Army and the Irish Defence Forces. Around 100 were also sold to the Forces Armées Rwandaises in 1992, during the Rwandan Civil War.
The Hirtenberger M6C-210 is a light mortar with smoothbore barrel, part of the M6 mortar range designed by Hirtenberger Defense Systems of Austria.
The M-4 commando mortar, also known as a patrol mortar, is a lightweight 60 mm commando mortar manufactured by Denel Land Systems.
The HM 12 Fateh is an Iranian 60mm mortar manufactured by the Ammunition & Metallurgy Industries Group, part of Iran's Defense Industries Organization. It is an unlicensed copy of Israel's Soltam 60 mm mortar. It is generally operated by two people but in urgent cases it can be operated by one as well.
1 South African Infantry Battalion is a mechanized infantry unit of the South African Army.
The State Military Scientific-Technical Center "DELTA" is a legal entity of public law established by the decree of the President of Georgia. Its full name is Legal Entity of Public Law - State Military Scientific-Technical Center "DELTA". The scope of work of the organization is mainly focused on the Defense Industry and to some extent on the Civilian Field. The Center is an organization separate from state governing bodies. Its state control is exercised by the Ministry of Defense of Georgia. The mission of the organization is based on the state interests of Georgia and the national defense strategy. The Center's primary responsibility is to encourage the growth of the domestic military industry. introduction of cutting-edge military technologies in the design, development, and mass production of combat gear and weapons that are in line with global trends. The only company in Georgia involved in the defense industry is State Military Scientific-Technical Center Delta. Today, “DELTA” has both intellectual and technical resources to design and manufacture both military and civilian products.
The GNM-60 is a 60mm noise reduced mortar designed for special forces and tactical groups for concealed operations. It allows troops to fire while maintaining concealment. The weapon can be operated by a single individual. The mortar is made by STC Delta.
The QLT-89, also known as Type 89 grenade discharger, is a lightweight grenade launcher developed by China in the 1980s, used for individual squad level indirect fire support. The design was finalized in the early 1990s. The weapon entered the Chinese service in the 1990s and was observed in deployment with special forces and Hong Kong Garrison.
