Tag: Video

Improvised Shoulder-Fired S8 Rocket

The S8 is an 80mm family of unguided rockets developed by the Soviet Union and still in service today. Developed in the 1970s there is a whole range of different types of warheads for the rockets and the S8s are most commonly seen being fired from both Russian and Ukrainian helicopters or Su-25s. We typically see both sides firing salvos of the rockets by pitching up the aircraft and launching, while this no doubt more inaccurate than firing them directly onto a ground target, as originally intended, the practice does keep the valuable aircraft somewhat out of the range of opposing air defences and must have some effect downrange as the practice has continued since the first weeks of the war.

Firing an improvised S8 launcher (via social media)

This week, however, a video of an improvised launcher developed to be fired from the shoulder emerged, seemingly developed by Russian personnel. We can see that the launcher has a pair of pistol grips, a shield made from four planks of wood with a small hole and a plastic screen tacked in place. An electrical box is also mounted on the shield, possibly containing a battery, with a cable tube running to the rear of the launch tube, ostensibly to ignite the rocket motor. It appears that there may be a trigger on the front grip. An individual in the video providing commentary states that the connection is ‘absolutely safe’. The launch tube appears to have at least one bracket welded to it for securing the shield. How the launcher is aimed is unclear, but the individual filming states that they are testing the principle and still need to make some refinements.

S8 rockets ready to be loaded onto a Ukrainian helicopter, 2023 (via social media)

The S8’s rocket burns for approximately 0.7 seconds, generating around 5,800 Newtons of thrust. Depending on the variant of rocket used the rocket has a velocity of around 450 m/s, some variants are faster, this is around 4x faster than a conventional shoulder-fired rocket system, an RPG-22 for example has a muzzle velocity of approximately 130 m/s.

Shield and pistols grips of the improvised S8 launcher (via social media)

The clip shows the firer shoulder the weapon and fire, the launch is successful with the launcher operating as expected but the recoil from the extremely fast moving rocket was considerable. The exhaust gases also appear to have acted on the shield pushing it back against the operator. The launcher flies completely out of the operators hands just after launching, with the shield – designed to protect against rocket’s exhaust gases, apparently striking him in the face. The individual filming continues to track the flight of the rocket and the firer is not shown again.

Preparing to fire an improvised S8 launcher (via social media)

The idea of shoulder launching an S8 has been explored before in Chechnya and elsewhere but unless the force of the launch can be mitigated then the results are the same. Ground improvisation with S8 rockets isn’t uncommon with lots of improvised multiple-launch rocket systems (DIY MLRS) being used by both sides, these typically use pre-existing rocket pods mounted on vehicles. This is a topic for a future article/video. A single S8 launch tube on a mount or tripod, where the danger to the operator is minimised, might have useful applications, similar mounts have already been developed to fire Grad rockets with some degree of accuracy.

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Ukrainian ‘Shotgun’ Drones Shoot Down Russian Drones

On the 27 December, a Ukrainian fundraising charity posted a series of short videos featuring a drone with a pair of gun barrels. The Lesia UA Foundation provide Ukrainian units with vehicles, bikes, drones and personal equipment procured with the funds they raise. It appears that they have helped to fund the development or fielding of an unknown number of gun-armed drones.

The footage of the gun-drone in action was shared on 27 December with the telegram post stating [machine translated]:

“For the first time on video – drones and hard drives shot down other drones
Defenders of Ukraine test #LesiaUAtechnology developments
Stay tuned and we’ll show you even more exclusive shots! Together to victory!”

In the first video the gun-drone follows a quadcopter with the drone’s camera panning up and down several times between what appear to be a pair of barrels. The quadcopter is downed with damage to one of its rotors and appears to be trailing smoke as it spirals to the ground.

View between the barrels of a Ukrainian gun drone (via social media)

In the second short clip what appears to be a bomber drone, carrying an explosive hanging beneath it, is shot down as very close range as it hovers. Similarly, the third video shows a bomber drone which is shot down at close range as it hovered with damage to its rotor blades.
At the time of writing the Lesia UA Foundation have not released any additional clips of the drone in action or any images of what the drone looks like.

While in recent months we have seen drones armed with both RPGs and AK-74s these have been used in the air-to-ground role. The shotgun-like blasts seen in these clips are more useful for close range air-to-air engagements. From the lack of recoil seen in the clips, the large bore diameter of the barrels and their positioning on the drone, either side of a camera gimbal, it would appear that the gun used by the drone follows a recoilless principal. The recoilless guns work along the premise of Newton’s Third Law of Motion, that all things have an equal and opposite reaction – as such two guns are connected back to back, with the backwards-facing gun firing a counter-weight – mitigating recoil which prevents the drone’s flight from being destabilised.

A Russian recoilless gun drone developed in 2024 (via social media)

Why a recoilless gun and not a conventional shotgun? Principal factors governing this are likely weight, effectiveness and recoil. The recoilless guns have a larger bore diameter meaning larger load and increased hit probability. Additionally they are simpler with no-working or recoiling parts (as they load is likely electrically ignited) and they are lighter allowing the drone to stay in the air for longer and/or travel further. The key downside to the use of a single shot recoilless gun is that it can fire only one round. The Ukrainian drones have sought to mitigate this by seemingly equipping their drone with two of the guns.

While we haven’t yet seen an image of the Ukrainian gun-armed drone, we have seen a Russian example which was developed in the summer of 2024, tested but reportedly not yet fielded. The Russian drone was developed by the BRT company who, in a recent telegram post, expressed their frustration at seeing a Ukrainian recoilless gun drone in use.

While successfully engaging an enemy drone with a gun is difficult it is the detection and tracking of enemy drones which is likely the most challenging part. This may lead to these recoilless gun-equipped drones being used in a sort of combat air patrol role, seeking out and hunting down enemy drones over an area where they have been reported. It remains to be seen if these recoilless gun-armed drones will proliferate as a method of countering the huge number of small drones used by both sides but from the limited footage of them in action that is available the concept seems proven.

Update – 10/1/24: Additional footage has surfaced showing the drone firing on Russian infantry.

Update – 15/1/25: Additional footage of the Ukrainian drone in action, shared by a drone unit with the 2nd Mechanized Battalion of the 30th Mechanized Brigade.

Update – 4/2/25:

A drone team with the 43rd Mechanised Brigade shared a clip of a shotgun drone engaging a Russian drone.

Update – 17/2/25:

Update – 2/4/26: A gun-armed drone shooting down a Molniya-2 drone.

Update – 9/5/26: Ukrainian drone unit ‘Posipaka’ shared footage on 8 May of successful engagements of Russian drones with a gun-armed drone.

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3D Printed Anti-Personnel Mines

In this article/video we’ll examine an an interesting and very simple 3D printed anti-personnel mine developed by the Ukrainians. The mines are similar in purpose and size to the Russian PFM-1, the so-called ‘Butterfly’ mines. However, their shape and form factor is similar to that of the larger PMN-4, but they are significantly simpler.

3D printed mine found in the field (via social media)

The 3D printed mine’s explosive filling is said to be around 30g, with an overall weight of 55g. The mine is made up of a two-part outer shell printed in PLA, or another similar plastic. The two pieces screw together and a layer of plastic explosive is in the bottom half of the shell along with a percussion initiator of some sort. The top half of the mine has a small  metal Philips-head screw protruding down through the top, this acts as a striker for the initiator. There is a tube protruding up from the lower half of the mine, printed as part of the body, which likely guides the screw and holds the initiator.

The mine appears to work along the principle of when stepped on the outer shell breaks and compacts allowing the screw to strike the initiator, detonating the mine.

An illustration of the mine’s layout and components (Alexis Midy/Midy Infographie)

The design is extremely simple and cost effective to produce, requiring only the simplest 3D printer, a screw and an initiator and explosive.

The first sighting of the mines I’ve been able to find was in a telegram post by a Russian sapper. In the post, on 6 October, he shared several photos of the mines found in the field and warned that Ukrainian drones are dropping them in the Kursk and Belgorod regions. Another photo of one of the mines was shared by another Russian combatant on 8 October.

A Russian telegram channel, enginner25, shared post showing multiple images of the mines and a video showing the internals.

3D printed mine opened to show explosive filling (via social media)

In another photo we can see that the mines are apparently dropped from plastic tubes suspended below drones. The photo only shows the top of the tube but it’s clear that a number of tubes are carrying a significant number of mines. The release mechanism for the lids of the carrier tubes appears to use something like 3mm Visco fuze, commonly used with fireworks, or igniter cord. Once initiated the fuze/cord burns away and releases the mines with the drone scattering them as it flies over an area.

The design of the mine is extremely simple but appears to be potentially quite effective, relying on the brittleness of the 3D printed shell to work. The mines seem to have been engineered to be quickly produced at scale rather than to make them undetectable to Russian sappers. However, if a non-metallic striker replaced the screw the mines would be even more difficult to detect.

Assorted 3D printed mines (via social media)

While not the first 3D printed explosive device to emerge from the fighting in Ukraine, this mine is certainly one of the smallest and simplest. How widespread their deployment is, is still unclear but they seem they would be a useful part of Ukraine’s drone-deployed mine interdiction efforts behind Russian lines.

Thank you to Roy for drawing my attention to these mines.

Update 22/12/24: A new Russian video showing the internals of the mine and giving a better look at the percussion initiator (source).

Update 5/7/25: A Ukrainian video showing the testing of a 3D printed mine.

https://twitter.com/GrandpaRoy2/status/1941188821229658422

Support Us: If you enjoyed this video and article please consider supporting our work here. We have some great perks available for Patreon Supporters – including early access to custom stickers and early access to videos! You can also find us on the History of Weapons & War app. Thank you for your support!

Call For Questions: 100,000 Subscriber Q&A!

Super thrilled to have passed the 100,000 subscriber mark over on YouTube!

The channel has been around since 2017 and has taken me to some incredible places and given me the chance to examine some amazing weapons everything from Ferguson rifles to the HK G11! Very grateful to everyone who has watched my videos over the years. Starting off on shaky ground stumbling over pieces to camera to disassembling and examining one of a kind John Browning prototypes and everything in between!

You may have found me through my videos on the war in Ukraine. While never something I thought I’d be covering in real-time I hope they’ll provide a useful resource in years to come. I can only hope it’s a series of videos that ends soon. I really appreciate everyone who has watched my work, commented and shared the videos. Massive thank you to past & present supporters on Patreon they have hoped me justify spending so much time on making videos!

Thank you also to friends and colleagues who have helped with research and been supportive over the years. Working on historical and contemporary firearms content has led me to becoming friends with some incredible historians, researchers and video creators which have really enriched my life. So, all in all, reaching 100,000 subscribers may seem insignificant compared to some of the huge YouTube channels out there but when you’re a fairly quiet British fella who likes firearms and history it’s wonderful to be able to share the passion with so many others each week. Thank you.

I thought I’d celebrate by doing a question and answer / ask me anything. So ask me anything! Firearms history, my background, favourite colour, questions about my videos on Ukraine, and I’ll try to answer as many as I can in a video or live stream! Leave questions in the video’s comments or email them here.

Ukraine’s Grad Rocket-Armed Sea Drones

Ukraine’s family of unmanned surface vessels (USVs) continues to grow as the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) have developed a Grad rocket-armed Sea Baby drone. The one-way or kamikaze USVs deployed by Ukraine in the Black Sea have been instrumental in engaging the Russian Navy, however, more recently new variants have emerged as Russia has begun to adapt and successfully engage the Sea Babies which in turn has seen the Ukrainians seek to adapt.

The first video of the rocket-armed USV in action recently emerged and the SBU has released some photographs which appear to show the drone in testing. On 22 May, an anonymous SBU source told The Kyiv Independent that the new drones have been used in combat “against Russian positions on the Kinburn spit,” a stretch of often fought over land on the coast near Mykolaiv. “This technological solution is already showing powerful results,” with the source adding “Our Sea Baby is not just a drone, but a multifunctional platform that is constantly being improved.” So far it seems the rocket-armed USV has been used against shore targets rather than to engage the Russian Black Sea Fleet, firing on a moving target from an unstable platform may be much more of a challenge. It remains to be seen if this USV variant has been put to use engaging vessels at sea. The Grad Sea Baby gives the SBU the useful ability to strike shore targets anywhere along the Russian-occupied Black Sea coast. From available imagery, at least three of the rocket-armed variants have been built.

The drones have been equipped with six 122mm Grad rocket launch tubes. The BM-21 multiple rocket launch system is used by both Ukraine and Russia. It’s size, ubiquity and relative cheapness makes it an obvious choice for mounting on the six meter long Sea Baby. The latest versions of the Sea Baby are reportedly able to carry 400 kg warheads over 500 miles at speeds of up to 48 knots.

The Grad rockets have a range of anywhere between 20 and 50 km depending on the type of rocket used. It’s unclear if a sea-based launch impacts the rocket’s range or accuracy but depending on sea conditions dispersion of the munitions is almost certainly affected. While accuracy may be impacted the rockets still give the Sea Baby a useful stand off capability, allowing the USVs to engage targets at a distance rather than having to make it physically all the way to the target to detonate its payload. How the rockets are aimed or the launcher is zeroed isn’t yet clear. The tubes do not appear to be adjustable for elevation as photos appear to show them fixed in place at a slight angle. Available photos show the launcher being tested ashore at a range, perhaps the tubes are bore sighted.

This isn’t the first time rockets have been fired from a Ukrainian USV, back in January 2024, footage of a USV firing smaller rockets at a Russian patrol vessel emerged. The rockets are believed to be RPV-16 or RPO-A thermobaric rockets. Some of this footage, along with other older video, was included in a short clip which showed off the rocket-armed Sea Babies. While this footage may not show a Grad launch Vasyl Malyuk, head of the SBU, has said during a press event with UNITED24, that “For the first time, the SBU used the “Sea baby” drone, equipped with the “Grad” rocket salvo fire systems, in December 2023,” adding that this represented a “new milestone in the history of sea battles.” Newsweek reported that the Sea Babies fitted with Grad launchers were paid for using United24 donations, with each USV estimated to be worth $221,000.

Most recently we also saw another curious Ukrainian USV emerge, equipped with an improvised air-defense system with two repurposed AA-11 ARCHER (R-73) air to air missiles. The air defense USV emerged as Russian helicopters began to effectively engage the Ukrainian USVs. Given the rapid evolution of Ukraine’s USVs it would not be surprising to eventually see one equipped with an anti-ship missile, such as a small RBS-17.

Sea Baby equipped with six Grad tubes (via SBU)

The small cross section and speed of the Sea Baby drones allow them to infiltrate and approach Russian Black Sea vessels both at sea and in port. However, Russia has developed rudimentary tactics for successfully engaging them either with helicopters or with small arms and other defensive fire from vessels. A stand off capability, be it a USV equipped with unguided Grad rockets or an anti-ship missile, adds another dimension the Russians will have to adapt to. The Grad-armed Sea Baby is the latest indicator that Ukraine’s USV fleet is continuing to diversify to meet new threats and operational requirements.

An earlier version of this article first appeared at OvertDefense.com.

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More Russian & Ukrainian MT-LB Adaptations

In June we looked at MT-LB adaptations which have been pressed into service by both sides. Check out that video/article here. In recent weeks there have been more sightings of some of these adapted vehicles.

On 3 September, the first video of one of Russia’s MT-LBs fitted with a 2M-3 twin 25mm naval gun turret was shared online. The turret appears to be extremely unstable, shaking violently, its hard to imagine this weapon system being useful for anything beyond suppression.

A Russian MT-LB mounted with a 2M-3 turret (via IZ)

A week later on 10 September a short clip of another Russian MT-LB with a 2M-3 turret was published by Russian news outlet Izvestia. Again the turret seen firing appears to be very unstable with not only the vehicle rocking on its suspension but also the turret bouncing in its mount.

Intriguingly both of these MT-LBs appear to have the 2M-3 turrets mounted much lower than the vehicles seen earlier. The MT-LBs seen earlier appear to have the turrets mounted higher in tower-like structures.

An S-60 MT-LB during an exercise in Russia (via social media)

Another adaptation not covered in our earlier video/article is the mounting of 57mm S-60 anti-aircraft guns on MT-LBs. These have been seen somewhat regularly and most recently shared via Russian telegram channels shared video of S-60-armed MT-LB training with a newly mobilised, but unnamed, unit in Russia’s central military district. These vehicles typically provide direct fire support against ground targets.

An MT-LBu fitted with a 14.5mm KPVT in a RWS (via 42nd Separate Mechanised Brigade)

In terms of Ukrainian adaptations there have been further sightings of one of the vehicles we looked at last time, an MT-LBu variant which has been upgraded with additional armour and a remote weapon station mounting a 14.5mm KPVT heavy machine gun. These are believed to be in service with the 42nd Separate Mechanised Brigade and some sources have described them using the designation BMP-1LB.

A video showing several of the adapted MT-LBus was shared on 7 September, showing four of the vehicles. On 13 September the 42nd Separate Mechanised Brigade shared a series of photographs featuring the vehicles. There hasn’t yet been any video of these vehicle’s remote weapon stations being fired so it is unclear if they have been stabilised better than their Russian counterparts.

MT-LB with a BM-7 Parus turret (via social media)

One adaptation which was not mentioned in our earlier video/article was the combining of an MT-LB with a BM-7 ‘Parus’ weapon module. The BM-7 normally comprises a 30mm ZTM-1 auto cannon, a coaxial PKT machine gun, a 30mm automatic grenade launcher and several anti-tank guided missiles. These are typically paired with the BTR-4. MT-LBs mounted with the BM-7 don’t appear to have the ATGMs fitted. These MT-LBs were first seen in July, with a video of two of the vehicles on the move shared on 21 July. Another video showing one of the vehicles firing has also been shared.

The ubiquitous MT-LB, while lightly armoured, continues to offer one of the best available platforms adaptation, if you enjoyed this article/video – check out our earlier work on MT-LB adaptations here.

Update 11/7/24:

Russian marines of the 155th Guards Brigade operate an MT-LB with a 2M-3M twin mount.

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FN Light Automatic Rifle ‘Competition Model’ Manual

In this short video we’ll take a look at a manual for the FN Light Automatic Rifle ‘Competition Model’. The FN LAR was a semi-automatic only commercial export variant of the FAL. This undated manual likely dates from the 1980s when FN began importing LAR’s into the US.

This week is FAL week over at History of Weapons & Warfare, with videos looking at the FAL from all of the creators being featured. Until Sunday, 8 October, you can get 25% off your first month when you use the discount code ‘L1A1‘! Head over and check out – www.weaponsandwar.tv

Front cover of the LAR manual (Matthew Moss)
Centre-fold of the LAR manual showing the disassembly process (Matthew Moss)

More Manuals from the TAB Reference Collection:

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Heavy Drone Bombers Dropping Anti-Tank Mines

Drone warfare in Ukraine is one of the war’s most rapidly evolving elements with considerable innovation and improvisation. In recent weeks several videos have been shared showing large drones dropping TM-62 anti-tank mines.

The first video shared on 3 September showed how a mine could be carried and released by a large six-rotor drone. The TM-62M is seen loaded into a cradle tray which is then remotely triggered causing the floor plate to hinge and release the mine. The video also shows how the TM-62 is fuzed with a UZRG-pattern hand grenade fuze, pushed directly into the mine’s explosive through a hole cut in the side of its casing.

The TM-62M is a high-explosive blast landmine designed to immobilise or destroy vehicles. The mine is packed with 7.5kg (17lbs) of explosive and is normally centrally fuzed by a pressure fuze. The TM-62M is a significant payload for a bomber drone and when dropped they have significant blast effect.

A subsequent video, shared on 6 September, shows a series of clips filmed by the bomber drone’s camera showing the TM-62 being dropped on numerous targets. The mines in this video have been significantly adapted with a stabilising tail added. The tail appears to be made up of a length of PVC pipe and a large water battle with its base cut off. The tail appears to be quite effective especially given the mine’s considerable weight and poor aerodynamics. It is also notable that the fuzing system appears to be different in the second video. Rather than a hand grenade fuze it appears that a larger fuze has been used, positioned next to the stabilising tail.

With the tail and its cut down water bottle its unlikely the release system for this munition is the same as that seen in the first video. A system which would allow for a smooth release and not snag the tail assembly would be needed. In several of the clips in the second video a strap swings past the drone’s camera perhaps suggesting there is a sling system in use.

A subsequent photograph shared on social media shows one of the mines in much better resolution. The tail is indeed made from PVC piping and a water bottle and the fuze appears to be vane-armed. The makers also have a sense of humour likening the odd-looking munition to the ‘USS Enterprise’ from Star Trek, they’ve written ‘USS Enterprise NCC-0001’ on the forward section of the mine.

At the same time as the photograph a number of additional videos showing the TM-62 based bombs being dropped were shared. These videos were originally shared towards the end of August and show a series of successful munition drops.

We are seeing a trend towards more sophisticated and more capable drone bombers which can carry either greater numbers of smaller bombs or larger singular bombs like the TM-62 munition.

Update – 1/10/23

The K-2 drone team with the 54th Brigade has shared footage of one of their drones dropping TM-62s mines on a Russian checkpoint and storage position. The drone appears to drop several unadapted TM-62s, though the lag time between landing and detonation would indicate they are not equipped with an impact fuze but perhaps a grenade fuze as seen in the initial videos featuring TM-62s. The resolution of the thermal cameras does not make it possible to identify the method of fuzing.

Note the falling TM-62 (with tape) and the swinging drop tray (K-2)

The release system appears to consist of a tray which holds the mine which is suspended by straps which are released to drop the munition. The tray can be seen swinging beneath the drone after one of the drops. The munitions appear to have tape around them, the reason for this is unclear, perhaps protecting the fuze system.

Update – 5/1/24: A video compilation showing numerous drops of TM-62s was shared on 5 January 2024. It begins with a demonstration of a light weight drop tray being released. The tray appears to be made from a metal grill (perhaps from an oven or an animal cage). The compilation shows mines being dropped without tail assemblies like those seen in earlier videos. Their are also visible puffs of gases/smoke from the mine’s fuze being triggered as it descends.

Update – 11/1/24:

Update -17/1/24: Further footage of TM-62 pattern mines being dropped from drones. Note a tail stabiliser is not used.

Support Us: If you enjoyed this video and article please consider supporting our work here. We have some great perks available for Patreon Supporters – including early access to custom stickers and early access to videos! Thank you for your support!

Bibliography:

TM-62M Landmine, CAT-UXO, (source)

Fuzes, CAT-UXO, (source)

Armourer’s Bench on the New History of Weapons & War App!

We are excited to announce that TAB will be joining the new video app History of Weapons & War, launched by our friend Ian of Forgotten Weapons. We were flattered to be amongst the first group of channels to be asked to join the app.

We’re really pleased to be joining our friends at Bloke on the Range, British Muzzleloaders, the Royal Armouries, Cap & Ball EU, Legacy Collectibles, Nine Hole Reviews and of course Forgotten Weapons!

All of these channels approach military and gun history in their own fantastic, unique ways so there is a vast plethora of cool and interesting content on the app from the beginning. There are currently around 5,000 videos on the app and counting.

The app is available on various platforms including tvOS (aka Apple TV), iOS (aka Apple App Store), Android TV, Android App Store, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV. The best place to sign up is directly at weaponsandwar.tv and sign up there, then download the app on your platform of choice!

Here’s Ian’s video explaining everything!

A History of Weapons & War subscription is $9.99 a month, or around $99.99 a year.

So head to weaponsandwar.tv, check out the site/app and sign up!

British Use of the AR-15/M16

Last year I had the pleasure of giving a talk at the Cody Firearms Museum’s Arsenals of History Symposium. I’ve been working with my friend Jonathan Ferguson of the Royal Armouries on a research paper looking at British use of the AR-15 platform. My focus for the project has been the user experience, I’ve spoken to over 25 veterans from across the British military who have experience using the AR-15/M16 platform on operations. Chronologically their experiences span nearly 60 years and this somewhat informal presentation gives a brief overview of some of the operations where the rifles have been used from the Indonesian Confrontation right through to the present day.

Some of the photos featured in the presentation

If you’re a member or former member of the British armed forces with experience with the AR-15/M16 platform I would love to hear from you, please reach out via armourersbench@gmail.com. Your help and insights would be invaluable.

Once the project is completed I’ll put together a more in-depth video discussing the history of the UK’s use of AR-15/M16-pattern rifles.