GM-94 Russian 43mm Pump-Action Grenade Launcher

The GM-94 is a pump-action grenade launcher developed by the KBP design bureau for use by Russian special and security forces. The GM-94 is a short-range weapon, allowing it to be used in close urban environments. With a minimum safe distance of only 10 meters, the GM-94 is well suited to close, room-to-room fighting. Its simple design and operation allow it to operate in dusty and dirty environments and even after being immersed in water. The launcher is capable of firing VGM-93.900 high explosive fragmentation, VGM-93.100 thermobaric, VGM-93.300 smoke, and VGM-93.200 tear gas canisters, VGM-93.600 rubber slugs, and other non-lethal payloads. The VGM-93.100 thermobaric grenade contains around 160 grams of explosive filler. It can penetrate up to 8 mm of mild steel or interior wall while producing minimal primary fragmentation. In June 2005, GM-94 with thermobaric VGM-93.100 ammunition was adopted by the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs. In October 2007, the Russian armed forces adopted a new launcher designated LPO-97 developed in the KBP Instrument Design Bureau on the basis of the GM-94 with a thermobaric grenade, in2008 GM-94 adopted for the branches of the Federal Security Service. Though the launcher was intended for use by Russian security forces, the GM-94 has been spotted as far afield as Kazakhstan and Libya.