THE CRV7 M261 ROCKETS

70 mm Tubes from the Rocketpod......

The Bristol Aerospace Limited (of Canada) CRV7 M261 Rocket Weapon System has been chosen to arm the AH-64A as well the AH-64D and the WAH-64 Apache Helicopters. The CRV7 is a highly reliablesystem that offers greater stand-off range, higher kinetic energy and superior accuracy when compared to other availble rocket weapon systems. The CRV7 rockets are driven by a solid fuel rocket engine, with a spiral shaped exhausted to give it stability. When it leaves the pod Fins will  fold out at the back of the rocket to give it even more accuracy. That's why they often call it FFAR (Fin Folded Areal Rockets) The fuel is burned in just 2 seconds, that means that the rocket leaves the pod with a start speed of over Mach 1.0!!!

And there it goes with one time the speed of sound......

The CRV7 is an Area weapon, with an effective range of 3000 to 4000 meters. It has a maximum range of 9 kilometers. It is a weapon which can be used against non or lightly armoured targets. The Apache is able to carry 2 CRV7 M261 Launchers under each wing. Every launcher contains 19 rockets. That means that the Apache can carry a total of 76 Rockets.

Two of these kind of pod's can be placed under each wing.......

Three different warheads for the CRV7 will be availble:

 High explosive semi-armour piercing (RA-79) (shown below......)

High explosive multipurpose submunition (M261) (shown below......)

General-purpose Flechette (WDU-500) (shown below......)

But the most used rocket is the rocket from the US Army: The US HYDRA 70. This rocket is also compatible with the M261 Launchers. And ofcourse there are also the training rockets filled with paint or smoke. Right now (March 2005) they are working on a modification for the FFAR's with this modification it will be pretty easy to upgrade the rocket from a un-guided projectile to a Laser guided projectile. By just switching the Fin Folded rocket propulsion section and the warhead.

The 10 Kg Rockets can be fired in
several ways. They can be fired:
- Single
- in Pairs
- in groups of Four
- in groups of Eight
- and all 19 rockets at the same time

Not as powerfull as the Hellfire.......but very impressive when firing the whole load at once........

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