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Panzerfaust 3

Panzerfaust 3 anti-tank grenade launchers were sent by Germany as aid to Ukraine. Immediately after the full-scale attack by the Russian Federation, NATO member states intensified their assistance to Ukraine. Even Germany, which before the start of the war said it was ready to provide only 5,000 helmets. Germany, which previously refused to send lethal aid to Ukraine, decided on Feb. 26 to transfer 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger systems. Panzerfaust 3 - an anti-tank grenade launcher, which, in addition to the Bundeswehr, is used by seven other countries, including Italy, Switzerland and Japan.

Panzerfaust 3 was immediately created in order to destroy a tank attack. In 1978, when the Bundeswehr formed a technical task for a new weapon, the Cold War was in full swing. And the German army needed a simple, massive and effective means of destroying the armored fist of the USSR, which, in the event of the Third World War, had to fight its way to the English Channel. However, the development of Panzerfaust 3 was delayed, and it was adopted when the "wind of change was blowing" in Europe - 1987, and serial production began after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1990.

However, its built-in capabilities made the German grenade launcher enter the international market quite quickly. If you compare the Panzerfaust 3 with the RPG-7, as the most massive grenade launcher in the world, then the German weapon exceeds the Soviet one twice: 700 mm against 260 mm in the most common RPG-7B shot.

Like any grenade launcher, the Panzerfaust 3 is primarily designed to combat light armored vehicles - infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers. And for the destruction of all BMP, APC and BMD available in the Russian army, a penetration of 700 mm is enough. Even for the most modern Russian BMP-3.

As for tanks, the usual version of Panzerfaust 3 does not have a tandem combat unit, and therefore it is possible to hit the conventional Russian T-72B with this grenade launcher in the side and stern. But when using the Panzerfaust 3T, there is a probability of successfully penetrating the tank in some areas of the frontal projection despite dynamic protection. The ammunition of this modernization is easily recognizable by its thicker and larger "nose".

Panzerfaust 3 has two extremely nice features. The first is the possibility of converting the combat unit from a cumulative to a high-explosive one, for this the operator needs to pull out or hide the "nose" on a rocket-propelled grenade. The second is a "soft start", which allows to fire from it from the premises, which is of crucial importance in the conditions of battles in the city.

The first Panzerfaust (also Panzerabwehrrohr ) was a German World War II reactive anti-tank rifle. The weapon, produced in large numbers, was designed for anti-tank purposes. Due to its great popularity and the striking effect of the name, the Panzerfaust became a synonym for the entire type of weapon.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said 23 May 2022 that a decision has been reached on the transfer of weapons to Ukraine. It will come under the scheme of direct purchases of Ukraine from German defense companies, funds from the government of Germany itself. A rather abstract list of weapons to which such a program applies was also announced . "Among all, as before, weapons, which include anti-tank weapons and means of interception, as well as ammunition and what can be used in an artillery battle," said Scholz.

It is easiest to identify anti-tank weapons, because the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been actively using German grenade launchers for quite some time, such as Panzerfaust 3 and RGW-90 Matador. Both are designed to deal with armored vehicles, but the Panzerfaust 3 works better at medium ranges of a few hundred meters. And the Matador, thanks to its dimensions and "soft start", is ideal for battles in city conditions.

The German government published a complete list of lethal and non-lethal military aid that had already been transferred to Ukraine. As of the evening of 12 July 2022, Ukraine had already received from Germany 3,000 Panzerfaust-3 anti-tank weapons with 900 launchers.

The "German Peace Society - United War Service Opponents" (DFG-VK) criticized the delivery.“These deliveries of arms follow the immensely dangerous military logic of both sides that this war can be won militarily. But instead of pouring oil on the fire, Germany should finally become a power for peace,” said Jürgen Grässlin. He criticizes the blatant neglect of civil aid by the traffic light coalition in Berlin: "There is a lack of so many things in Ukraine: why does the federal government not deliver hundreds of ambulances or fire engines as well as transporters and material for reconstruction, but only more weapons of war?"

After the start of the Ukraine war, Chancellor Scholz proclaimed a new military era. But with the "Panzerfaust 3" there is hardly any sign of this so far. The Ministry of Defense apparently only replaces the delivery to Ukraine for this type of weapon.

The Federal Ministry of Defense ordered 2500 rounds for the "Panzerfaust 3 IT" weapon from the manufacturer Dynamit Nobel Defense (DND) from Burbach in Siegerland. According to the ministry, it is only "a replacement measure for the ammunition handed over to Ukraine". This is intended to bring the "ammunition stocks of the Bundeswehr back up to target".

In recent years, the Panzerfaust has not been the focus of interest. It just wasn't "fancy" enough. And in fact, the Panzerfaust 3 is not an intelligent anti-tank guided missile (ATGM – Anti Tank Guided Missile) like the Javelin or the Spike, which the Bundeswehr also uses. It is no coincidence that the weapon has a traditional name reminiscent of the anti-tank weapon from World War II. A choice of words that might not be made in 2023. The Panzerfaust is simpler, cheaper - but no less effective than an ATGM in special situations.

More expensive anti-tank missiles have a much longer range. The TOW from US production reaches almost four kilometers. Properly positioned, these weapons cover a very large area. The range of the Panzerfaust 3, on the other hand, is only 400 meters, which means that the target must be in the immediate vicinity of the shooter. Nevertheless, a maximum of 400 meters and 300 meters with moving objects is far more than with the weapons of the Second World War, some of which only had an effective range of little more than 50 meters. The shooter also had to position himself in front of the target. Much more range would not make sense either: The Panzerfaust 3 is fired with a view of the target. The warhead then follows its path, it cannot track the target on its own, let alone carry out complicated maneuvers.

Panzerfaust 3 is not the most advanced anti-tank weapon, but it's a solid workhorse. The biggest drawback is the short range, but that doesn't have to be a disadvantage in cities.