kids encyclopedia robot

Rocket-propelled grenade facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Rpg-7
An RPG 7

A rocket-propelled grenade, often called an RPG, is a special type of weapon that you hold on your shoulder. It fires a rocket that has an explosive part called a warhead. This warhead is attached to a rocket motor, which makes it fly. The rocket also has fins, which are like small wings, to help it fly straight towards its target.

Some RPGs can be used many times, meaning you can reload them with new rockets. Other types are only used once and then thrown away. Most RPGs are loaded from the front, which is called the muzzle, unless they are a special all-in-one kind.

What is an RPG?

RPGs are designed to be very effective against strong vehicles like armored personnel carriers (APCs). These are vehicles that carry soldiers safely. RPGs can also be used against tanks. However, to damage a tank, the person firing the RPG needs to aim for a weaker spot. This could be the tank's tracks or the top hatch (door) on its turret.

How RPGs Work Against Armor

The front armor on a tank is usually very thick. It's often too strong for a single RPG warhead to break through. Sometimes, if a group of people are attacking a tank, several of them might fire RPGs at the same tank. This can sometimes help to break through the armor. People have also used RPGs to shoot at helicopters, sometimes with success.

Images for kids

  • RPG-7 detached

    A rocket-propelled grenade (left) and RPG-7 launcher. The thinner part of the rocket is put into the front of the launcher.

  • Ручные реактивные гранатометы и огнеметы производства России и СССР - Russian RPG launchers

    Some Soviet/Russian rocket launchers. From top to bottom: RPO-A Shmel, RPG-22, RPG-26, RPG-18.

  • Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-672-7634-13, Russland, Luftwaffensoldat mit Panzerabwehrwaffe

    A soldier using a Faustpatrone, which was an early version of modern RPGs.

  • Nvarpgteam

    A North Vietnamese soldier using a Soviet-made RPG-2.

  • Obus 501556 fh000021

    A cut-open high-explosive anti-tank round, showing the special shaped charge inside.

  • CumulativeHead

    A diagram of a high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead from an RPG rocket. 1: Outer cover; 2: Empty space; 3: Cone-shaped metal liner; 4: Detonator (starts the explosion); 5: Explosive material; 6: Piezo-electric trigger (senses when it hits something).

  • Mongolian soldier with RPG in 2005

    A Mongolian soldier holding an RPG launcher. Notice it does not have a rocket loaded.

  • Krtsanisi National Training Center, Georgia (5)

    Georgian soldiers getting ready to fire a rocket-propelled grenade.

  • Rebel in northern Central African Republic 04

    A rebel in the northern Central African Republic.

  • RPG soldier and squad

    A Bulgarian soldier aiming an RPG.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Granada propulsada por cohete para niños

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Rocket-propelled grenade Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.