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201:) rounds. Bristol also introduced their own WTU-5001/B Practice round, consisting of an 8 lb (3.6 kg) flat-ended soft steel rod encased in a nylon fairing, and later introduced a similar version with a hardened steel rod, the WTU-5001A/B. These rounds matched the ballistics of the M151 for training purposes and were widely used during the development and introduction of the weapon to the Canadian Forces.
208:(SAPHEI/HEISAP) warhead designed for use against reinforced concrete buildings, specifically hardened aircraft shelters. Its heavy steel shell allows the round to penetrate the hangar wall before the 75 g incendiary warhead is ignited. The round can penetrate 13 ft (4.0 m) of earth, 3 ft (91 cm) of concrete, and 1 in (25 mm) of steel, in series.
95:. The resulting RLU-5001/B (C-14) engine was first delivered by Bristol in production form in 1973. It had a total impulse of 2,320 lbf·s (10.3 kN·s) and a burn time of 2.2 seconds. The empty weight of the rocket is 6.6 kg, and it is normally equipped with a 10 lb (4.5 kg) high-explosive warhead taken from U.S. rockets.
126:
period, the rockets can drift significantly from their original aim point. The CRV7 solved this problem by adding small vanes projecting into the rocket exhaust to start the rocket spinning even before it left the launch tube, greatly increasing accuracy. A salvo of CRV7's will impact the target area in one-third the footprint of older designs.
61:. An estimated 8,000 rockets have functioning warheads, while the remainder could be used for parts or modification. In September 2024 Canadian defence minister Bill Blair announced Canada would be sending 80,840 rocket motors to Ukraine over the next months, in addition to the 2,100 already shipped, along with 1,300 warheads.
157:
rocket motor was still firing. The remaining unburned propellant shattered, allowing more surface area of the rocket motor to burn, in turn increasing the pressure and rate of combustion until it became a deflagration that destroyed the tower. The pilot was disqualified because the judges refused to believe it was unarmed.
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that could penetrate a T-72's side and top armour at a distance of 10,000 feet (3,000 m). It was also found to be a useful warhead for use against medium and light armoured vehicles. Further development led to the WDU-500X/B "General
Purpose Flechette" which releases 80 tungsten flechettes that
156:
service when it was entered as a part of a general competition in France. One part of the competition required the contestants to hit a tower with unarmed rockets. The
Canadian pilot hit it on his first try, but aimed as if firing the much lower-powered Mk 40 and was therefore close enough that the
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The CRV7's kinetic energy was so high that testers were surprised to find that practice rounds fitted with an 8-inch (20.3 cm) steel rod were penetrating outdated
Centurion tanks used for target practice. This resulted in the development of a dedicated antitank warhead that replaced the steel
56:
standard for
Western-aligned forces outside the United States. Beginning in 2021, 83,303 stored Canadian CRV7s are slated for disposal, having been removed from service from 2005 to 2007. In 2024 the Department of National Defence is considering donating the rockets to Ukraine as military aid to
125:
Unguided rockets are normally spin stabilized like rifle bullets. The spin is imparted by small fins at the rear of the rocket body that flip out into the airstream once the rocket leaves its launch tube. The fins take a short time to open and more time to start the rocket spinning. During this
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which would be flying in the smoke for some period of time. This problem led to the development of the RLU-5002/B (C-15) engine, which did not include aluminium and produced considerably less smoke, with a slightly lower impulse of 2,185 lbf·s (9.7 kN·s). The original C-15 used a
117:
rockets the CRV7 replaced, the higher energy fuel and newer fuselage design led to a longer and much flatter trajectory, with twice the energy on impact. Its maximum effective range is over 4,000 m, allowing launch from beyond the envelope of most short-range anti-aircraft weapons. In
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tail-mounted igniter that was ejected by the rocket when it was fired. In some cases the igniter would hit the aircraft, causing minor damage. To address this, the RLU-5002A/B (HEPI) was introduced, with a "Head-End
Permanent Igniter" that is not ejected on launch.
278:. Other versions offer anti-radiation seeking or GPS guidance. The precision guided kit includes the addition of tail fins and an in-flight control system. Combining the laser seeker with the FAT warhead produces a capable long-range
23:
A SUU-5003 bomblet dispenser adapted to fire four CRV7 rockets. Four rocket tubes are visible, while shackles for six practice bombs are located underneath. Given both stores, pilots can train rocket and bomb fire on a single
48:. It was introduced in the early 1970s as an upgraded version of the standard U.S. 2.75-inch air-to-ground rocket. It was the most powerful weapon of its class, the first with enough energy to penetrate standard
88:, which first flew in 1960 and has had a long and successful career since then. Engineer Jose Tharayil from Bristol Aerospace is considered the driving force behind the CRV7's development and production.
189:
A British Army WAH-64 'Apache' attack helicopter fires a salvo of CRV7 (Practice) rockets at targets down range during a two-day live firing exercise at
Lulworth Ranges/Bovington Camp in Dorset.
169:-based fuel in the C-14 engine generated considerable amounts of smoke. While suitable for high-speed aircraft that quickly clear the plume, it is not suitable for slower aircraft and
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The primary warhead for the original CRV7 was the U.S. M151 High
Explosive Point Detonating (HEPD) round, a simple impact-fired 10 lb (4.5 kg)
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requires launches from much shorter ranges, potentially placing the launch aircraft within the range of ground-based weapons arranged around the target.
81:'s assistance, CARDE and Bristol developed the "Propulsion Test Vehicle" to test new fuel and engine designs. This program led to the development of the
177:
The latest C-17 and C-18 engines for helicopter use offer somewhat lower impulse at 1,905 lbf·s (8.5 kN·s), but with almost no smoke at all.
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can penetrate 1.5 inches (38 mm) of roll-hardened armor for use against personnel, some light armour, thin-skinned vehicles, and helicopters.
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shell. Like the U.S. 2.75-inch (70 mm) weapons, the CRV7 could also be equipped with the M156 Smoke or M257/278 Illumination (
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In the early 1970s, CARDE and
Bristol decided to use the same propellant and engine design for a new 2.75-inch rocket to equip the
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235:
The CRV7 Multi-Purpose Sub
Munition (MPSM) contained nine M73 submunitions in each rocket. It could therefore be classified as a
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aircraft hangars. The CRV7 remains one of the most powerful air-to-ground attack rockets to this day, and has slowly become the
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Bristol also re-sells the RA-79 from
Raufoss Ammunisjonsfabrikker, a semi-armor-piercing round designed to attack shipping.
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main battle tank armour from any attack angle. Further study into this effect led to the WDU-5002/B FAT warhead,
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attack helicopter of the Army Air Corps in Afghanistan fires rockets at insurgents during a patrol in 2008.
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239:. Britain destroyed the last of its CRV7 MPSMs in July 2009 in accordance with its interpretation of the
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into high-performance solid fuel rockets, research performed as a part of a general program studying
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rod in the practice warhead with a tungsten rod. This new antitank warhead could penetrate a Soviet
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Bristol followed this with the 16 lb (7.3 kg) WDU-50001/B "Anti-Bunkerette" round, a
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391:"Exclusive: Ukrainian general wants Canada's 83,000 decommissioned rockets | Globalnews.ca"
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373:"Conservatives call on Canada to donate rockets to Ukraine — but not all are battle-ready"
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demonstrated it was even lower, at 3 milliradians. This is considerably better than the
354:"In Saskatchewan, the story of a Cold War-era Canadian-designed rocket comes to an end"
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to the front of any version of an otherwise unmodified CRV7. The seeker uses a simple
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CRV-7 page on the RAF official site shows the modern version's complete lack of smoke
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is rated at 8 milliradians, while the much larger and considerably heavier 30mm
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416:"Canada sending rocket motors, spare parts to Ukraine in latest aid package"
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system through the midcourse and homes during the terminal approach using a
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that is faster and much less expensive than traditional platforms like the
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692:"Contemporary Trends in Development and Modernization of Rocket Systems"
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Assessment of UK position in relation to draft Protocol VI to the CCW
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The PG version, for "precision guided", adds a seeker developed by
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18:
495:, p. 381, 11 February 1984 – via FlightGlobal Archive
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213:
722:, Magellan Aerospace Corporation, February 2009, archived from
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In 2006 Bristol started testing a new version of the CRV7, the
742:, Magellan Aerospace Corporation, March 2009, archived from
675:"Guided Air-Ground Rockets: Program Halts & New Entries"
129:
The weapon was originally quoted to have a dispersion of 4
561:"General Purpose Flechette Warhead for Attack Helicopters"
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use, fired from a single tube mounted on a 6 x 6 vehicle.
450:, Defence Research and Development Canada, archived from
36:, is a 2.75-inch (70 mm) folding-fin ground attack
580:"RA-79 High Explosive Incendiary Semi-Armour Piercing"
69:The CRV7 was an offshoot of late 1950s research at
626:
624:
647:Hansard House of Commons Debates Written Answers
289:A version of the CRV7-PG was also developed for
643:"UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons"
600:Survey of Cluster Munition Policy and Practice
649:, UK Parliament, Column 588W, 1 November 2011
602:, pub Human Rights Watch, February 2007, p18.
206:semi-armor-piercing high-explosive incendiary
141:that arm most aircraft; the widely used 20mm
8:
797:Military equipment introduced in the 1970s
517:Martel, Frank, CD, SSM (27 March 2008).
263:, offered it for sale starting in 2007.
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152:The CRV7 had just been introduced into
762:CRV7 Rocket System - Bristol Aerospace
7:
690:Milan Machala & Radek Doskocil,
303:Mk 4/Mk 40 Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket
570:, Bristol Aerospace, November 2001
519:"CRV-7 2.75" (70mm) Rocket Motors"
14:
631:Hansard, 25 Mar 2010, Column 415W
615:"UK seeks cluster bomb exemption"
268:Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace
551:, Bristol Aerospace, August 2002
352:Quon, Alexander (22 July 2021).
259:2006. Bristol's current owners,
118:comparison, the Mighty Mouse or
736:CRV7 Rocket System: Rotary Wing
489:"New roles for Canadian rocket"
414:Brewster, Murray (2024-09-06).
371:Brewster, Murray (2024-02-02).
255:. The weapon was introduced at
241:Convention on Cluster Munitions
716:CRV7 Rocket System: Fixed Wing
613:Myska, Sangita (19 May 2008).
135:McDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornet
1:
542:"Flechette Anti-Tank Warhead"
149:is rated at 5 milliradians.
104:AugustaWestland Apache AH.1
93:Canadair CF-104 Starfighter
59:Russian invasion of Ukraine
34:"Canadian Rocket Vehicle 7"
815:
16:Canadian 2.75-inch rocket
319:SNEB rocket (68 mm)
154:Royal Canadian Air Force
133:, but testing with the
75:anti-ballistic missiles
679:Defense Industry Daily
447:Then and Now: The CRV7
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107:
25:
787:Air-to-ground rockets
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110:Compared to the U.S.
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22:
508:, GlobalSecurity.com
493:Flight International
314:Forges de Zeebrugge
218:Flechette Anti-Tank
57:defend against the
767:CRV7 Rocket Motors
697:2011-07-21 at the
585:2014-11-04 at the
566:2014-11-04 at the
547:2014-11-04 at the
435:, astronautix.com
261:Magellan Aerospace
224:-reinforced steel
220:, containing five
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161:Engine development
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46:Winnipeg, Manitoba
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792:Weapons of Canada
280:anti-tank missile
272:inertial guidance
42:Bristol Aerospace
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40:produced by
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32:, short for
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27:
617:. BBC News.
395:Global News
171:helicopters
112:Mk 40 FFAR
83:Black Brant
65:Development
50:Warsaw Pact
781:Categories
400:2024-03-04
335:References
324:Vought HVM
257:Eurosatory
226:flechettes
143:M61 Vulcan
139:autocannon
167:aluminium
695:Archived
583:Archived
564:Archived
545:Archived
420:CBC News
377:CBC News
309:Hydra 70
297:See also
222:tungsten
181:Warheads
120:Hydra 70
54:de facto
253:CRV7-PG
79:Aerojet
77:. With
24:sortie.
531:Rotary
38:rocket
747:(PDF)
740:(PDF)
727:(PDF)
720:(PDF)
472:Fixed
340:Notes
199:flare
71:CARDE
214:T-72
165:The
30:CRV7
28:The
358:CBC
44:in
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677:,
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623:^
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478:^
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