M136 Light Anti-Armor Weapon (AT4)

History of the M136 (AT4) Light Anti-Tank Weapon

As the primary light anti-tank weapon system available to the U.S. Army infantry squad, the M136 AT4 is based on the original Swedish AT4 shoulder-fired anti-tank munitions system. The system can be deployed by a single operator against armored targets that pose a threat to the infantry squad's active hoods.

Essentially, the M136 AT4 is used as a recoilless rifle (as opposed to a missile launcher), which can highly penetrate armored targets and fire bullets over half the length of the tube. When fired, the projectile has spring-loaded fins during flight.

The M136 case is a high-explosive 84mm anti-tank munition with a rocket case, stabilized tail, and free flight (wireless munition) after leaving the launcher. The launcher itself is a one-piece tube system wrapped in fiberglass that can be discarded after launch.

The US Army has since stopped buying the basic AT4 anti-tank system in favor of the newer AT4-CS (Confined Space) unit. The AT4-CS, designated M136E1, has the advantage of being able to get out of tight areas, such as the B. It can fire inside buildings, improving its range in urban environments.

The weapon has an effective range of 300 meters and weighs only 7.5 kg. The recoilless nature of the M136 series allows almost any trained operator to fire, and its sheer capability means the system is subject to serious abuse in the field, which is not reflected in its performance.

The US Army and US Marine Corps use the M136 and have owned it since the invasion of Panama. Over 300,000 such examples have been produced under local license from Alliant Tech Systems in the US.

Specification

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Changes