Type 11 Grenade Launching Sniper
QLU-11 / LG5
TypeAnti material rifle
Grenade launcher
Place of originPeople's Republic of China
Service history
In service2011–present
Production history
ManufacturerNorinco
Specifications
Mass12.9 kg (28 lb) on bipod[1]
23 kg (51 lb) on tripod[1]
Length1,225 mm (48.2 in)[2]
Cartridge40×53mm HV
35x32mm SR
ActionAdvanced primer ignition (API) blowback[3]
Rate of fireSemi-automatic
Muzzle velocity320 m/s (1,000 ft/s)
Effective firing range1,000 m (1,100 yd) (point target)[2]
2,200 m (2,400 yd) (area target)[2]
Feed systemDrum magazine
4 or 15 rounds (40mm HV)[2]
3, 5, or 7 rounds (35mm SR)[2]
SightsY/MJL11-005 fire control sight system[4]
QMD-131 electro-optical daylight scope
QMV-131 electro-optical night vision scope

The LG5 (PLAGF military designation: QLU-11 or QLU-131)[5] is a semi-automatic grenade launcher developed by Norinco and introduced in 2011.[2] The launcher's designation "QLU" stands for "light weapon (Qīng Wŭqì) - grenade (Liúdàn) - sniper (Jūjī)" in Chinese military coding standard.

Description

The LG5/QLU-11 can be equipped with free-floating barrel, a fire-control system with a laser rangefinder, thermal imaging capability, and a ballistic computer that gives it air burst capability.[3][6] The QLU-11 was tested in combat against Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden by Chinese marines.[7] The LG5/QLU-11 is designed for long-range use and so has been described as a "sniper" grenade launcher.[6]

Befitting that designation, it is said to have a very high accuracy of 3-round R100 accuracy of 1 m (3.3 ft) at 600 m (2,000 ft) range, meaning that with proper aiming the weapon can put three successive high-explosive rounds into a typical window or door.[2][1] Its development was inspired by the American Barrett XM109 anti-materiel rifle, which fires 25 × 59 mm grenades,[2][1] and its design is based on the Chinese HSARI LR2 .50 caliber anti-material rifle.[8]

QLU-11 utilizes a new Type 11 precision cartridge that is derived from the DFJ-87 armor-piercing grenade. The lighter casing reduces the ammunition weight from 217 g (0.478 lb) to 200 g (0.44 lb). Propellant takes a larger percentage of the cartridge space, thus improving the velocity to 320 m/s (1,000 ft/s) (from 195 m/s (640 ft/s)).This modification greatly increases the recoil, which QLU-11 features advanced primer ignition (API) blowback, a large muzzle brake, floating receiver,[5] and two sets of buffer mechanism inside the stock and optics rail mounts to mitigate.[3]

To ensure the long-range accuracy, the electro-optical sight system with built-in fire control system is standard issue for the QLU-11. The daylight scope is designated QMD-131, while the night vision version is designated QMV-131.[5] Both scopes feature in-scope HUD, a laser rangefinder, temperature sensor, ammo selection, ballistic calculated reticle, elevation angle sensor, inclination angle sensor, drift correction sensor, self-diagnosis software. The effective range is 1,000 m (3,300 ft) for daylight scope and 800 m (2,600 ft) for night vision scope.[5]

Ammunition

LG5

  • BGJ5 high-explosive, dual-purpose (HEDP) sniper grenade, 40×53mm
  • BGL3 high-explosive precision grenade, 40×53mm
  • BGL3A programmable airburst grenade, 40×53mm
  • BGH1 high-explosive incendiary grenade, 40×53mm
  • BGR1 incendiary grenade, 40×53mm
  • BGS1 training grenade, 40×53mm[9]

QLU-11

  • Type 11 high speed precision cartridge
  • Type 11 programmable airburst cartridge

Variants

There are two variants of the weapon, an export version and a domestic version:

  • LG5: Export 40x53 mm (2.1 in) version. Fires 40×53mm HV NATO grenades[1] or 40x53mm BGJ-5 grenades[2]
  • QLU-11: Domestic 35x32 mm (1.3 in) SR version. Fires 35x32mm SR grenades[1]

Users

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Lanzador de granadas de francotirador NORINCO LG-5 LG-5s". Taringa! (in Spanish). 11 February 2017. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "NORINCO LG5 QLU-11 - Modern Firearms". 22 August 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 "QLU11这款我军独创的武器 当真是"狙击榴"吗？". Sina News. 16 June 2020.
  4. ↑ "中国QLU－１１式狙击榴弹发射器". chinaha (in Chinese).
  5. 1 2 3 4 "狙击"榴弹炮"，国产131型狙击榴弹发射器". Phoenix Media. 20 June 2022.
  6. 1 2 "Weapons: Semi-Automatic Grenade Launchers". StrategyPage. November 8, 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  7. ↑ "Chinese Small Arms from the 7th Beijing Police Equipment Expo". The Firearm Blog. 13 May 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  8. ↑ Yan, Timothy (August 2014). The Chinese QLZ87 Automatic Grenade Launcher (PDF). Australia: Armament Research Services (ARES). ISBN 978-0-9924624-2-0.
  9. ↑ "LG5S型40mm狙击榴弹发射器系统". dooland (in Chinese).
  10. ↑ "Saudi army uses China's LG5/QLU-11 40mm grenade launcher to hit bunkers". 2019-11-04. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
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