PF89 80mm Rocket Launcher

Last updated: 25 May 2007

The PF89 80mm rocket launcher is the second-generation light anti-tank weapon (LAW) designed and developed by Jiangbei Machinery Factory in Anhui Province. The PF89 is available in four versions: PF89 anti-armour infantry rocket, PF89A multi-purpose infantry rocket, PF89 Type-I HEAT infantry rocket, PF89A ‘bunker buster’ infantry rocket, and WPF89-1/2 thermobaric rocket. The weapon is used primarily by infantry squad for engagement of light armoured vehicles, bunkers, and enhanced fortifications.

The PLA required a second-generation individual anti-armour rocket launcher in 1979 as a successor to its Type 69 (RPG-7 copy) 40mm rocket launcher. The development project which began in 1983 eventually led to the introduction of the PF89 80mm anti-tank rocket launcher, which was design certified in 1989 and entered PLA service in 1993.

The PF89 is a lightweight, self-contained, anti-armour weapon comparable to the Swedish AT-4 (known as M136 in the U.S. Army). The weapon consists of a free-flight, fin-stabilised, rocket-type cartridge packed in an one-piece, one-off, fibreglass-wrapped tube. The launcher is watertight for ease of transportation and storage.

The PF89 is man-portable and is fired from the right shoulder only. It only has very primitive optical sight for aiming, with no night combat capability. The weapon operator must be able to see and identify the target and estimate the range to it. The system weighs only 3.7kg and can be utilised effectively with minimal training. The high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead could penetrate 180mm steel armour angled at 65 degree.

The PF89A multi-purpose infantry rocket was introduced in 1995 based on the basic variant PF89. This variant is fitted with an improved multi-purpose warhead which can penetrate 20mm armour and generate a blast killing zone of 15m radius. The warhead could also be added with incendiary material to generate greater damage to ‘soft’ targets. The PF89A shares the same launcher as the basic variant PF89.

Jiangnbei Machinery Factory began to developed a new improved anti-armour rocket in 1997. This variant is fitted with a tandem charge HEAT warhead for engagement of armoured vehicles fitted with explosive reactive armour (ERA). It also shares the same launcher as the basic variant PF89. The development took seven years and the weapon known as PF89 Type-I HEAT rocket entered PLA service in 2004.

PF89A ‘Bunker Buster’

In 2001 the PLA required a new infantry rocket which can engage enhanced concrete bunkers and strongpoints. The weapon was intended for amphibious landing operations. The development of the PF89A ‘bunker buster' rocket began at Jiangbei Machinery Factory in 2002 and the weapon entered PLA service in 2006/07. The PF89A is fitted with a tandem charge high-explosive (HE) warhead. While the first stage of the warhead penetrates through the enhanced concrete wall, the second detonation generates a blast killing zone of 20m radius. The rocket cannot be fired from the launcher of the basic variant PF89.

WPF89-1/2 Thermobaric Rocket Launcher

Jiangbei Machinery Factory introduced the WPF89-1 thermobaric rocket launcher for the export market in 2002. The weapon is fitted with a fuel-air explosive (FAE) warhead that uses atmospheric oxygen to generate a long-duration high pressure and heat impulse against ‘soft targets’ such as personnel and vehicles. The WPF89-1 uses a reusable launcher that can fire up to seven times. An improved variant known as WPF89-2 uses a non-reusable launcher to save the loading process. Currently Jiangbei is also developing a new type of rocket with a tandem charge warhead. The first stage of the warhead penetrates through the enhanced concrete wall of a building, followed by the second detonation that generates a FAE blast wave to kill the personnel within.

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