M80 Rocket Launcher
Encyclopedia
The M80 nicknamed the "Zolja", meaning WASP in English, is a portable one-shot disposable 64 mm anti-tank weapon
, designed in the former Yugoslavia
. The M80 Zolja is still produced in Serbia
and in the Republic of Macedonia
.
The M80 is a single-use recoilless weapon which is characterized by its simple operation and lightweight characteristics. The launcher and the container are incorporated into a single unit.
The M80 looks very similar to the American M72 LAW
, but outperforms the M72 in precision and effective range, among other characteristics.
.
The M80's warhead has the potential to penetrate 300 mm of solid steel at a 90-degree angle. The warhead may be fitted an impact and piezoelectric blasting mechanism. A self-destruct mechanism is also integrated into the rocket which ensures that the rockets self-destruct if the target is not hit within 4 to 6 seconds of flight. The rocket propellant is only fired while in the tube, which propels the rocket to a speed of 190 m/s. This speed ensures that the rocket reaches its 240 m range at a 2.5 metre target.
. Many units ended up in civilian hands and have been used in a number of violent incidents. The weapon has also been used by organized crime; one such incident was a November 1999 assassination attempt in downtown Zagreb
, when the projectile ricochet
ed off the target's armored car
and killed an innocent bystander. Members of the Zemun Clan
at one time considered using the M80 to attack the Serbian Prime Minister, Zoran Djindjic's motorcade and assassinate him.The M80 used in Indonesian invasion of East Timor it used for Indonesian Army
counter insurgency operations.
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
, designed in the former Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
. The M80 Zolja is still produced in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
and in the Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
.
Description
Made of fiber-reinforced plastics, the M80 Zolja is designed to be used by an individual against armored vehicles or fortifications.The M80 is a single-use recoilless weapon which is characterized by its simple operation and lightweight characteristics. The launcher and the container are incorporated into a single unit.
The M80 looks very similar to the American 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...
, but outperforms the M72 in precision and effective range, among other characteristics.
Launcher
The M80 launcher is telescoping which is intended for easier transportation. The launchers consists of a forward and rear tube made of fiber-reinforced plastic, a firing mechanism, front and rear aiming sights, carry handle, front and rear caps to keep debris out and a slingSling (firearms)
In the context of firearms, a sling is a type of strap or harness designed to allow a shooter to carry a firearm on his/her person and/or aid in greater hit probability with that firearm...
.
Rocket
The 64mm anti-tank rocket is located in the rear of the launcher. The rocket consists of an explosive warhead, stabilizer wings and rocket.The M80's warhead has the potential to penetrate 300 mm of solid steel at a 90-degree angle. The warhead may be fitted an impact and piezoelectric blasting mechanism. A self-destruct mechanism is also integrated into the rocket which ensures that the rockets self-destruct if the target is not hit within 4 to 6 seconds of flight. The rocket propellant is only fired while in the tube, which propels the rocket to a speed of 190 m/s. This speed ensures that the rocket reaches its 240 m range at a 2.5 metre target.
Operation
The launcher is held in both hands. The operator opens the covers on both ends of the launcher, grasping the forward tube piece firmly with his left hand the operator pulls the back tube outwards with a sharp, hard pull. If the launcher has been successfully cocked, the back piece will not slide in. The operator assumes a correct firing position, keeping in mind the backblast zone of the launcher, takes aim through the flip up sights and squeezes the trigger to fire the rocket. Afterwards the empty tube is disposed of.Use
The M80 was widely used in the Yugoslav WarsYugoslav wars
The Yugoslav Wars were a series of wars, fought throughout the former Yugoslavia between 1991 and 1995. The wars were complex: characterized by bitter ethnic conflicts among the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, mostly between Serbs on the one side and Croats and Bosniaks on the other; but also...
. Many units ended up in civilian hands and have been used in a number of violent incidents. The weapon has also been used by organized crime; one such incident was a November 1999 assassination attempt in downtown Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, when the projectile ricochet
Ricochet
A ricochet is a rebound, bounce or skip off a surface, particularly in the case of a projectile. The possibility of ricochet is one of the reasons for the common firearms safety rule "Never shoot at a flat, hard surface."-Variables:...
ed off the target's armored car
Armored car (VIP)
A civilian armored car is a security vehicle which made by replacing the windows of a standard vehicle with bulletproof glass and inserting layers of armor plate into the body panels...
and killed an innocent bystander. Members of the Zemun Clan
Zemun Clan
The Zemun Clan is one of the Belgrade clans of the Serbian Mafia. The name is based on the base of the clan i.e. Zemun, a municipality of Belgrade....
at one time considered using the M80 to attack the Serbian Prime Minister, Zoran Djindjic's motorcade and assassinate him.The M80 used in Indonesian invasion of East Timor it used for Indonesian Army
Indonesian Army
The Indonesian Army , the land component of the Indonesian Armed Forces, has an estimated strength of 328,517 regular personnel. The force's history began in 1945 when the Tentara Keamanan Rakyat "Civil Security Forces" served as paramilitary and police.Since the nation's independence struggle,...
counter insurgency operations.
Launcher
- Length:
- Extended: 1,200 mm.
- Closed: 800 mm.
- Weight:
- With rocket: 3 kg.
- Without rocket: 1.58 kg.
- Firing mechanism: Percussion.
- Front sight: reticle.
- Rear sight: peep sight.
Rocket
- Caliber: 64 mm
- Length: 664 mm
- Weight: 1.42 kg
- Muzzle velocity: 190 m/s
- Minimum range (combat): 10 m
- Maximum range: 1,280 m (3,300 ft)
- Penetration: 300 mm