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Norway Nammo
M72 LAW
Disposable 66mm shoulder-fired anti-armor rocket launcher, originally a US design now manufactured by Nammo (Raufoss, Norway and Nammo Defense Systems, Arizona), in continuous NATO service since 1963 and still in front-line production as the M72A7/EC/FFE family.
20 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
National export licensing
Subject to Norway export-control approval; verify eligibility with the manufacturer.
Channel: Direct commercial / G2G
Fielded & proven
Widely fielded · 20 operators
Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Competitive field
4 comparable systems from 3 other manufacturers
Counted in the WeaponSpecs database: systems in its class built by another manufacturer that share at least one published role with this system. A count of what this catalog holds, not a survey of the whole market. See the alternatives →
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Overview
The M72 LAW (Light Anti-armor Weapon) is a single-shot, disposable 66mm rocket launcher consisting of a HEAT rocket pre-packed inside a telescoping two-tube fiberglass launcher that extends to arm and is discarded after firing. Originally developed in the United States and fielded from 1963, production has been consolidated under Nammo since the company's acquisition of Talley Industries' defense arm (now Nammo Defense Systems, Arizona) alongside Nammo Raufoss AS in Norway, both licensed to build the weapon. The current M72A7 remains the backbone export/service variant; newer developments include the M72 EC (Enhanced Capability, improved fuze) and the M72 FFE (Fire From Enclosure), announced in 2024, which lets the operator safely fire from within a confined space. The weapon has seen sustained wartime demand, including large resupply orders tied to Ukraine's war against Russia, and remains in the inventories of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Ukraine, Finland, Australia and numerous other NATO and allied militaries as a lightweight, disposable anti-armor and bunker-defeat option for infantry squads.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Effective range Distance at which the weapon reliably hits point targets. Higher extends engagement envelope. | 220 m |
|---|---|
| Muzzle velocity Projectile speed leaving the barrel. Higher means flatter trajectory and better armor penetration. | 200 m/s |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Caliber Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better, ammunition commonality matters. | 66 mm |
|---|---|
| Warhead type Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable. | HEAT shaped charge |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 0.88 m |
|---|---|
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 4 kg |
Munition
Round type, penetration, velocity and projectile data.
| Round type APFSDS (kinetic sabot), HEAT / multipurpose, HE-FRAG, canister or gun-launched ATGM. | HEAT |
|---|---|
| Fired from Guns or launchers the round is qualified to fire from, by designation. Not a performance figure: it is the compatibility list that decides which platforms can actually use the munition. | M72 series disposable launcher |
| Penetration Published/estimated rolled-homogeneous-armour-equivalent penetration. Values are open-source estimates; real figures are classified. | 300 mm RHA |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 20 |
|---|
Specifications compiled from public Nammo and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-08-22.
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Boeing E-3 Sentry (AWACS) Frequently asked questions
How much does the Nammo M72 LAW weigh? +
The Nammo M72 LAW has a combat weight of 4 kg.
What is the Nammo M72 LAW used for? +
The Nammo M72 LAW is a other typically used for anti armor, bunker defeat, light infantry support.
How many countries operate the Nammo M72 LAW? +
The Nammo M72 LAW is operated by 20 countries.
