RPG-27

In its annual analysis, “The World Market for Man-Portable Anti-Armor and Bunker Buster Weapons,” the Forecast International Weapons Group (FIWG) expects the market will produce nearly 1.9 million weapons, worth $5.33 billion, through 2014. The group sees the role of a man-portable anti-armor and bunker buster weapons morphing from a dedicated anti-tank weapon to a general-purpose fire support asset for light and medium forces. Russian RPGs under the auspices of the Rosoboronexport will dominate, but European firms are likely to grab the high end.

FIWG estimates that RPGs, mostly the advanced RPG-26 & RPG-27s, will account for over 68% of production and over 51% of the total market value through 2014. In contrast, the combined output of the leading European players will provide only 13.96% of all man-portable anti-armor and bunker buster weapons production, but account for over 33% of the total market value through 2014.

Talley Defense Systems, who makes the LAW and SMAW, was the sole U.S. player to have any discernable impact on thisforecast. They were estimated to account for 5.14% of all production, worth 5.26% of the total market value, through 2014. Surprisingly, the People’s Republic of China also had virtually no impact on the international market, and NORINCO was noted as will contributing less than 1% of total production and market value with its Type 69 line. See official release; note that this is a subscribers’ report, and requires contact with an FI international sales office for a full copy.

See also:

• US Center for Army Lessons Learned (Nov-Dec 2003) – Phase Four Operations in Iraq and the RPG-7

• Infantry magazine, via GlobalSecurity.org (Infantry May-August 1998) – The RPG-7 On the Battlefields of Today and Tomorrow