The British Army has fielded the 66mm M72 in a number of forms, initially procuring it in the 60s and 70s – designating it the L1(A1/A2/A3) anti-tank weapon. In 2007, during operations in Afghanistan, the UK Ministry of Defence identified a new urgent operational requirement for an stand-off anti-structure weapon that was cheaper than utilising the LAW80 or more expensive Javelin anti-tank guided missile. The munition selected was a new variant of the NAMMO and Talley-manufactured M72 which had an aluminised high explosive 1kg warhead and an overall weight of 4.3kg. The explosive used was likely PBXIH-135 which mixed HMX with aluminium to enhance the warhead’s blast and thermal output.

M72A9 is the US Department of Defense’s designation for the Nammo ASM ‘enhanced blast’ warhead round. This round generates an extended-duration blast pulse designed to collapse buildings. Nammo lists this round as the M72 A9 ASM. In British service it was designated the LASM – ‘light anti-structure munition’.

The example we’re examining here is part of the Vickers MG Collection & Research Association’s wider collection. It is an expended tube for one of the rockets. On the tube body we can see lengths of Picatinny rail and various markings including an information sticker stating the serial number, its date of filling – 11/07, its manufacturer – Talley Defense Systems and its designation – ‘M72 A9 LASM’. Someone has also written ‘GET SOM’ in marker on the body at some point. The tube isn’t in the best condition having lost both its front and rear sights.

Over 1,000 LASM are believed to have been procured as part of the urgent operational requirement, they were used operationally from 2007 onwards and with an effective range of 200m it filled a key niche between the British Army’s 40mm under-barrel grenade launchers carried at the section-level and its larger shoulder-launched systems including the LAW80 and Javelin. There are plenty of photos and videos of LASM being used by British troops and while its effectiveness is unclear it provided a lightweight, mid-range anti-structure munition capable of destroying small buildings and punching holes in compound walls. The M72 A9 has since been superseded in Nammo’s product line-up by the A12 and the LASM is not currently in service with the British Army. In 2010 the British Army adopted the Rafael MATADOR-AS for the anti-structure role but are now out of UK service with any remaining stocks probably transferred to Ukraine.

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Bibliography:

‘2 Mercian Contact, firing grenades and a 66mm rocket launcher’, Paul Standen, (2020) [source]

‘Afghanistan, British Soldier Fires 66mm Rocket Followed By Rifle Fire’, JW, (2011) [source]

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