Reference News Network reported on May 14 that the US "Army Times" published an article on May 13, entitled "" Iron Fist "-3 Rockets: Destroy the Cold War We weapon to destroy the Russian tank in Ukraine". In the Western aid of Ukraine's arsenal, there is a anti-tank weapon born during the Cold War-the "Iron Fist" -3 Rockets. This rocket launcher was developed by West Germany against the Soviet armored forces. Today, the Ukrainian army is using this weapon to deal with Russian armored forces. This article introduces the performance of this weapon. The full text is as follows:

Although the Russian army was once considered to be the second elite army in the world, the Ukrainian army that was greatly underestimated embarrassed it again and again, and Ukraine seemed to rely on the determination of the country and the weapons donated by the Western countries that sympathized with it.

Among the "borrowing" weapons in Ukraine, the "Iron Fist" -3 rocket launcher performed impressive against the combat of the Russian armored forces. Where does this shoulder -handed anti -tank rocket come from?

In 1943, as the Soviet army drove a large number of first -class tanks into the Third Empire, Germany developed a small, simple, and easy -to -use anti -tank weapon that allowed any user to become a tank killer. It is called "Iron Fist", which is essentially a launch tube that can launch a rocket pushing grenade, which can penetrate armor in the range of 200 feet (1 feet or about 0.3 meters). If there is an additional warhead, the transmitted cylinder can be re -filled with ammunition, but if there is no additional warhead, the cost of the transmitted cylinder can be abandoned as low as it is completely used.

"Iron Fist" -3 was developed by West Germany in the late 1970s and upgraded technical upgrades to keep up with the technical upgrade of tanks, especially "Iron Fist" -3T. It uses a series of horn -loaded guides, and there is a protrusion in front of the warhead to detonate the reaction armor, so that the main firepower can reach and penetrate 31.5 inches (1 inches, about 2.5 cm) of steel armor.

After further improved "Iron Fist" -3IT600 uses the aiming device of Simrad Optoelectronics, users can deal with enemy armored vehicles 600 meters away.

Once the launch, the warhead will be launched through a spring. After the flight is about 16.5 feet, the rocket launches the opportunity to ignite, and the safety device is separated, so that the warhead can explode when contacting the target.

"Iron Fist" -3IT600 3 feet 11 inches long, weighs 34 pounds and 6 ounces (about 0.45 kg of 1 pound, about 0.028 kg of 1 ounce), of which 8 pounds and 10 ounces are high-explosive bombs with a diameter of 110 mm.

The maximum effective range of the warhead for the static target is about 1300 feet, and the maximum effective range of the mobile target is about 1900 feet.

In a broader battlefield, these capabilities cannot be compared with the 125mm caliber main gun of the Russian main battle tank T-90. However, just like the initial "Iron Fist" -44, the "Iron Fist" -3 relies on the training and morale of the army to fight in the rugged ground, forest area or urban environment. Its lethality can fully meet design expectations.

After comprehensive production, the cost of "Iron Fist" -3 was $ 9994, and the cost of "Iron Fist" -3IT600 was $ 11108. Standard anti -tank rockets are cost $ 297, but at the same time, there is also a "bunker nemesis" rocket to deal with static enemy positions. The cost of this rocket is $ 202.

As of 2003, a total of more than 200,000 "Iron Fist" -3 was produced. It has entered the arsenal of Japan, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, the Netherlands, and South Korea. When the Russian army launched the "Special Military Operations" in February 2022, Ukraine joined the procurement list. Various Western countries with sympathy began to provide weapons-including "Iron Fist" -3-to support Ukraine's defense. So far, the Ukrainians have sent this weapon to great use, which has killed more and more Russian armored soldiers.