The SAAF Forum

Hi guys

What is the status of this weapon in the SANDF? Is it still used?

Found this on it, not sure when / who produced it (the FT-5 that is). Also, if anyone knows... what does "FT" mean - apart from "f**king tight".

http://www.tanks.net/anti-tank-weapons/ ... ystem.html

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A plan is simply a basis for change.

If I'm not mistaken, the FT 5 was designed and manufactured by Somchem.

Don't think that they are still in operational use, might be in storage.
The rounds are hugely expensive compared to the RPG-7 rounds.

If the Army is looking for a replacement, I dont know.

Thanks for the info

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A plan is simply a basis for change.

I was trained on and have shot the FT-5, so if anyone wants any questions, fire away.

It has been a long time though...

What does "FT" stand for? What calibre is the weapon and is it more powerful than say, RPG-7?

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A plan is simply a basis for change.

More questions if you dont mind indulging us:

*when was the system (unofficially/officially) introduced?
*who(units) were to be issued with it?
*what were the user(s) opinions?

regards

If I have it correctly , the FT-5 was introduced in 1989 to replace the French LRAC-89. The FT-5 system was used untill 2007 when it was placed in reserve citing high costs.

It was a 99/100mm calibre where the LRAC-89 was 89mm.

I was trained on it around 1990, give or take a year either way. I'm unsure of who exactly was issued with it to be honest, as this was around the end of the Border War.

This was about 20 years ago, and I'm operating from memory, so be gentle with me.
I have my notes from the time which may be interesting, but these are in a container with some of my household and personal goods as I've moved a long way recently. I hope to get them in a month or two.

The FT-5 was a quantum leap over the RPG-7 and the 3,5 Bazooka. I never got to fiddle with the 3,5, but colleagues who did confirmed this. The FT-5 was a 2 crew weapon, that had some type of composite outside covering. The sight was very good, and could be easily detached from the launcher, which was the front tube. The trigger mechanism could also be rapidly detached from the launcher, and was an electric or electronic trigger mechanism.

The missile was factory sealed, and came in a similar composite missile tube, so you didn't really get to see it. Certainly, the warheads were very powerful for a system such as this, far better than the RPG-7. There were a few different types of warhead, depending on the target type. The accuracy was also much better than the RPG, which had a two stage propellant system if I remember, which didn't help when firing it at longer ranges.

We shot the FT-5 at around 400 meters, but it was capable of reaching further than this. The loader would insert the missile container to the back of the launcher, and I seem to recall giving it a twist when it was properly wedded. Very easy to load. The loader would give you a thump, then make sure he wasn't around in the backblast. There was a training kit that allowed you to fire .50 (12,7mm) browning HMG rounds if I recall the calibre correctly, which was much cheaper than the missile. Did this a few times too.

So a much more powerful weapon than the RPG-7. Although by nature these are robust, unguided weapons, the FT-5 made the RPG-7 seem quite primitive and old fashioned. But this also probably made it pricier, as I don't think they got rid of the RPG in the end. I'll post more as I remember, and I have to attend the braai otherwise my wife and daughter will be moaning that I've FT-5'd the meat.

Prion, I recall the calibre being 92mm I think, which I remember thinking at the time was an odd calibre. My memory may be playing tricks on me though. It certainly was in the 90 mm range somewhere, that I do recall.

And another interesting thing. At one stage, I also handled what I took to be an earlier type of FT-5. This had a vertical handgrip, and other detailed changes. I think that was the LRAC?

Certainly there are big differences now when I see the two systems on the net, but I think the FT-5 may have used the LRAC as it's design origin, changed/improved/upgraded/redesigned where it needed to be? I'm speculating here though.

Thx for all the info thus far!
Another for now:

*what were the types of warheads?

Described in the article prion posted: HEAT and a bunker/vehicle buster consisting of a penetrator with delayed fuse.

As Roger has stated, there was the normal HEAT anti-tank warhead, and a warhead used for bunkers and softer skin vehicles other than tanks. There were others as far as I remember, but I didn't get to see them. Certainly the warheads were far more powerful than the RPG-7's. The FT-5's sight was also far superior to me at the time - clear, good magnification, comparitively wide range of view and the graticules were well laid out. The eyepiece was comfortable and lent itself to concentrating fully through the sight, unlike the RPG.
The Staff-sergeant who was the unit anti-tank warfare expert also had a Milan demonstrated at the time, with also a nice missile sectional cutaway showing the innards.

I did have notes that I took at the time as I've previously mentioned. I seem to recall, but cannot definitely say, that the systems basics specs were noted in my notebook as well. When I have access to this, I will write up what I noted.

This will be only in at least 2 months time though, and possibly slightly longer. For now, it'll have to be memory. Interestingly, and talking of section/platoon anti-tank weapons, the MGL-40 I was also trained on came with an anti-tank grenade as opposed to the more usual and common High Explosive. Perhaps this should really be called an anti-armour grenade, as I certainly wouldn't want to be shooting it at a proper tank. Maybe lighter armoured vehicles only.

The calibre issue can be very confusing , as the FT-5 falls in the 100mm calibre , but the HEAT warhead is a 92mm , and a later upgrade was 95mm.

FT-5:




LRAC-89:



And on your earlier post , yes the RPG-7 uses a two stage.

A number of sites(ISS being a big one) list the FT5 has in servises. But they make no mention of it being reserv or not. Dose any body know if it is in active use.