A Russian idea on How to beat sea piracy: put grenade launchers on boats:
Russia’s top arms producer has unveiled plans to help repel attacks by pirates and reduce the number of hijacks on the country’s civil ships.Bazalt's "marine" grenade launcher:
Vladimir Korenkov, from arms manufacturer Bazalt, said it‘s equipping vessels with it’s multi-barrel grenade launching systems to help curb pirate aggression.
In 1971 to ensure protection of Navy bases neighbouring areas vacilities against underwater divers at a range of up to 500m the Navy adopted for service the MRG-1 multi-barrel rocket grenade launcher.Firing is remotely controlled (distance is up to 30m) using a self-contained power source from a ship deck or ashore.
In 1991 the DP-65 automated small-size remotely-controlled grenade launcher system was developed and adopted by the Navy for service. Unlike the MRG-1 system, the DP-65 rocket launcher is fitted with electric drives of vertical and horizontal aiming mechanisms, it is controlled remotely (distance is up to 100m), one control console allows for a by-turn servicing of up to four grenade launchers. The DP-65 system can be mounted on large surface ships and vessels, as well as on various shore facilities. It can also be efficiently used against underwater swimmer saboteurs.
The MRG-1 and DP-65 grenade launcher fire 55mm RG-55M high-explosive rocket grenades which are actually small depth bombs detonating at a pre-set depth and efficiently engaging an underwater swimmer within a radius of up to 16m.
To mark the location of the detected underwater swimmeres the MRG-1 and DP-65 systems fire the GRS-55 flare grenade whose burning flare serves as a marker on water surface to enable aimed fire with the use of high-explosive grenades.
Portable grenade launchers enjoy wide application in the system of antisaboteur defense. Unlike stationary launchers, they require no specially equipped positions. One of these launchers is the DP-64 portable grenade launcher. Its design incorporates an active scheme of grenade triggering which makes it possible to equip the launcher with a closed breech end allowing for the weapon application capabilities to be expanded. Due to its indigenuous design the grenade launcher is virtually a silent weapon system which is of particular importance for its use at bases.