| QLZ-87 (Type 87 Grenade Launcher) | |
|---|---|
A Type 87 grenade launcher mounted on a tripod on display in Beijing
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| Type | Grenade launcher |
| Place of origin | China |
| Service history | |
| Wars |
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| Production history | |
| Designer | Xiafeng Machinery[5] |
| Designed | Mid-1980s |
| Manufacturer | Norinco |
| Produced | Late 1980s – present |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 26 lb (12 kg) (base: optical scope & integral bipod, no magazine) 44 lb (20 kg) (including tripod mount) |
| Length | 38 in (970 mm) |
| Cartridge | 35×32mmSR grenade |
| Action | Air cooling, gas-operated (direct impingement) |
| Rate of fire | 480 rounds/min |
| Muzzle velocity | 190 m/s (620 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range | 600 m (2,000 ft) |
| Maximum firing range | 1,750 m (5,740 ft) (tripod-mounted) |
| Feed system | 6- or 15-round drum magazine |
| Sights | Iron sights 3x magnification optic Optic mounting rail for night visionorthermal sight[6] |
The QLZ-87[7][8][9] (also known as Type 87[10]) is an air-cooled, gas operated 35×32mmSR automatic grenade launcher (AGL)[11] that is crew transportable (12–20 kg (26–44 lb)) with limited amounts of ammunition.[12] Unusual for handheld grenade launchers, the QLZ-87 fires high-velocity grenades of 35x32 mmSR caliber, which provides a longer range and flatter firing trajectory.[13]
The QLZ-87 is being complemented by the QLZ-04, which is fed from a belt and thus is better suited to be mounted on tripods and vehicles.[14]
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It can fire a variety of 35 mm grenades stored in the 6-or 15-round cartridge drum. The Type 87 is described by NORINCO as "Mini Infantry Artillery". The two most common types of grenades are the 35x32SR DFS87 HE (High Explosive) and DFJ87 HEDP (High Explosive, Dual Purpose) variants.[2] The HEDP 35 mm grenade pierces armour up to 80 mm thick and produces fragments to kill or wound personnel within 5 meters of the point of impact.[2] The HE 35mm grenade has a stated fragmentation casualty radius of 10–11 meters.[2] The Type 87 can fire on a tripod or by using the bipod fixed on the barrel. It can also be mounted on armoured vehicles or helicopters. The launcher is capable of attacking low-flying air targets as well as targets on the ground.[15]
The list of warhead types that are available for the 35×32mmSR Type 87:[16]
Afghanistan[19]
Bolivia[2][4]
China: People's Liberation Army
Ethiopia[2] Some locally made
Iraqi Kurdistan: Kurdish Peshmerga[4]
Namibia[2]
Niger[3]
Pakistan: Used by Pakistan Army.[2]
Somalia, some captured by the Shabaab.[2]
Sudan: Known to be made as "ABBA" by MIC.[20] The QLZ-87 is also used by Sudan-backed Chadian rebels and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North.[2]
Syrian National Coalition[2]
Tanzania[2]
Uganda[2]International:
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