Editing Rocket-propelled grenade (section)

===Warheads===
[[File:Krtsanisi National Training Center, Georgia (5).jpg|thumb|left|[[Georgia (country)|Georgian]] soldiers prepare to fire a RPG]]
[[File:Rebel in northern Central African Republic 04.jpg|thumb|right|A rebel in the northern [[Central African Republic]] holding a loaded RPG]]
[[File:ASC Leiden - Coutinho Collection - 19 11 - Manten military base in the liberated areas, Guinea-Bissau - 1974.tif|thumb|Guerilla of the [[African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde|PAIGC]] resistance movement against Portugal holding an RPG in [[Guinea-Bissau]], 1974]]

The HEAT ([[high-explosive anti-tank]]) round is a standard shaped charge warhead {{Citation Needed|date=March 2025}}, similar in concept to those used in many<!--the major tank developing countries also use fin-stabilized APDS from their smoothbore guns, while the british use HESH and spin-stabilized APDS from their rifle guns.--> tank cannon rounds. In this type of warhead, the shape of the explosive material within the warhead focuses the explosive energy on a copper (or similar metal) lining. This heats the metal lining and propels some of it forward at a very high velocity in a highly plastic state. The resulting narrow jet of metal can defeat armor equivalent to several hundred millimeters of RHA, such as that used in light and medium armored vehicles. However, heavily armored vehicles, such as main battle tanks, are generally too well armored to be penetrated by an RPG, unless weaker sections of the armor are exploited. Various warheads are also capable of causing secondary damage to vulnerable systems (especially sights, tracks, rear and roof of turrets) and other soft targets. The warhead detonates on impact or when the fuse runs out; usually the fuse is set to the maximum burn of the rocket motor, but it can be shortened for [[Battle of Mogadishu (1993)|improvised anti aircraft]] purposes.<ref name="maritimesecurity"/>

Specialized warheads are available for illumination, smoke, tear gas, and white phosphorus. Russia, China, and many former Warsaw Pact nations have also developed a [[thermobaric weapon|fuel-air explosive]] (thermobaric) warhead. Another recent development is a tandem HEAT warhead<ref name="strategypage"/> capable of penetrating [[reactive armor]].

So-called PRIGs (propelled recoilless improvised grenade) were improvised warheads used by the [[Provisional IRA]].