M80 Zolja
The M80 Zolja (from Serbian: зоља, lit. 'wasp') is a portable one-shot disposable 64 mm unguided anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade, designed in the former Yugoslavia. The M80 Zolja is still produced in Serbia and in North Macedonia.[1][2]
| M80 Zolja | |
|---|---|
The M80 Zolja in collapsed position and its rocket | |
| Type | Anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade launcher |
| Place of origin | Yugoslavia |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Military Technical Institute |
| Designed | 1980 |
| Manufacturer | Sloboda |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 3 kg (loaded) |
| Length | 800 mm: (unarmed) 1200 mm: (ready to fire) |
| Caliber | 64 mm |
| Action | 300 mm: RHA |
| Muzzle velocity | 190 m/s |
| Effective firing range | 220 m |
| Maximum firing range | 1280 m |
| Sights | Iron sights |
Description edit
Constructed from fibre-reinforced plastics, the M80 Zolja is designed to be used by an individual against armoured fighting vehicles or fortifications.
The M80 Zolja is a single-use recoilless weapon which is characterized by its simple operation and lightweight characteristics. The launcher and the container are incorporated into a single unit.
Launcher edit
The M80 Zolja launcher is telescoping which is intended for easier transportation. The launchers consists of a forward and rear tube made of fibre-reinforced plastic, a firing mechanism, front and rear aiming sights, a carry handle, front and rear caps to keep debris out and a sling.
Rocket edit
The 64mm anti-tank missile is located in the rear of the launcher. The missile consists of an explosive warhead, stabilizer wings and a solid fuel rocket.
The M80's warhead has the potential to penetrate 300 mm of solid steel at a 90-degree angle. The warhead may be fitted with an impact and piezoelectric blasting mechanism. A self-destruct mechanism is also integrated into the rocket which ensures that the rockets self-destruct if the target is not hit within 4 to 6 seconds of flight. The rocket propellant is only fired while in the tube, which propels the rocket to a speed of 190 m/s. This speed ensures that the rocket reaches its 240 m range at a 2.5 meter target.
Operation edit
The launcher is held in both hands. The operator opens the covers on both ends of the launcher, grasping the forward tube piece firmly with his left hand the operator pulls the back tube outwards with a sharp, hard pull. If the launcher has been successfully cocked, the back piece will not slide in. The operator assumes a correct firing position, keeping in mind the backblast zone of the launcher, takes aim through the flip up sights and squeezes the trigger to fire the rocket. Afterwards the empty tube is disposed of.
Use edit
The M80 was widely used in the Yugoslav Wars and Insurgency in the Republic of Macedonia. Many units ended up in civilian hands and have been used in a number of violent incidents.[3][4] The weapon has also been used by organized crime; one such incident was a November 1999 assassination attempt in downtown Zagreb, when the projectile ricocheted off the target's armored car and killed an innocent bystander.[5] Members of the Zemun Clan at one time considered using the M80 to attack the former Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić's motorcade.[6][7] Bosnian Serb mercenaries in Zaire used some M80s against Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo in 1997 during the first Congo War.[8]
Specifications edit
Launcher edit
- Length:
- Extended: 1,200 mm.
- Closed: 800 mm.
- Weight:
- With rocket: 3 kg.
- Without rocket: 1.58 kg.
- Firing mechanism: Percussion.
- Front sight: reticle.
- Rear sight: peep sight.
Rocket edit
- Caliber: 64 mm
- Length: 664 mm
- Weight: 1.42 kg
- Muzzle velocity: 190 m/s
- Minimum range (combat): 10 m
- Maximum range: 1,280 m (3,300 ft)
- Penetration: 300 mm
Maximum effective range edit
- Stationary target: 220 m
Operators edit
Current operators edit
Former operators edit
- Bosnia and Herzegovina - Withdrawn from service,replaced by donated AT4's.
- Croatia - Withdrawn from use, replaced by Swedish made AT4.
- Slovenia - Withdrawn from use, replaced by German made MATADOR.
- Yugoslavia - Passed on to successor states.
- Zaire[8]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ . Archived from the original on 2020-09-19. Retrieved 2017-09-06.
- ^ . Archived from the original on 2018-01-09. Retrieved 2017-09-07.
- ^ http://www.javno.com/hr-svijet/mladi-srbin-zoljom-pokusao-ubiti-zeninu-obitelj_204817 2018-10-05 at the Wayback Machine (in Croatian)
- ^ "U Doboju pomahnitali nasilnik zoljom gađao suprugu i njene roditelje". www.index.hr. from the original on 2023-09-25. Retrieved 2022-07-06.
- ^ "Mafijaski obracun u središtu Zagreba". www.aimpress.ch. from the original on 2018-01-08. Retrieved 2018-01-07.
- ^ "Grčka predala Srbiji optuženog za atentat na Đinđića". www.index.hr. from the original on 2023-09-25. Retrieved 2022-07-06.
- ^ "Priznanje Zvezdana Jovanovića — Викизворник". sr.wikisource.org. Archived from the original on 2022-07-06. Retrieved 2022-07-06.
- ^ a b Fitzsimmons, Scott (November 2012). "The White Legion Abandons Zaire". Mercenaries in Asymmetric Conflicts. Cambridge University Press. p. 264. doi:10.1017/CBO9781139208727.007. ISBN 9781107026919. from the original on 2023-02-27. Retrieved 2018-10-04.
- ^ Republic of Serbia: Ministry of Economy and of Regional Development. . p. 56. Archived from the original on 21 December 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014 – via Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
- ^ "UNROCA (United Nations Register of Conventional Arms)". www.unroca.org. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
External links edit
- Sloboda a.d. Čačak, Serbia