The weapon made sense when considering the masses of Soviet tank armor that could be expected to cross over into Europe during the Third World War that never was. The resulting design became the M72 "LAW" Light Anti-armor Weapon and its designation said it all - it was a lightweight, shoulder-fired anti-armor weapon system designed to provide tank-killing prowess at distance at the squad level. The Bazooka itself was utilized well into the latter half of the 1950s and appeared in various forms before being retired.Īfter the Korea War (1950-1953), work began on a more modern solution while the concept (and battlefield requirement) remained the same. For the Germans, they utilized their Panzerschreck (based on the American Bazooka) and Panzerfaust systems - the latter consisting of a single-shot disposable tube with a ready-to-fire rocket within. The Americans developed their rather simplistic though reusable "Bazooka" launchers in 1942 which went on to see widespread use throughout the war. It was not until World War 2 brought on the development of shoulder-fired ranged weapons to fulfill the purpose of knocking out enemy tanks that the category truly came into its own. The major issue with early anti-armor weaponry was the required proximity to the target. Production of the M72 was handled by Talley Industries of the United States and has since seen license production granted in Norway and Turkey. At its core, the M72 was lightweight, cheap-to-produce and relatively easy to operate in an effort to provide the basic infantryman with anti-armor capabilities at range. The rocket was protected by the elements until the weapon was made ready to fire by extending the two launch tube sections to full length. The concept behind the weapon system was quit basic as it was essentially a two-piece launch tube with a ready-to-fire rocket within.
The M72 LAW was the standard shoulder-fired anti-armor weapon for the United States military and its allies throughout the Cold War (though it still sees extended service today).
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