Click to see full-size image. (Rosoboronexport)
Russian state corporation Rostec will showcase a completely new version of the Soviet-era RPG-29 rocket-propelled grenade launcher at the World Defense Show 2026 exhibition, which will open its doors in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh from February 8 to 12.
“The RPG-29M grenade launcher, a highly upgraded version of the RPG-29 grenade launcher, which has proven itself in combat operations, will be showcased for the first time at World Defense Show 2026,” weapons exporter Rosoboronexport, a part of Rostec, said in a statement issued on February 2.
Rosoboronexport added that, using combat experience, designers from Rostec reduced the weight of the launcher by a third, installed a 24/7 thermal imaging sight with a fire control system, and expanded the range of rounds used.
The original RPG-29 fires three types of rounds: the PG-29V tandem high-explosive anti-tank round, which can penetrate 650 mm of rolled homogeneous armour behind explosive reactive armour, the TBG-29V thermobaric round for use against fortifications, and the OG-29 high-explosive fragmentation round for anti-personnel purposes. All three rounds have an effective firing range of 500 metres.
Unloaded, the original launcher weighs 12.1 kilograms. Based on what Rosoboronexport stated, the RPG-29M will likely weigh around four kilograms.
An illustrative image of the launcher shared by Rosoboronexport indicates that the RPG-29M has a two-piece modular design. One part is a reusable firing unit with the sight, which is the launcher, and the other is a disposable container holding the round.
This design is very similar to the RPG-32 that Bazalt — which developed the original RPG-29 and is now owned by Rostec — designed between 2005 and 2007, under contract and at the request of Jordan. The Kingdom’s JADARA defense company has been producing the launcher from kits made in Russia by Bazalt since at least 2012.
The RPG-32 fires the PG-32V and the TBG-32V, which are very much containerized versions of the PG-29V and the TBG-29V.
Rosoboronexport’s statement indicates that the RPG-29M, unlike the RPG-32, will get a computerized sight. It will likely include, in addition to the thermal sight, a laser-range finder.
Since its introduction in the late 1980s, the RPG-29 has proven to be a lethal anti-tank weapon, especially in urban battles where the fighting is at close range. The first destruction of a British Challenger 2 and an American M1 Abrams main battle tanks in Iraq during the invasion of 2003 was attributed to the weapon.
The new RPG-29M version will not just be significantly lighter, but also easier to use, and faster to prepare and fire with better accuracy.
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“unloaded, the original launcher weighs 12.1 kilograms. based on what rosoboronexport stated, the rpg-29m will likely weigh around four kilograms.” you previously said that they reduced the weight by “a third”, which means it would weight about 8 kg, not 4 kg.
is it an advertoeial ?