ENERGA anti-tank rifle grenade
Encyclopedia
The Energa anti-tank rifle grenade is a rifle-launched anti-tank grenade
that is propelled by a ballistite
-filled blank cartridge. The name Energa comes from the firm in Liechtenstein
that designed it, the Anstalt für die ENtwicklung von ERfindungen und Gewerblichen Anwendungen, based in Vaduz
.
First produced in the 1950s, by Mecar in Belgium
, it was in front-line use by European armies until replaced by disposable tube-launched anti-tank rockets such as the M72 LAW
. Although no longer in production, stocks of the grenade still exist and the Energa grenade remains in service with Third World
countries.
Rheinmettal Denel Munition of South Africa
manufactures the R1M1, an improved version the Energa grenade.
The original Energa grenade could penetrate 200 mm [7.8 inches] of armor or 500 mm [19.6 inches] of concrete at an angle of impact of 90 degrees. At an angle of impact of 45 degrees, the figures dropped to 100 mm [3.9 inches] and 250 mm [9.8 inches], respectively. Energa grenades are credited with a fragmentation range of over 90 meters.
The Super Energa used a rocket booster to extend the grenade's range to 550 meters. The Super Energa could penetrate up to 275 mm [10.8 inches] of armor and 600 mm [23.6 inches] of concrete.
, U.S. forces found their World War II
-era anti-tank rifle grenades were ineffective against the frontal armor of T-34 tanks. This led the U.S. to produce their own version of the Energa, the M-28 rifle grenade, from 1950 until 1960. Originally the M28 was fired from Mecar's proprietary T119 (M1 Garand) and T120 (M1 Carbine) launchers. They were soon replaced by the improved M7A3 launcher from September 1952 onwards. The M29 TP (Training Practice) round remained in service until it was replaced in 1961 by the improved M31 TP. The M28 was eventually replaced in US military service by the M31 HEAT
rifle grenade and the M72 LAW
rocket.
could also fire the ENERGA, but it was not commonly done. It was made obsolete by the adoption of the 84mm L14A1 Medium Anti-tank Weapon (MAW)
and the 66mm M72 Light Anti-tank Weapon (LAW)
.
during the 1970s and 1980s. It was launched from standard R1 (FN-FAL) rifles.
Anti-tank grenade
An anti-tank grenade is a specialized explosive device to defeat heavily armored targets.-History:The first anti-tank grenades were improvised devices...
that is propelled by a ballistite
Ballistite
Ballistite is a smokeless propellant made from two high explosives, nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine. It was developed and patented by Alfred Nobel in the late 19th century.-The development of smokeless powders:...
-filled blank cartridge. The name Energa comes from the firm in Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein
The Principality of Liechtenstein is a doubly landlocked alpine country in Central Europe, bordered by Switzerland to the west and south and by Austria to the east. Its area is just over , and it has an estimated population of 35,000. Its capital is Vaduz. The biggest town is Schaan...
that designed it, the Anstalt für die ENtwicklung von ERfindungen und Gewerblichen Anwendungen, based in Vaduz
Vaduz
Vaduz is the capital of the principality of Liechtenstein and the seat of the national parliament. The town, located along the Rhine, has about 5,100 inhabitants , most of whom are Roman Catholic. Its cathedral is the seat of a Roman Catholic archbishop....
.
First produced in the 1950s, by Mecar in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, it was in front-line use by European armies until replaced by disposable tube-launched anti-tank rockets such as the M72 LAW
M72 LAW
The M72 LAW is a portable one-shot 66 mm unguided anti-tank weapon, designed in the United States by Paul V. Choate, Charles B. Weeks, and Frank A. Spinale et al...
. Although no longer in production, stocks of the grenade still exist and the Energa grenade remains in service with Third World
Third World
The term Third World arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either capitalism and NATO , or communism and the Soviet Union...
countries.
Rheinmettal Denel Munition of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
manufactures the R1M1, an improved version the Energa grenade.
The original Energa grenade could penetrate 200 mm [7.8 inches] of armor or 500 mm [19.6 inches] of concrete at an angle of impact of 90 degrees. At an angle of impact of 45 degrees, the figures dropped to 100 mm [3.9 inches] and 250 mm [9.8 inches], respectively. Energa grenades are credited with a fragmentation range of over 90 meters.
The Super Energa used a rocket booster to extend the grenade's range to 550 meters. The Super Energa could penetrate up to 275 mm [10.8 inches] of armor and 600 mm [23.6 inches] of concrete.
US Service
Early in the Korean WarKorean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, U.S. forces found their World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
-era anti-tank rifle grenades were ineffective against the frontal armor of T-34 tanks. This led the U.S. to produce their own version of the Energa, the M-28 rifle grenade, from 1950 until 1960. Originally the M28 was fired from Mecar's proprietary T119 (M1 Garand) and T120 (M1 Carbine) launchers. They were soon replaced by the improved M7A3 launcher from September 1952 onwards. The M29 TP (Training Practice) round remained in service until it was replaced in 1961 by the improved M31 TP. The M28 was eventually replaced in US military service by the M31 HEAT
M31 HEAT rifle grenade
The M31 HEAT is a fin-stabilized anti-tank rifle grenade designed in the late 1950s to replace the Belgian ENERGA rifle grenade which was adopted by the US Army and US Marines as an emergency stop-gap measure during the Korean War...
rifle grenade and the M72 LAW
M72 LAW
The M72 LAW is a portable one-shot 66 mm unguided anti-tank weapon, designed in the United States by Paul V. Choate, Charles B. Weeks, and Frank A. Spinale et al...
rocket.
UK Service
In British service, the ENERGA was known as the Anti-Tank Grenade, No. 94 (ENERGA). It was designed to be fired from the Projector (No. 4 Rifle) Mark 5 (c.1952), an attachment for the Lee-Enfield No.4 Rifle. The later SLRL1A1 Self-Loading Rifle
The L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle, also known by the Canadian Army designation C1, as the SLR, or as the "inch pattern" FAL,especially on the American surplus market is a British Commonwealth derivative of the Belgian FN FAL battle rifle, produced under licence...
could also fire the ENERGA, but it was not commonly done. It was made obsolete by the adoption of the 84mm L14A1 Medium Anti-tank Weapon (MAW)
Carl Gustav recoilless rifle
The Carl Gustav is the common name for the 84 mm man-portable reusable multi-role recoilless rifle produced by Saab Bofors Dynamics in Sweden...
and the 66mm M72 Light Anti-tank Weapon (LAW)
M72 LAW
The M72 LAW is a portable one-shot 66 mm unguided anti-tank weapon, designed in the United States by Paul V. Choate, Charles B. Weeks, and Frank A. Spinale et al...
.
South African service
The South African R1M1 version was used during the South African involvement in AngolaSouth African Border War
The South African Border War, commonly referred to as the Angolan Bush War in South Africa, was a conflict that took place from 1966 to 1989 in South-West Africa and Angola between South Africa and its allied forces on the one side and the Angolan government, South-West Africa People's...
during the 1970s and 1980s. It was launched from standard R1 (FN-FAL) rifles.
Performance of variants
| Variant | Length | Weight | Explosive fill | Armor penetration (est.) |
Maximum Range |
Effective Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energa | 395 mm | 645 g | 331 g RDX RDX RDX, an initialism for Research Department Explosive, is an explosive nitroamine widely used in military and industrial applications. It was developed as an explosive which was more powerful than TNT, and it saw wide use in WWII. RDX is also known as cyclonite, hexogen , and T4... & TNT |
200 mm | 300 m | 100 m |
| Super Energa | 425 mm | 765 g | 314 g PETN PETN Pentaerythritol tetranitrate , also known as PENT, PENTA, TEN, corpent, penthrite , is the nitrate ester of pentaerythritol. Penta refers to the five carbon atoms of the neopentane skeleton.PETN is most well known as an explosive... |
275 mm | 550 m | 200 m |
| Denel Denel Denel Ltd is a South African state owned aerospace and defence technology conglomerate established in 1991. It was created when the manufacturing subsidiaries of Armscor were split off in order for Armscor to become the procurement agency for South African Defence Force , now known as the South... R1M1 |
~ 425 mm | 720 g | ? g RDX & Wax | 275 mm | 375 m | 75 m |