Rocket-propelled grenade

A rocket-propelled grenade is an unguided explosive projectile launched from a shoulder-fired weapon. Common warhead types include shaped charges for armor and fragmentation designs for personnel and structures.

RPG-7: A widely used Soviet-designed reusable launcher that fires several types of rocket-propelled grenades. Its open tube and separate projectile illustrate the weapon’s basic launch arrangement.
Panzerfaust: A German disposable anti-tank weapon used during the Second World War. It helped establish the compact infantry anti-armor role later served by rocket-propelled grenades.
Anti-tank warfare: Military operations intended to destroy or disable enemy armored vehicles. Defeating tanks and other vehicles is a central intended use of shaped-charge grenades.
Recoilless rifle: A firearm that reduces recoil by venting propellant gases rearward. Many RPG launchers use a recoilless launch phase, but the projectile also has its own rocket motor.
Shaped charge: An explosive charge that focuses detonation energy into a narrow, high-velocity jet. Many anti-armor grenades use this effect to penetrate vehicle armor.
RPG-2: A Soviet reusable anti-tank grenade launcher introduced after the Second World War. It preceded the RPG-7 and established a recognizable Soviet design lineage.
Urban warfare: Combat conducted in towns and cities, where buildings and confined streets shape tactics. Short sightlines and nearby cover make portable explosive weapons tactically relevant.
Rocket launcher: A weapon that launches rockets, including portable, vehicle-mounted, and larger systems. Rocket-propelled grenades belong to this broader family of weapons.
Rocket engine: A propulsion device that produces thrust by expelling reaction mass. The projectile’s motor accelerates it after launch.
Bazooka: A shoulder-fired American rocket launcher developed during the Second World War. Its early rocket-launcher design differs from the later recoilless launch arrangement common in RPGs.

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