RPG-32

The RPG-32 Barkas (Russian: РПГ-32) is a reusable Russian shoulder-launched, unguided anti-tank rocket system.

RPG-32
Type	Rocket-propelled grenade
Place of origin	Russia Jordan
Service history
In service	2012–present
Used by	See users
Wars	Syrian Civil War Iraqi Civil War (2014–2017) War in Afghanistan Yemeni Civil War (2015–present)[1] Russo-Ukrainian War Russian invasion of Ukraine
Production history
Designer	Bazalt
Designed	Between 2005 and 2012
Manufacturer	JADARA under License.
Produced	2012–present
Specifications
Mass	3 kg unloaded 10 kg loaded with 105 mm rocket 6 kg loaded with 72 mm rocket
Length	1,200 mm (complete with 105 mm launch container) 900 mm (complete with 72 mm launch container)
Shell	PG-32V tandem HEAT TBG-32V thermobaric
Caliber	105 mm barrel 72/105 mm warheads
Muzzle velocity	140 m/s
Effective firing range	350 m
Maximum firing range	700 m
Sights	Collimator sight
Blast yield	750 mm (30 in) RHA 650 mm (26 in) RHA after ERA with 105 mm PG-32V tandem HEAT rocket

Development

It was developed by Bazalt between 2005 and 2007, under contract and at the request of Jordan.^[2]

The first RPG-32 'Nashshab' grenade launchers were to be delivered to Jordan from Russia in 2008, and it was planned that the RPG-32 and its ammunition would be mass-produced in Jordan under license at the JADARA factory.

On 30 May 2013, Rostec chief executive officer (CEO) Sergey Chemezov and King Abdullah II opened a production facility for the Russian RPG-32 in Jordan.^[3][4]

Design

It was designed and developed by state-owned unitary enterprise (FGUP) "Bazalt" weapon manufacturing company. It is also assembled in Jordan from Russian-made kits from Bazalt under the name "RPG Nashab" (Arabic: ار بي جي نشاب).^[5][6]

Combat history

Jordanian soldier firing an RPG-32

In March 2016, video was released of Ansar al-Sharia (Yemen) using the RPG-32 against Houthi forces during the Yemeni Civil War.

It is unknown how the terrorist group could have acquired such a modern and advanced weapon system, but it is likely they were initially supplied to Yemeni loyalist forces by the user nations of Jordan or the UAE, part of the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen, then captured by militants.

The RPG-32 has also been seen in use by Kurdish Peshmerga forces in northern Iraq.^[5]

Variants

Nashshab

In February 2015, Jordanian company Jadara Equipment & Defence Systems revealed they had incorporated the RPG-32 into a quad-launcher remote weapon station (RWS).

The "Nashshab" (Archer) system comes in two versions: the Quad-1 is tripod-mounted meant to defend fixed positions, with tubes arranged in a 2×2 configuration and controlled either remotely or through a wire up to 300 m away; the Quad-2 is vehicle mounted for use against infantry, vehicles, and pillboxes in urban terrain, with tubes arranged in a 4×1 configuration and operated from a control unit inside the vehicle.

The stations have day/night sights with rangefinding and automatic targets acquisition capabilities.^{[7][8][9][10]}

Raptor

In November 2022, Jadara Equipment & Defence Systems announced they would begin production of the Raptor rocket launcher later that year.

The Raptor is a development of the Nashshab RPG-32 using a 107 mm rocket. It uses the same GS-2R reusable sighting system with a laser rangefinder to calculate ballistic trajectories for better accuracy, giving it an effective range of 500 m.

The warhead can penetrate 500 mm rolled homogeneous armor (RHA) after explosive reactive armour (ERA) and the complete system weighs 14 kg (31 lb).

Unlike the Nashshab, which was a joint development with Russia, the Raptor will be made in Jordan entirely.^[11]

Users

• Egypt
• Iraq^[12]
• Jordan^[12]
• Russia^[13]
• Tunisia
• Ukraine^[14] – Came from Jordan and manufactured through third-party suppliers.
• United Arab Emirates^[15]