M72 LAW

The M72 LAW is a lightweight, disposable unguided anti-tank weapon developed for individual use and first deployed during the Vietnam War. LAW either stands for "light antitank weapon" or "light anti-armor weapon:" the latter seems to be preferred in modern sources, as the weapon is no longer in any way suitable for attacking a main battle tank. A spent tube is relatively easy to get hold of since in many jurisdictions it is treated in the same way as an expended bullet casing. It would be incredibly unlikely to see a live LAW in a live-action medium outside of stock footage, due to the risk to actors. It can be assumed any LAW in a live-action movie is a spent tube, typically rigged with some sort of pyrotechnic device to simulate firing. One point of note is that the LAW has a grenade-like pin safety at the top of the rear cover which allows removal of the front and rear covers and the carry strap: this pin is often missing from spent tubes and so its removal is often also missing in media depictions. The original 60s model had a second arming safety pin at the rear, but this was deleted from later production models due to reports that it was readily possible to yank the pull-ring out of the pin and render the launcher useless.
LAWs in private collections and movie armories also typically have either no front sight or a non-factory replacement; this is because the original front sight used radioluminescent paint containing promethium-147, and troops were instructed to snap off the front sight for disposal by a radiation safety officer before discarding a spent tube. The "discarding" part ended fairly quickly in the Vietnam War as the Vietcong proved very fond of packing spent LAW casings with explosives for use as booby traps. 
LAWs starting with the M72A4 no longer have this issue, as they do not use the illuminated ladder front sight, instead having a 3-prong front sight and aperture rear sight derived from those designed for the cancelled FGR-17 Viper rocket launcher and very similar to the sights of the M136 AT4. The modernized variant, the M72A7, incorporates a small picatinny rail behind the front sight to allow night optics or lasers to be mounted. The British military refers to an improved anti-bunker variant with a penetrating time-delay fuze and alterations including a lightweight carbon fiber bore liner and improved axial trigger as the "L72A9 LASM" (Light Anti-Structure Munition) or M72A9.
The M72 was regarded as obsolete as an anti-tank weapon by the 1980s, with the FGR-17 Viper rocket launcher developed to replace it briefly entering production before cost overruns and reports of static damage and dangerously faulty fuzes that could cause the rocket to explode on launching saw the entire program cancelled in 1983. Congress ordered the US Army to consider off-the-shelf replacements, and they ultimately chose the M136 AT4 over the M72E5 LAW that participated in the trials, while the Marines acquired a variant of the Israeli B-300 rocket launcher, the Mk 153 SMAW. However the LAW found a new lease of life in the urban combat and mountain warfare of Iraq and Afghanistan with the HE-DP M72A6 and M72A7 variants, with benefits including the ability to carry two LAWs for the weight of a single AT4.
==Specifications==
(1963-present)
Type: Rocket Launcher
Caliber: 66mm
Capacity: 1 encased rocket
System weight: M72A2 , M72A3 , M72A4 
Rocket weight: 
Length: extended, collapsed
Fire Modes: Single shot, firing mechanism is cocked on opening
==M72 LAW==
The M72 LAW is used in the following films, television series, and video games used by the following actors:
=== Film ===
Title 	Actor 	Character 	Note 	Date
The Enforcer 	Clint Eastwood 	Dirty Harry 	 	1976
The Enforcer 	DeVeren Bookwalter 	Bobby Maxwell 	 	1976
The Boys in Company C 	Stan Shaw 	Tyrone Washington 	 	1978
Power Play 	Gary Reineke 	Captain Aramco 	 	1978
G.I. Samurai 	 	jsdf member 	 	1979
The Dogs of War 	 	Zangaran Mercenaries 	 	1981
Stripes 	John Voldstad 	Corporal Tyson 	M72A2 	1981
Stripes 	 	Special Forces soldier 	M72A2 	1981
First Blood 	 	A National Guard soldier 	 	1982
Escape 2000 	Steve Railsback 	Paul 	 	1982
Lone Wolf McQuade 	Robert Beltran 	Kayo Ramos 	 	1983
Deal of the Century 	Chevy Chase 	Eddie Muntz 	 	1983
Jungle Warriors 	Dominic Barto 	Thomas Tucci 	Early production 	1984
Exterminator 2 	 	X's thugs 	 	1984
Invasion U.S.A. 	Chuck Norris 	Matt Hunter 	 	1985
Invasion U.S.A. 	 	U.S. Army troops 	 	1985
Rambo: First Blood Part II 	Sylvester Stallone 	John Rambo 	 	1985
Missing In Action 2: The Beginning 	 	NVA forces 	 	1985
Code of Silence 	Chuck Norris 	Eddie Cusack 	 	1985
Platoon 	Charlie Sheen 	Pvt. Chris Taylor 	 	1986
Platoon 	Tom Berenger 	SSgt. Robert Barnes 	 	1986
Maximum Overdrive 	Pat Hingle 	Bubba Hendershot 	M190, a training M72 variant 	1986
Maximum Overdrive 	Emilio Estevez 	Bill Robinson 	M190, a training M72 variant 	1986
In Country 	 	US troops 	 	1987
Full Metal Jacket 	 	A U.S. Marine 	 	1987
Beverly Hills Cop II 	Judge Reinhold 	Billy Rosewood 	 	1987
Death Before Dishonor 	Fred Dryer 	Gunnery Sgt. Burns 	 	1987
The Hidden 	Clarence Felder 	Lt. Masterson 	 	1987
Assassination 	Charles Bronson 	Secret Service Agent Jay Killion	 	1987
Cherry 2000 	 	Lester's men 	 	1987
Iron Eagle II 	 	Enemy soldiers 	 	1988
The Blob 	Kevin Dillon 	Brian Flagg 	 	1988
The Blob 	Bill Moseley 	Soldier 	 	1988
Rushmore 	 	A cast member playing a VC 	 	1988
Casualties of War 	 	U.S. Army soldiers and VC 	 	1989
A Better Tomorrow III 	 	ARVN soldiers 	 	1989
The Iron Triangle 	 	U.S. forces 	 	1989
Bullet in the Head 	 	Corrupt ARVN officers 	 	1990
Gremlins 2: The New Batch 	 	A Gremlin 	 	1990
Class of 1999 	Jason Oliver 	Curt 	 	1990
Short Time 	Xander Berkeley 	Carl Stark 	 	1990
China O'Brien II 	 	Baskin's henchmen 	 	1990
If Looks Could Kill 	Tom Rack 	Zigesfeld 	 	1991
Toy Soldiers 	Michael Champion 	Jack Thorpe 	 	1991
Toy Soldiers 	 	Colombian terrorists 	 	1991
Terminator 2: Judgment Day 	 	 	Seen in the armory 	1991
Hard Boiled 	 	Johnny Wong's thugs 	 	1992
Police Story 3: Supercop 	 	Chaibat's gang 	 	1992
Falling Down 	Michael Douglas 	William 'D-Fens' Foster 	 	1993
Loaded Weapon 1 	 	A robber 	 	1993
In the Line of Duty: Ambush in Waco 	 	 	Seen in the arsenal 	1993
Forrest Gump 	Tom Hanks 	Forrest Gump 	Never used in action 	1994
Forrest Gump 	 	U.S. Army soldiers 	Never used in action 	1994
True Lies 	Art Malik 	Salim Abu Aziz 	 	1994
Street Fighter 	Kylie Minogue 	Cammy 	 	1994
Open Fire 	Patrick Kilpatrick 	Kruger 	 	1994
Open Fire 	 	A terrorist 	 	1994
Soldier Boyz 	Michael Dudikoff 	Toliver 	 	1995
Canadian Bacon 	Kevin J. O'Connor 	Roy Boy 	 	1995
Canadian Bacon 	Bill Nunn 	Kabral 	 	1995
Sudden Death 	Jack Erdie 	Scratch 	 	1995
Carnosaur 3: Primal Species 	 	A terrorist 	 	1996
Darkman III: Die Darkman Die 	 	Rooker's henchman 	 	1996
The One That Got Away 	Paul McGann 	Chris Ryan 	 	1996
Demolition High 	Jeff Kober 	Luther 	 	1996
Bounty Hunters 2: Hardball 	Michael Dudikoff 	Jersey 	 	1997
Ronin 	Robert De Niro 	Sam 	A movie prop based on LAW 	1998
Half a Chance 	 	Criminals 	 	1998
Point Blank (1998) 	Robert Zachar 	Armani 	 	1998
Commander Hamilton 	Zakia Tahri 	Moona 	 	1998
The Ultimate Weapon 	 	 	Seen in weapon depot 	1998
Wild Zero 	 	 	can be seen on the Yamazaki's base.	1999
The General's Daughter 	 	 	Seen in the armory 	1999
Three Kings 	Spike Jonze 	Conrad Vig 	 	1999
Bravo Two Zero 	Rick Warden 	Tony 	 	1999
Joint Security Area 	 	ROKA soldiers 	 	2000
Proof of Life 	 	ELT rebels 	 	2000
Rules of Engagement 	 	U.S. Marines 	 	2000
Black Hawk Down 	 	Lt. Tom DiTomasso 	M72A3 	2001
Wasabi 	 	 	Seen in weapon suitcase 	2001
Going Back 	Pablo Espinosa 	Chico Spaceman 	 	2001
Going Back 	 	U.S. Marines 	 	2001
XXX 	 	 	Seen among the weapon 	2002
Half Past Dead 	Kurupt 	Twitch 	A movie prop based on LAW 	2002
All About the Benjamins 	 	Williamson 	 	2002
S.W.A.T. 	 	Gang members 	 	2003
Tears of the Sun 	Nick Chinlund 	Michael "Slo" Slowenski 	 	2003
Tears of the Sun 	Cole Hauser 	James "Red" Atkins 	 	2003
Tears of the Sun 	Johnny Messner 	Kelly Lake 	 	2003
Tears of the Sun 	Chad Smith 	Flea 	 	2003
Ruby & Quentin 	 	Criminals 	 	2003
The Manchurian Candidate 	 	Enemy soldier 	 	2004
San Antonio 	 	Thug 	 	2004
Typhoon 	 	UDT/SEAL commandos 	 	2005
Valley of the Wolves: Iraq 	 	Turkish Special Forces soldiers 	 	2006
Zone Of The Dead 	Vukota Brajovic 	Armageddon 	 	2008
Tropic Thunder 	Jack Black 	Jeff Portnoy 	 	2008
Tropic Thunder 	Jay Baruchel 	Kevin Sandusky 	 	2008
You Don't Mess with the Zohan 	 	The Israelis 	 	2008
District 13: Ultimatum 	Mahamadou Coulibaly	Doudou 	 	2009
Black Dynamite 	 	The Secret Service 	 	2009
The Tournament 	 	Carl 'Longshot' Topuzov 	 	2009
Ninja Assassin 	 	Europol agents 	 	2009
New Kids Turbo 	Tim Haars 	Gerrie 	 	2010
El Infierno 	 	 	 	2010
Five Brothers (Comme les cinq doigts de la main)	 	 	Seen in illegal weapon store 	2010
Big Money Rustlas 	Jumpsteady 	Hack Benjamin 	 	2010
X-Men: First Class 	 	A Division X agent 	 	2011
The ABCs of Death 	 	Mental 	 	2012
Act of Valor 	 	US Navy SEAL 	 	2012
Battleground 	 	 	 	2012
Everly 	 	Taiko's special squad 	 	2014
Project Gutenberg 	Justin Cheung 	Brother Four 	 	2018
Terminator: Dark Fate 	Linda Hamilton 	Sarah Connor 	 	2019
Black Widow 	 	 	seen in arsenal 	2021
=== Television ===
Title 	Actor 	Character 	Note 	Air Date
Magnum P.I. 	Tom Selleck 	Thomas Magnum 	 	1980-1988
World War III 	 	Soviet paratroopers 	substituting for Soviet launchers 	1982
V: The Original Miniseries 	Michael Wright 	Elias Taylor 	 	1983
The A-Team 	 	The bounty hunters 	Ep. "Bounty" 	1983-1987
The A-Team 	 	The A-team 	Ep. "The Theory of Revolution" 	1983-1987
V: The Series 	Michael Ironside	Ham Tyler 	Ep. "The Conversion" 	1984-1985
V: The Series 	 	Visitors disguised as humans	Ep. "The Return" 	1984-1985
Dempsey and Makepeace 	 	The robbers of gold 	"Burning" Part 2 (S03E02) 	1986
Airwolf 	 	 	Ep. "HX 1", "Out of the Sky" 	1984-1986
Sledge Hammer! 	David Rasche 	Inspector Sledge Hammer 	"Under the Gun" (S01E01) 	1986
Miami Vice - Season 3 	 	Cuban rebels 	Ep. "Cuba Libre" 	1986-1987
Vietnam War Story 	 	U.S. Army soldiers 	Ep. "The Fragging" 	1987-1989
Tour of Duty 	Stan Foster 	Sgt. Marvin Johnson 	Pilot ep. 	1987-1990
Tour of Duty 	Tony Becker 	Sgt. Purcell 	Ep. "War is a Contact Sport" 	1987-1990
Viper 	 	 	Ep. "Winner Take All" and "Shutdown" 	1996-1999
The Sentinel 	 	Bank robbers 	Ep. "Love and Guns" 	1996-1999
Going Back 	Pablo Espinosa 	Spaceman 	 	2001
Ultimate Force - Season 1 	Elliot Cowan 	Cpl. Jem Poynton 	Ep. 1.6: "Something to Do with Justice" 	2002
Julie Lescaut 	 	Bank robbers 	"Abus de pouvoir" (S06E02) 	1997
Julie Lescaut 	 	Bank robbers 	"Amour blessé" (S11E02) 	2002
Medicopter 117 - Jedes Leben zählt - Season 6	Gunnar Teuber 	Beckle 	tenth episode 	2003
Ultimate Force - Season 2 	Ross Kemp 	SSgt. Henry "Henno" Garvie 	Ep. 2.5: "What in the Name of God" 	2003
Mail Call 	 	 	Season 1 	2002-2009
NCIS - Season 1 	 	 	M72A2l; "Split Decision" (S1E21) 	2003-2004
All or Nothing (Pan ili propal) 	Maksim Sukhanov 	Stanislaw Wershillo 	 	2004
JAG - Season 10 	 	A Marine 	Ep. "Death at the Mosque" (S10E18) 	2004-2005
Lost 	 	 	Ep. "Cabin Fever" 	2004-2010
Psych 	James Roday 	Shawn 	Ep. "You Can't Handle This Episode" 	2006-Present
CSI: Miami - Season 5 	 	A thug 	Ep. "No Mans Land" (S05E14) 	2006-2007
Sanctuary 	Amanda Tapping 	Dr. Helen Magnus 	S3E1 "Kali Part 3" 	2008 – Present
24 - Season 7 	 	Dubaku's men 	Ep.8 	2009
Iris - Season 1 	 	 	 	2009
Justified - Season 1 	Walton Goggins 	Boyd Crowder 	Ep. "Fire in the Hole" (S1E01) 	2010
Falling Skies - Season 2 	Sarah Carter 	Maggie 	Ep. "Worlds Apart" (S2E01) 	2012
Falling Skies - Season 2 	Peter Shinkoda 	Dai 	Ep. "Shall We Gather at the River" (S2E02)	2012
Training Day 	 	 	 	2017
Fear the Walking Dead - Season 4 	Danay Garcia 	Luciana Galvez 	"No One's Gone" (S4E08) 	2018
=== Video Games ===
Title 	Appears as 	Notation 	Date
WWII G.I. 	 	Platoon Leader expansion pack only 	1999
Grand Theft Auto III 	Rocket Launcher	 	2000
Operation Flashpoint 	 	Incorrectly shown as reloadable 	2001
Global Operations 	"LAW" 	 	2002
Conflict: Desert Storm 	 	 	2002
Conflict: Desert Storm II 	 	 	2003
Battlefield: Vietnam 	 	 	2004
Shellshock Nam '67 	 	 	2004
Counter-Strike: Condition Zero 	 	 	2004
Conflict: Vietnam 	 	 	2004
Project Reality 	 	 	2005
Elite Warriors Vietnam 	 	 	2005
Conflict: Global Terror 	 	 	2005
Punisher 	 	 	2005
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories 	 	With a pistol grip; incorrectly shown as reloadable 	2006
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots	"M72A3" 	 	2008
Combat Arms 	"LAW" 	 	2008
Vietcong 2 	"M-72 LAW" 	 	2009
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker 	"LAW" 	 	2010
Call of Duty: Black Ops 	 	 	2010
Jagged Alliance: Back in Action 	"LAW" 	Incorrectly shown as reloadable 	2011
Call of Juarez: The Cartel 	 	Incorrectly shown as reloadable 	2011
Max Payne 3 	"LAW" 	 	2012
Project Reality: Falklands 	 	 	2012
Project Reality: Vietnam 	 	 	2012
Ravaged 	 	 	2012
Dead Island Riptide 	 	 	2013
Squad 	 	 	2015
Mafia III 	 	 	2016
Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades 	M72A7 	 	2016
Call to Arms 	 	M72 LAW 	2018
Krunker 	Rocket Launcher	Incorrectly shown as reloadable, incorrectly holds 3 rockets	2019
Arma Reforger 	 	 	2022
Military Conflict: Vietnam 	 	 	2022
=== Anime ===
Title 	Character 	Note	Date
Kochikame 	 	 	1996 - 2005
Geobreeders 	Captain Yashima 	 	1999
The Familiar of Zero	Louise 	 	2006 - 2012
The Familiar of Zero	Saito 	 	2006 - 2012
The Familiar of Zero	Longueville 	 	2006 - 2012
The Skull Man 	Skull Man and Garo 	 	2007
Patema Inverted 	Jaku 	 	2013
Patema Inverted 	Aiga security police	 	2013
=== Animation ===
Title 	Voice Actor 	Character 	Note 	Date
Waltz with Bashir 	 	IDF soldiers 	M72A2 	2008
Love, Death & Robots - Season 3	 	 	seen in armory; "Kill Team Kill" (S3E05)	2022
Love, Death & Robots - Season 3	Steve Blum 	Private Macy 	"Kill Team Kill" (S3E05) 	2022
Love, Death & Robots - Season 3	Seth Green 	Private Folen 	"Kill Team Kill" (S3E05) 	2022
Love, Death & Robots - Season 3	Gabriel Luna	Sergeant Nielson	"Kill Team Kill" (S3E05) 	2022
Category:Gun
Category:Missile Launcher