66mm Light Antitank Weapon System, M72

Overview

66mm Light Antitank Weapon System, M72
General Information
Type	Rocket Launcher
Place of Origin	United States of America
Period Designed	1970s
Period Produced	1970s
Developed Into	M72A1
In Service	1970s - 1980s
Characteristics
Cartridge	66mm LAW
Action	Open breech
Feed System	Pre-packaged tube munitions. Re-loading is possible but not done in the field.
Ammunition Loading	• Rocket, HEAT, 66mm, M72 • Rocket, HEAT, 66mm, M72A1 • Rocket, HEAT, 66mm, M72A2 • Rocket, HEAT, 66mm, M72A3 • (More)
Dimensions
Weight	2.133kg (complete system) 1.134kg (launcher only)
Length	627.38mm (collapsed / disarmed) 881.38mm (extended / armed)
Width	124.46mm (diameter)
Attachments
Sling	Yes
Sights
Sights	Iron sights; • Flip-up rear sight • Flip-up front sight

The 66mm Light Antitank Weapon System, M72 (commonly known as M72 LAW) is an American light anti-tank rocket launcher developed in the 1970s.

The M72 LAW utilizes a range of ammunition, but usually comes pre-loaded with a HEAT cartridge loaded. M72 HEAT was the standard load at the time of the M72 launcher entering service.

Variants

66mm Light Antitank Weapon System, M72 66mm Light Antitank Weapon System, M72A1 66mm Light Antitank Weapon System, M72A2 66mm Light Antitank Weapon System, M72A3 Derivatives Practice Rocket Launcher, M190 Training model using M73 practice rocket. Foreign Left blank until the ammunition and launcher designations are split.

United States of America Weapons Cold War Period (1946 — 1990)

Infantry Weapons
Melee Weapons	Knives	Ka-Bar • M7 • M9 • M11 • OKC-3S
Sidearms	Pistols	Gyrojet • M9 (A1 • A2 • A3 • A4) • MK 22 MOD 0 • XM11
	Machine Pistols	M10 • M11 • MP9
Close Quarters	Personal Defense Weapons	IO MP2
	Submachine Guns	Colt RO635
	Shotguns (automatic)	Atchisson Assault Shotgun
	Shotguns (semi-automatic)	[[]]
	Shotguns (manual-action)	Mossberg 500 (A) • Mossberg 590 • Remington 870 (Express • Magnum • TA Trap • TB Trap • TC Trap)
Primary Weapons	Assault Rifles	Colt 601 • Colt 602 • M16 (A1 • A2 • A3 • A4) • M17S • Stoner 63 (A) • XM22 (E1)
	Assault Carbines	XM177 (E1 • E2)
	Battle Rifles	AR-10 (A • A2 • A2C • A4 • A4C • B) • M14 (E1 • E2)
	Battle Carbines	[[]]
	Civilian Rifles	SIG AMT
Automatic Support Weapons	Light Machine Guns	M15 • Stoner 86
	General Purpose Machine Guns	[[]]
	Heavy Machine Guns	[[]]
Long Range	Anti-Materiel Rifles	[[]]
	Bolt-Action Rifles	M24 (A1 • A2 • A3 • E1) • M40 (A1 • A3 • A5 • A6 • A7) • Remington 700
	Designated Marksman Rifles	M21 SWS
Launchers	Grenade Launchers (Attachment)	40mm M203 (A1 • A2)
	Grenade Launchers (Standalone)	40mm China Lake • 40mm EX 41 • 40mm M32 • 40mm M79 • 40mm T148E1
	Disposable Rocket Launcher	83.5mm M141 • 84mm M136 • 139.7mm FGM-172
	Rocket Launchers	66mm M72 (A1 • A2 • A3) • 66mm M202 (A1) • 84mm M3 MAAWS
Underwater Weapons	Assault Rifles	[[]]
Explosives	Anti-Personnel Mines	M18 (A1) • MM-1
	Anti-Tank Mines	M15 • M19 • M21
	Offensive Grenades	AN/M14 Thermite • M7A3 CS Gas • M25A2 Riot Control • M47 Riot Control • M67 Frag • M84 Stun
	Smoke Grenades	AN/M8 • AN/M18 • AN/M83 White Smoke Grenade

Firearm Accessories
Weapon Sights	Collimator	Crossfire • Razor • RX30 • Razor AMG UH-1 • SPARC AR • SPARC II • Spitfire 3x • Spitfire AR • Strikefire II • Venom • Viper
	Holographic	EOTech 553
	Iron	[[]]
	Night	[[]]
	Reflector	[[]]
	Telescopic	[[]]
Attachments	Flashlights & Lasers	[[]]
	Foregrips & Bipods	[[]]

Infantry Equipment
Camouflage	Camouflage	ERDL • OD • MARPAT • UCP • Woodland
Clothing	Backpacks	[[]]
	Body Armour	[[]]
	Bomb Suit	[[]]
	Elbow and knee pads	[[]]
	Signals & IFF	[[]]
	Suits	[[]]
	Vests & Webbing	[[]]
Headwear	Communication	[[]]
	Gas Masks & Rebreathers	[[]]
	Goggles	[[]]
	Helmets	[[]]
	Vehicle Headwear	[[]]
Optics, Detection and Surveillance	Man-Portable Radar	[[]]
	Mine Detectors	[[]]
	Night Vision Goggles	[[]]
	Periscopes	[[]]
	Rangefinders	[[]]
	Surveillance	[[]]

Artillery
Anti-Aircraft Guns	[[]]
Anti-Tank Guns	[[]]
Field Guns	[[]]
Howitzers	[[]]
Infantry & Mountain Guns	[[]]
Mortars	81mm M252 • 107mm M30 • 120mm M121
Railroad Artillery	[[]]
Recoilless Guns	[[]]
Rocket Artillery	[[]]
Siege Artillery	[[]]

Land Vehicle Weapons
Machine Guns	5.56mm	M231 FPW
	7.62mm	FN MAG • GAU-19 • M37 • M60 • M73 • M219 • M240 • M1919A4
	12.7mm	GAU-19 (A • B) • M2 • T175 (E1) • XM238
Tank Guns	76.2mm	M32 • T91 (E1 • E2 • E3) • T185 (E1)
	90mm	M3 • M41 • M54 • T7 • T15E2 • T54 • T76 • T125 • T208 (E9 • E13) • T209
	105mm	M68 (A1 • E1) • QF20 Pdr • T5E1 • T5E2 • T140 (E3 • E4) • T147 • T254 (E2) • X15E8 • XM35
	120mm	M58 • M256 • T53 • T122 • T123E1 • T123E6 • T179 • Rheinmetall • X23
	152mm	M81 (E1) • XM81 (E6) • XM150 (E5 • E6)
	155mm	T7 (E1) • T180
	165mm	M57 • T156
	175mm	M113 • T256E3
	203.2mm	M1
Howitzers	105mm	M2 (A2) • M4 • M49 • T96E1 • M103 • XM104 • XM103
	155mm	M45 • M126 (A1) • M185 • T186E1 • M284
	203.2mm	M1 • M2 (A1 • A2) • M201A1
	240mm	240mm M1
Autocannons	20mm	M168 • Rh 202
	25mm	M242 • Oerlikon KBA
	30mm	Bushmaster III
	40mm	M2 (A1)
	75mm	75mm XM274
Recoilless Guns	106mm	M40 (A1)
Misc.	Spotting Rifles	M8

Aircraft Weapons & Munitions
12.7mm Aircraft Machine Guns	Browning M2 (AN/M2 • AN/M3) • GAU-19
Aircraft Cannons below & including 30mm	20mm AN/M2 • 20mm AN/M3 • 20mm M24 • 20mm FMC T-160
Aircraft Cannons above 30mm	[[]]

Sources
Books	Online	Documents
		• FM 23-33 • TM 9-1340-214-10 • TM 43-0001-30