PF-89

Type 89 Individual Anti-tank Rcoket
Type Anti-tank, anti-bunker
Place of origin China
Service history
In service 1993–present
Used by See Users
Production history
Designer China North Industries Group Corporation
Designed 1980s
Manufacturer Norinco
Produced 1989
Specifications
Weight Total: 3.7 kg (8.2 lb)
Length 900 mm (2 ft 11 in)
Crew 1 (single-use, disposable)
Cartridge 80×900 mm rocket-assist grenade
Cartridge weight 1.84 kg (4.1 lb)
Caliber 80 mm (3.1 in)
Action Single-shot
Rate of fire 5-7 rounds per minute
Muzzle velocity 147 m/s (480 ft/s)
Effective firing range 100 m (330 ft) to 250 m (820 ft)
Maximum firing range 400 m (1,300 ft)
Sights optical 1x (day sight)

The PF-89 or Type 89 is a portable, disposable, unguided, shoulder-launched, anti-tank rocket-propelled rocket launcher. Developed by Norinco for People's Liberation Army, PF-89 was designed to replace the obsolete Type 69 RPG, providing a man-portable, single-use assault weapon system that could used primarily by infantry squads in order to engage and defeat light armor and bunkers. The design permits accurate delivery of an rocket-propelled 80mm High Explosive Anti-Tank warhead, with negligible recoil. PF-89 entered mass production in 1993, and generally replaced Type 69 RPG in PLA throughout 1990s. Since 2010, the system is being replaced by more advanced Type 08 recoilless gun.[1]

Description

The PF-89 is a lightweight, self-contained, anti-armor weapon comparable to the Swedish AT4 (U.S. Designation M136). Unlike AT4, PF-89 is a rocket-propelled grenade launcher instead of a recoilless gun which by design is more similar to M72 LAW and RPG-26. The weapon consists of a free-flight, fin-stabilised, rocket-propelled cartridge packed in a one-piece, one-off, fiberglass-wrapped tube. It is man-portable and is fired from the right shoulder only. The launcher is watertight for ease of transportation and storage. The PF-89 has a simple optical sight for aiming, with no night combat capability. The firer must be able to see and identify the target and estimate the range to it. The round of ammunition is self-contained in a disposable launch tube. The system weighs only eight pounds and can be utilized effectively with minimal training.

However, the problem of back blast became prominent after Army adopted PF-89. Collateral damage is especially concerning for PLA that utilizes motorized infantry fighting tactics. China developed Type 08 multipurpose recoilless gun with countermass balance mechanism to replace the PF-89.

Users

See Also

References

  1. ↑ http://defenseupdates.blogspot.com/2013/02/pf89-type-89-law-rocket-launcher-from.html
  2. ↑ https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/171425/SIPRIPP38.pdf
  3. ↑ "Saisie d'armes à El Oued: l'empreinte de Fadjr libya". menadefense.net. 11 March 2016.
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