antitank grenade

weapon

Also known as: rocket-propelled grenade

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Last updated

July 23, 2026

Quick Summary

An antitank grenade is a weapon designed to destroy or disable tanks. Early antitank weapons, developed during World War I in response to the introduction of tanks, included grenades and large-caliber rifles. These early attempts aimed to penetrate the relatively thin armor of tanks or damage their tracks.12

The effectiveness of these weapons was limited as tank armor improved. However, the development of the "shaped charge" principle, which channels explosive energy into a penetrating jet, led to more effective antitank grenades, often delivered by rocket launchers. These are now commonly referred to as rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs). While early antitank rifles became obsolete due to increasing armor thickness, shaped-charge technology, delivered via shoulder-fired launchers, proved highly effective against tanks.34

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grenade
…type of grenade is the antitank grenade, which contains a special shaped-charge explosive that can pierce even the heavy armour of a tank. Since these are usually delivered by small rockets launched from shoulder-held tubes, they are commonly referred to as rocket-propelled grenades.
Read More
…type of grenade is the antitank grenade, which contains a special shaped-charge explosive that can pierce even the heavy armour of a tank. Since these are usually delivered by small rockets launched from shoulder-held tubes, they are commonly referred to as rocket-propelled grenades.
Read More