From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
A shoulder-launched missile weapon is a weapon that fires a rocket-propelled missile at a target, yet is small enough to be carried by one man, and fired whilst held on their shoulder.
The smallest shoulder-launched missile weapons are called rocket propelled grenades (RPG). There are also larger "dumb" shoulder-launched missiles, used in a similar way to a RPG, but with far greater destructive power.
A number of specialised "smart" missiles are available in shoulder-launched forms, including anti-tank and anti-aircraft guided missiles.
Examples include:
- M-160 Rocket Launcher
- Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon (SMAW)
- FIM-92 Stinger
- SA-7
- REDEYE
See also:
- anti-tank guided missile (ATGM)
- surface-to-air missile (SAM)
