Summary
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 be used mainly by infantry squads to engage and defeat light armor and bunkers.[1]
| Type 89 Individual Anti-tank Rocket | |
|---|---|
 A dissected PF-89 rocket launcher (top) at the China People's Revolution Military Museum in Beijing. | |
| 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 | |
| Mass | 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 |
| 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/2.5x (day sight) |
The design permits accurate delivery of a rocket-propelled 80mm high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead, with negligible recoil. PF-89 entered mass production in 1993, and generally replaced Type 69 RPG in PLA throughout the 1990s.[1] Since 2010, the system is being used along with the more advanced Type 08 recoilless gun.[2]
Description edit
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 weapon 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-stabilized, rocket-propelled cartridge packed in a one-piece, one-off, fiberglass-wrapped tube.[3]
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 2.5x, 12° field of view optical sight for aiming, with no night combat ability.[4]
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 used effectively with minimal training.[1]
However, the problem of back blast became prominent after the Army adopted the PF-89. Collateral damage is especially concerning for PLA that uses motorized infantry fighting tactics. China developed the Type 08 multipurpose recoilless gun with countermass balance mechanism to replace the PF-89, especially the multipurpose PF89A variant.[2]
Variants edit
The PF-89 has six variants with each variant corresponding to a specific type of ammunition. The earliest variant, simply called PF-89, uses high-explosive double shaped charges (with 8701 explosives) to achieve 628mm of RHA penetration at 90° angle in the static test. In kinetic test, the RHA penetration is more than 400mm at 0° angle or 180mm at 68° angle.[4][5]
The second variant, PF-89A, employs specialized multipurpose incendiary rounds. The multipurpose round can penetrate 300 mm of reinforced concrete, and release steel fragments and zirconium-based incendiary composition to kill targets, light up wood, fabric upon impact.[1][4]
The third variant, PF-89B or PF-89-1, uses tandem-charge high-explosive anti-tank warheads to improve penetration against reactive armour.[3][5]
The WPF-89-1 is the thermobaric version of the PF-89. WPF-89-1 is reusable, but did not see much use due to the complex reload process, thus China developed improved single-use WPF-89-2 in 2003.[6]
A training replica version is also available for operation practice.[3]
| Designation | PF-89 | PF-89A | PF-89B | WPF-89-1[3] | WPF-89-2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammo type | High-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) | Multipurpose incendiary | HEAT tandem-charge | thermobaric | HEAT/thermobaric tandem-charge |
| Cartridge diameter (mm) | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 |
| Cartridge weight (kg) | 1.84 | 2.35 | 2.5 | >4 | >4 |
| Launcher weight (kg) | 1.85 | 1.85 | 1.85 | 1.85 | 1.85 |
| Full mass (kg) | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Length (mm) | 900 | 900 | 900 | 900 | 900 |
| Length w/o cover (mm) | 880 | 880 | 880 | 880 | 880 |
| Zeroing | 200 metres (660 ft) | 180 metres (590 ft) | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Sight range | 400 metres (1,300 ft) | 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) | N/A | 850 metres (2,790 ft) | 850 metres (2,790 ft) |
| Penetration | 628mm/90° >400mm/0° 180mm/65° |
20mm/65° | Higher than PF-89 | N/A | N/A |
| Velocity | 147 m/s (480 ft/s) | 147 m/s (480 ft/s) | 140 m/s (460 ft/s) | 120 m/s (390 ft/s) | 120 m/s (390 ft/s) |
Users edit
Cambodia: Used by the Cambodian Army.[7]
China: People's Liberation Army
Non-state actors edit
Libya: WPF 89-2s used by Fajr Libya[8]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b c d "PF-89 Single use anti-tank rocket launcher". Military Today.
- ^ a b "DZJ-08". Military Today.
- ^ a b c d "成熟适用的PF89式80毫米系列单兵火箭筒". NetEase News (in Chinese). 24 July 2009. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011.
- ^ a b c "成熟适用的PF89式80毫米系列单兵火箭筒 (2)". NetEase News (in Chinese). 24 July 2009. Archived from the original on 30 June 2011.
- ^ a b "PF-89". Gun's World (in Chinese). 10 September 2004.
- ^ "WPF-89-1". Military Today.
- ^ https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/171425/SIPRIPP38.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ "Saisie d'armes à El Oued: l'empreinte de Fadjr libya". menadefense.net. 11 March 2016.
External links edit
- PF-89 at SinoDefence