| FT5 | |
| Origin: | South Africa |
| Type: | Anti-tank rocket launcher |
| Is Ranged: | yes |
| Is Explosive: | yes |
| Is Uk: | yes |
| Service: | 1989–present |
| Used By: | South African Army |
| Manufacturer: | Somchem, a division of Denel (Pty) Limited, (Now Rheinmetall Denel Munition) |
| Production Date: | 1988 until mid-2000s |
| Weight: | 5.9kg (13lb) unloaded 11.3kg (24.9lb) loaded |
| Length: | 1.05m (03.44feet) unloaded 1.618m (05.308feet) loaded |
| Crew: | 1 |
| Caliber: | 99 mm (Launcher) |
| Velocity: | 275m/s |
| Range: | 400m (1,300feet) |
| Max Range: | 600 m |
| Feed: | Detachable single-rocket casing |
| Sights: | Standard: 4× occluded eye battle sight or a passive infrared night sight. |
The FT5 is a shoulder-launched, unguided and portable anti-tank rocket weapon. The weapon was built in South Africa by Somchem, a division of Denel based in Somerset West, now Rheinmetall Denel Munition. The weapon was designed with the primary function to provide soldiers with a weapon capable of destroying armoured fighting vehicles and modern main battle tanks. The weapon also has a secondary function of destroying bunkers and other fortifications.
The FT5 system (launcher, ammunition and logistics support) entered service with the South African Army in 1989, to replace the LRAC F1 as the army's primary section man-portable anti-armour weapon system,[1] augmented by the RPG-7 rocket launcher.
Since 2007 the weapons have been placed in reserve as its ammunition was considered to be too expensive to fire during live-fire exercises and ammunition in storage was time expired.[2]
The FT5 weapon, based on the French LRAC-F1, consists of a reusable launcher, a permanently attached optical sight and a rocket that is pre-packaged in a disposable launch canister. To fire the weapon, the canister (containing the projectile) is attached to the rear-end of the launch tube.
The launcher is a filament-wound composite, smooth bore cylinder with an inner wear-resistant lining. The launcher's tube also has front and rear hand-grips, a padded shoulder rest, an electronic firing mechanism and safety mechanisms. It also features an extendible bipod that is stored within its frontal hand grip. The launcher can fire over 200 rockets and the firing mechanism's batteries have a shelf life of 10 years.
The system's sight features 4× magnification, an 8-degree field of view and a lead-compensating reticle pattern. The reticle pattern determines accurate firing of up to 400 metres and can predict the correct lead angle for a moving target.
South African Army – in reserve/storage since 2007.