RPG-29

The RPG-29 Vampir was developed in the late Soviet period to defeat increasingly protected tanks, including vehicles fitted with explosive reactive armor. It followed the disposable and reloadable RPG lineage but used a larger calibre round and a tandem-charge warhead. The system entered service around the end of the Cold War and later became widely discussed because of combat use against modern armored vehicles. Its development reflects the continuing importance of infantry anti-armor weapons even as tanks gained layered protection.

Technically, RPG-29 is a shoulder-fired, reusable rocket launcher using a large rocket-assisted projectile. Its most important munition is a tandem HEAT warhead designed to defeat explosive reactive armor before penetrating the main armor. The weapon is heavier and less convenient than smaller RPGs, but it offers greater armor penetration. It can also use thermobaric rounds for structures or field fortifications. The system is unguided, so operator training, range estimation, and target exposure strongly affect effectiveness.

Operationally, RPG-29 is dangerous in ambush conditions, urban combat, and close terrain where infantry can engage vehicle flanks or rear arcs. The weapon has been reported in conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, gaining attention for successful attacks against heavily armored vehicles. Its limitations are weight, short effective range, and the need for a skilled gunner, but its tandem warhead makes it a credible threat. It should be categorized as a portable anti-armor rocket system rather than a guided missile.