External images
Wasp 58
Soldier shown with first Wasp 58 design
First Wasp 58 launcher design

The Wasp 58 is a 58-mm rocket launcher antitank weapon developed in France in the late 1980s. The weapon was, originally, privately developed by the French firm Luchaire SA, subsidiary of GIAT.^[2]

History

In the early 1980s, Luchaire's sales department had noted the rising costs of light individual anti-armour/assault weapons were to the point that fewer and fewer could be purchased and that there was a need for a one-man anti-armor/assault weapon which could be purchased for a cost slightly higher than that of a rifle grenade, but with the greater accuracy and ease of use of a one-man rocket launcher

The world export markets was the major considerations behind the development of the Wasp 58 by Luchaire.^[3]

Description

The Wasp 58 is a direct-fire weapon used to attack lightly armored vehicles at ranges up to 300 metres.^[4] It can also be used against bunkers or as a fire support weapon.^[2] The Wasp 58 is a one-man disposable weapon system based on the recoilless principle. On ignition the propellant fires the 58-mm projectile forward while at the same time ejecting a counter mass of plastic chips to the rear to achieve a recoilless effect.^[2] The plastic chips due to their size and weight lose any velocity after 1 metre of travel from the back of the launcher. The projectile is stabilized by six fins that unfold and lock into place after leaving the tube.^[3]

The designers of the Wasp 58 made it compact and simple to operate with a small launch signature. This enables it to be fired from enclosed spaces, including from small rooms in buildings, and protects the user from having his position revealed.^[2] The Wasp 58 is composed of a sealed launch tube manufactured from fibreglass reinforced plastic. The Wasp 58's HEAT antiarmour warhead is 58-mm in diameter and is based on the Grenade à fusil antichar de 58 mm Mle F1 PAB rifle grenade's warhead, also designed and manufactured by Luchaire and in service with the French military and other armies worldwide.^[3]

The anti-armour warhead of the Wasp 58 can penetrate 300 mm of rolled homogeneous armour (RHA).^[4] While insufficient in penetration for frontal engagements of today's modern main battle tanks, it can engage other armoured targets (wheeled armour vehicles or light tanks) from both frontal and side.^[2]

The Wasp 58 requires no annual maintenance or special storage other than that which would be required for other small arms munitions. The Wasp 58 has a hit probability of over 95% when fired against stationary targets (88% against moving targets).^[4]

Production

The Wasp 58 was first sold in 1987.^[3] It has been a commercial success with over 450,000 produced,^[4] including licensed production in Greece. It is in service in France (with the French Commandos de l'Air),^[2] Belgium, Denmark, France, Greece and the Netherlands. The Greek Revolutionary Organization 17 November stole a few rockets and used them for terrorist attacks.^[3]

References and notes