M129 Grenade launcher facts for kids
The M129 Grenade Launcher is a powerful weapon used by helicopters. It's an automatic grenade launcher, meaning it can fire many grenades quickly. This special weapon was made in the United States and is still used today.
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M129 Grenade Launcher: A Powerful Helicopter Weapon
The M129 is a 40-millimeter automatic grenade launcher. It was designed to be mounted on helicopters. This makes it a very useful tool for supporting ground troops from the air.
How the M129 Was Developed
The M129 was created in 1966 by a company called Ford Aerospace. It was built as an improved version of an earlier weapon, the M75 grenade launcher. Engineers worked to make the M129 even better and more effective than its predecessor.
Faster Firing Power
One of the biggest improvements in the M129 was its speed. The older M75 could fire about 225 rounds (grenades) per minute. But the M129 is much faster! It can shoot an amazing 400 rounds per minute. This high rate of fire makes it a very effective weapon in combat.
Helicopters That Use the M129
The M129 grenade launcher has been used on several different types of helicopters. These helicopters carry the M129 to provide strong firepower from above. Some of the helicopters that have used this launcher include:
- Bell AH-1 Cobra
- Lockheed AH-56 Cheyenne
- Bell UH-1 Iroquois
- OH-6A Cayuse
- OH-58 Kiowa
