September20, 2008:
Israel is buying 28,000 U.S.
M72A7 66mm one-shot anti-tank rockets. The 7.7 pound weapon has a range of 200
meters and is useful against structures as well as armored vehicles (although
only the side armor of the latest tanks is vulnerable). The two pound warhead
is designed to have some anti-personnel effect. Also ordered are 60,000
training rockets (which are fired from a reusable version of the M72) for
practice. The A7 model can be fired from inside a building. The $2,000 M72 is
the cheapest weapon in this class, and light enough for infantrymen to carry several.