Bulgarian grenade launchers are capable of firing TB-22M thermobaric ammunition. This feature increases the effectiveness of the use of these weapons in the destruction of enemy manpower and equipment.
In the arsenal of Ukrainian military personnel fighting in the Bakhmut area, Bulgarian Bullspike-AT grenade launchers from the Vazovsky Mashinostroitelni Zavodi (VMZ) company were noticed. The weapon was created on the basis of the Soviet RPG-22 and is intended, among other things, for firing TB-22M thermobaric ammunition. The appearance of new items on the front line in the Donetsk region was reported by the publication “Military”.
The publication says that Bullspike grenade launchers were issued to servicemen from the 24th separate mechanized brigade, who are defending south of Bakhmut. And although the supply of Bulgarian weapons was not actually advertised, the appearance of the first samples of grenade launchers became known in August 2022.
Bullspike Feature
The Bulgarian grenade launcher is a refinement of the Soviet RPG-22, previously produced by the Bulgarian defense industry under license. The weapon has been significantly modified in the launcher area. According to the development company, the grenade launcher has an effective range of up to 350 meters, while direct guidance is at the level of 150 meters, and armor penetration is up to 400 meters.
Bullspike-AT grenade launcher from VMZ. Photo: Ukraine Weapons Tracker
The total weight of the grenade launcher, together with the 72.5 mm caliber PG-22 ammunition, is 3.4 kg. The length of the Bullspike-AT is 780 mm, while the design provides for the transfer of the grenade launcher from the firing position back to the transport position.
The weapon is designed to destroy enemy manpower located in bunkers, field shelters or in urban buildings, as well as to destroy various equipment, including tanks and self-propelled guns.
Earlier it was reported that Ukrainian defenders showed footage of the defeat of the Russian T-90M “Proryv” tank by a shot from a Swedish AT4 grenade launcher. The military said that the hit occurred in the triplex area of the driver of an enemy vehicle.
The Ukrainian military has found an original use for RPG rocket-propelled grenades. They are attached to racing drones, and in this way, the old grenades have turned into loitering ammunition that effectively hit Russian vehicles on the battlefield.
