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M202 FLASH
The M202 FLASH (FLame Assault SHoulder) is an America 66mm infantry multiple rocket launcher designed during the 1970s and adopted in 1978. Designed to replace obsolete and dangerous WW2-era infantry flamethrowers with a safer and longer-ranged delivery system for incendiary rounds, the weapon was built on research done with the experimental XM191 napalm launcher during the late 1960s. Rather than napalm, the M74 rockets used by the M202 use an M235 warhead with 1.34 pounds of thickened pyrophoric agent (TPA), which consists of triethylaluminum (TEA) thickened with polyisobutylene.
The suitcase-like weapon body is loaded with a large four-round clip inserted into the rear which holds four complete rockets and their fiberglass exhaust tubes; this clip can be slid into the body for easier carrying. The M202 features an integral folding reflex sight with range markings, and a folding pistol grip with a two-mode trigger that can fire either one rocket at a time (not technically semi-auto, since a different firing pin is used for each rocket) or all four at once. The handle on the front cover of the weapon can be used as a forgrip, while the rear cover is used as a shoulder rest.
In media it is normally shown firing ordinary explosive rockets, which is incorrect: while the M202 was designed to share a caliber with the M72 LAW to allow the possibility of firing HEAT rounds (and the XM191 could actually do this, with the round referred to as XM78), no HEAT clips were ever manufactured for the M202. A crowd control CS gas round, the XM96, was also trialled with the XM191, but never entered service.
The M202A1 is visually identical, with the only modification being internal alterations to the trigger group to prevent firing pin hangs. It is unclear what changes the most current version, the M202A2, incorporates.
The M202 FLASH rocket launcher can be seen in the following films, animes and video games used by the following actors:
Specifications
(Late 1960s (XM191), 1978-Present (M202))
- Type: Incendiary multiple rocket launcher
- Caliber: 66mm
- Weight: 11.5 lb (5.22 kg) empty, 26.6 lb (12.07 kg) loaded
- Length: 27 in (686 mm) closed, 34.75 in (883 mm) extended
- Capacity: 4 round clip
- Fire Modes: Safe / single-shot / 4-shot
Film
| Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commando | Arnold Schwarzenegger | John Matrix | 1985 | |
| Commando | Rae Dawn Chong | Cindy | 1985 | |
| The Expendables 3 | Soldier | 2014 |
Anime
| Title | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mad Bull 34 | Chinese assassin | 1990 | |
| Hellsing | Luke Valentine | 2001-2002 | |
| Rideback | BMA Ridebacks | 2009 |
Video Games
| Title | Note | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| Resident Evil | 1996 | |
| Half-Life | Modified version, on a tripod | 1998 |
| Resident Evil 3: Nemesis | as "Rocket Launcher" | 1999 |
| The World Is Not Enough | as the "AT-420 Sentinel", capable of full auto unguided or semi-auto laser-guided fire. | 2000 |
| 007: Nightfire | as the "AT-420 Sentinel" in the PC version of the game, capable of shooting unguided rockets or remote controlled with the help of a camera to help guidance | 2002 |
| Resident Evil (2002) | as "Rocket Launcher" | 2002 |
| Far Cry | Not a real M202 Flash, but an highly similar weapon. | 2004 |
| Söldner: Secret Wars | 2004 | |
| Far Cry Instincts: Predator | as "Rocket Launcher" | 2006 |
| Team Fortress 2 | as "The Black Box", capable of healing +15 HP at expense of 1 less rocket (3 out of the usual 4) | 2007 |
| Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker | M202A1 | 2010 |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops | as the "Grim Reaper" | 2010 |
| War Inc. Battlezone | 2011 |