The world's most comprehensive encyclopedia of the military uteapons of the 20th century

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Armed Forces
of the World: Peru
Riot Contlol Grenades
n"-'
Ar,atcr,!" cf a R:ot

A fultry illustrat edgllide to Riot Control Weapons

 ffifuilffim
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Afterthe introduction of police forcesthe management of
civil disorder ceasedto be the rcsponsibility of the military'
but in recent years many armies have fourd.themselvesback
in the front line against thefu own countrymen, Atmies and
patamilit ary forces ne ed special we apons for this uztenviahle
task, since only the most extreme circumstances iustify the
use oflethal force,
We hl'e rn drlncult trmes Even the most orderiy and establlshed
societies now find themselves subject to all manner of disorderly and
riotous behavrour or assembly which, if left unchecked could topple the
very establishment of written and unwritten laws by which modern
societies exrst. Many of these drsorders are instigated by particular
factrons of society for their own ends, while others are the result of
extreme or imagined inlustices, or of deprivatron. Many other causes
can be adduced but the result is outbursts that the established forces of
law and authorrty have to contain as best they can,
To marntarn order most modern police and tnternal security forces
now have access to a wide range of equrpment Much of 1t ts very
specrahzed and designed to produce a specific end, i e. the rapid
re-estabhshment of an ordered and lawful situatton wtth a mintmum oi
force and casualttes Many modern anti-riot munittons are therefore
non lethal in their effects they are meant only to dlsable temporarily or
to persuade r'r,'rongdoers to act otherwise. Lethal weapons are maln
tarned in the antr not weapons arsenal but usually only for use as a last
resort
filll:::3$a ':
t!.'f 5;-
F:ii: if i:ri;r 1:
4 rt:
A US Police Olficer armed with Smith and Wesson Shoulder Gas Gun ventures
into theOvertown district of Miami during the I9B2 riots.This ruggedweapon
fires a wide variety of 37-mm projectiles.
The arsenal is now quite extensive, ranqing from disabling agrents to
baton rounds Contained rn the arsenal are some odd weapons' such as
water cannon and rmpact weapons, There are even speciahzed vehicles
that are produced with little more than internal security and rrot- or
crowd control 1n mrnd, Several of them are included rn this study but the
contents cannot cover the entrre internal security- and riot-control
scene Thrs ls now a very large area that comprises not only the pollce
and assocrated paramihtary forces but also the mrlrtary who are often
dralted rn to help out when a populace qets troublesome
Hotspur Armoured Products offer a useful internal security vehicle based on
the chassis of a Land Rover. Vehicles designed for this role must provide
protection againstweapons from petrol bombs and crowl>ars to grenades
andmines.
l'r '.,1d i.'l
:=+:i;l:;';tr
a4.,i5lrrr,;
r4{.q:*4ryF,
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 : H*i t and Wesson No. 210 Shoulder Gas Gun
-:- addition to its well known hand oun The 37-mm (1.45-in) Smith and
a:irvities Smith and Wesson has dlso Wesson Shoulder Gas Gun is based
r:ade considerable inroads tnto the in- on the 'N frame' revolver, but is a
:emational not-control munttions mar- s ing Ie- s ho t we a pon which b re aks
ket. It has produced a wide range of open like a shotgun. Possible
murltions filled with everything from loadings include the No. I 4'Goliath'
rrntant aQients to smoke, and has also barric ade - piercing b aton/ C S ga s
bullt the weapons to launch them. One round.
of the most widely used of these laun-
chers is the Smith and Wesson No. 210 fins that impart better directional sta-
Shoulder Gas Gun. bility; these rounds also use a slightly
The No, 210 has a calibre of 37 mm heavier propellant chargre. The
(1.456 in), a riot-control munition heavier charge means that 'Tru-Flite'
calibre established in the USA (mainly rounds cannot be fired from the No,
by the efforts of Smith and Wesson) 2i0 shoulder gun's stable-mate, the No.
and now umversally accepted as the 209 Gas Pistol. Thrs has a much shorter
cahbre for the role. The basis of the barrel than the No, 210, and has a stan-
weapon is the frame of the Smith and dard revolver butt and frame,
Wesson 'N frame' revolver, but instead The No. 210 has been rn production
of usinq revolving chambers the No, for some years and is still in demand, It
2 I 0 is a single-shot weapon, The barrel cannot be said that rt is an'easy laun- moved over to the LiAi, though many Specification
breaks doum in shotgmn fashron, using cher to fire for some rounds produce Britrsh police forces retain the No, 210, No. 210 Shoulder Gas Gun
the frame as a pivot, The outline of the considerable recoil, and like many Smith and Wesson has recentlv de- Calibre:37 mm (1,456 in)
pistol butt can still be drscerned and in weapons of its kind it rs not particularly cided to leave the riot-control muni- Length;736,6 mm (29 in)
its place there is now a wooden butt accurate other than at very close tions market and has offered this side Weight: about 2. 7 kq (5.95 lb)
fltted with a much-needed rubber re- ranges. The Brrtish army has used the of its busrness for sale as a going con. Maximum range: long-range baton
coil pad, The frring mechanism can be type in Northern Ireland but has now cern. round 137 m(l50yards)
either single- or double-action and
there is an external hammer. The bar-
rel can be removed for carrying or
storage, and the weapon is usually
issued with a shoulder sling. Fixed
srghts are used for aiming,
The No. 210 can flre a wrde ranqe of
munitions, Some of these are rather
unusual, such as the No, 14 Goliath pro-
jectile which is a CS-carryinq baton
projectrle that can be fired through thrn
barricades, There are two types ofNo,
17 baton round, both thin metal cased,
the longer-ranged verston being fired
to about 137 m (150 yards). The No, iB
baton round is similar to the No, 17 but
uses a rubber slug with no metal cas-
ing, The No 2l is intended for closer-
ranqe situatlons and fires a dense
cloud of CS to a range of about 11 m
(35 ft), Some of these rounds can be
produced rn a 'Tru-Fllte' form with tail

No longer in production, the No. Zl0

was one ofthe first generation ofriot
con-trolweapons, able tofire many
d ifferent rounds bu t inaccura te
except at point blank range.

re ihs-so Binsrham carbine

The PPS-50 Bingham Carbine is the
latest model in a series of what are
essentially sub-machine gmns cham-
bered for the 5,56-mm (0.22-in) i:ong
Rlfle cartrrdge, The use ofthrs relative-
}y low-powered cartridge allows the
weapon to be flred fully automatically
without the healry recoil that a more
powerful round produces this enables
the firer to maintain a high degree of
accuacy when it is required (e.9. in
urban warfare or in guarding htgrh-
security prisons) to ensure hitting a
polnt target,
The Bingham carbine is a conven-
tional blowback weapon designed
along the iines of the Soviet PPSh-41
sub-machine gun, hence the PPS in the

Resembling the Soviet PPSh SMG of

World War I I, the Bingham carbine is
a semi- automatic weapon fi ring 2 2 .

Long Rifle. The gun is intended Ior

use in circumstances when tull
power rounds might endanger
innocentlives.

2742
PPS-50 Bingham Carbine (continued) Riot Control Weapons

desisnation The Binqham design has
a much longer barrel than the origtnal,
but retains the drum magazine that
now holds 50 rounds. AIso available
are curved or srratght box magaztnes
each holdinq 30 rounds A srlenced
version is under development, for use
by Specral Forces.
The Bingham carbtne concepL is
partially based on an earlier and simi-
lar design known as the American i80
M-2, This also used ihe 5 56-mm Long
Rifle cartridge and was basicallY a
sub-machine qtun with an unusual
drum magazrne over the recerver, lt
was not a great success and appears to
have passed from the scene, but at the
time attracted a great deal of attention
because of its futuristrc sighting sys-
tem This was a laser projector under
the barrel that projected a crrcie of
pink light calibrated to be directly tn
the trne of flrer so all a user had to do
was place the laser circle on the target
and the barrel was aligned. Quite
apart from the armrnqr purpose, the
idea was that the tarqet would also see
the circle of pink light and gdve up
without further ado rf the circle came to
rest on him, The laser projector was
known as a Laser Lok and it would
appear that the Brngham carbine
would be an rdeal weapon to cafiy a
modern equivalent. It could then be
used in intemal security or prison riot
situations to great advantaqe and con-
siderable saving of life. However the
Laser Lok, despite the great interest
shown in it durrng the early 1970s when
it first appeared, did not catch on, and
these days it lives on only in Hollywood
eplcs
Speciflcation
PPS-50
Calibre:5,56 mmQ.22 in) Long Rifle
Lengrths: overall 844 mm (33,23 in);
barrel408.9 mm (19,09 in)
Weight:empty 2.94 kq (6 48 Ib)
Mrzzle velocity: about 330 m ( I 083 ft)
persecond
Magazine capacity: SO-round drum or
30-round box (curved or straight)

Federal Riot Gun

The Federal Riot Gun is now one ofthe
most widely-used riot guns ever pro-
duced, and is in service with armies,
paramilitary and security forces all
around the world. It was originally de-
veloped by Federal Laboratories Inc,
of Saltsburg, Pennsylvania, to flre the
extensive range of antr-rio- mun-tions
produced by Federal. At first most of
these products were used by Amer-
ican penal instrtutrons, but over the
years therr use has spread to many
other organrzations.
The Federai gmn is a srmple single-
shot weapon wrth few frills. It ts ex-
tremely robust and ts manuiacnrred
usinqf vanous non-rusting alloys. The
latest verslon is the Model 203A whrch
has an rn-line barrel and butt arrange-
ment and a very stronqr barrel and
frame locking mechanism just forward
of the larqe pistol grip. The flring
mechanism is double-action only, and
there rs no exlernal hammer to snag tn
clothinq or other equipment There ts a
foregrip with a connection for a slinq,
attached at the other end to the high-
quality wooden butt. The sigthts are
fixed at 45 7 m (50 yards) Most other
models of the Federal riot gun are
basically srmilar to the Model 203,{
One of the reasons for the Federal
guns widespread use rs that rt often
comes as part of a package deal
assocrared r,nth I ederal antt-rtot muni-
trons. These come rn the standard 37-
mm (1.456-in) calibre and can be fired
by other tyces oi rioi grun. As usual
there are many types of munitron, but
two deserve speciai mentron. One is
the Federal 'Spedeheat' CS round that
can be fired to a range ofabout 100 m
(lO9 yards)r the round has a thin alumi-
nium bullet-shaped casing and can
emit CS fumes for up to 30 seconds,
and can also double as a baton round
Another CS round is the Federal SKAT
round that flres five small CS grenades
at the same time: these are desiqned to
land in front of a crowd and bounce in
an erratlc fashion They usually
bounce outwards in a fan-shaped arc
to disperse their CS contents in an rn-
tense cloud. As they emit fumes for
only about 15 seconds it is drfflcult for
any rioter to pick up the grenades and
throw them back
The Federal riot gnrn was one of the
weapons obtained by the British army
at the start ofthe Northern Ireland trou-
bles. It was found to be a serviceable
weapon but difficult to fire accurately,
especrally as it has quite a powerful
recoil, It has now been replaced by the
LlAl grenade-launcher, but many
British police forces use the Federal
riot gnrn,
Specification
FederalRiotGun
Calibre:37 mm (1,456 rn)
Lengrth:737 mm (29 in)
Weight: not recorded
Ranqe: up to lOO m (109 yards)

The F ederal Riot Gun is one of the Right: The British Army used the
Federal Riot Gun in Northern
mostwidely usedweapons of its
type, and serves with armies and Ireland, findingit to be areliable ;:*
€*-
police throughout the world. weapon, but its monstrous recoil and
inherent lack of accuracy did not *4.!
Manufactured in non-rusting alloys,
it is a double-action, single-shot gun endear it to the troops. It has been
with no exposed hammer. superseded by the LlAl.
 Riot Control Grenades
A depressingly large number of regimes have litile
compunction in using the full force of the military to stamp out
civil disorder, but democratic governments seek other
alternatives. The use of gas and plastic bullets remains
subject to controversy, but itmustbe accepted that non-lethal
weapons are preferable to appalling incidents like'B loody
Sunday'and Kent State.
Riot-control grenades take two forms, chemical and kinetic. Chemical grenades
are designed to emit fumes that irritate or disable to the extent that they prevent
persons from carrying out a chosen course of action, i.e. they quell rioters. The
maln requirement of such agents is that they irntate or disable but do not
permanently harm. For nnany years the chosen irritant agent was tear gas, a
relatively harmless substance that does little more than bring tears to the eyes
and impart a general feeling of choking and helplessness. Tear gas is now
generally known as CN, but its proper chemical name is alpha-chloroaceto-
phenone.
The main disadvantage to tear gas was found to be that in open areas its
vapour cloud generally dispersed in such a manner that it easily lost its disabling
properties. lt was also relatively easy to get used to, and many f it young people
could carry on their disorderly activities after exposure to CN with only a
minimum of inconvenience. lnside a building it was often another matter, but in
the open tear gas was soon seen to be relatively inefficient as an anti-riot
weapon. Du ring the early 1 950s the search f or a new agent was made and a new
chemical, ortho-chloro-benzalmalono-nitrile, was put forward as an alternative
and efficient disabling agent. lt was not long before this new substance was
given the handy appellation CS.
CS is normally a solid substance, but on contact with air it forms a whrte or
light grey vapour cloud with a general odour of pepper (CS ls thus sometimes
known as pepper gas). The vapour can induce the usual tears, but with the
addrtion of a general choking sensation and difficulty in breathrng. The effect rs
d strnctly unpleasant and high CS concentrations may cause nausea and vomit-
ng. To add to its effects it can be persistent, especially if vapour dropiets adhere
to clothing. However, CS is not totally disabling and there are no long term
effects.
Left: The unacceptable face of law
enforcement? A police officer in
Washington, I 970, with CS gas
rounds for his RiotGun ready to
hand. Early gas rounds could be
picked up and thrown back, leading
to the development of multiple gas
pellets for rapid dispersal.

B elow : Theoretically, baton rounds

are not to be fired at individuals at
close range but the new generation
of riot control weapons are accurate
enough to do so should it be
necessary.
\+..
Above: The US Marines provide security for US Embassjesaround theworld,
and mustbe able to defend them againsthostile crowdswithoutimmediate
recourse to firearms. Seen here in Manila, this Marine has a tear gas grenade
projector attached to his Remington 870 shotgun.

2744
 Riot Control Weapons

CS was first used during the late 1950s and was soon found to be a remark
ably efficient method of Sreaking up mobs. At first it was usually delivered in
hand grenades that were exactly the same as the tear gas and smoke grenades
used previously. While these were eay to use and manufacture they suffered
from the same drawbacks as the earlier grenades. it took time for the vapour
cloud to build up, range was limited by the strength of the thrower (who thereby
came well into missil-e range of the offending crowd) and the grenades could be
prcked up by an adventurous rroter and thrown back. A redesign of the basic CS
grenade has therefore taken place
New grenade design
Modern CS grenades nearly all contaln small multiple contalners or pellets to
emit the CS f umes. As the grenade body lands it scatters these small containers
or pellets {the British L1 1A1 grenade releases 23) over a wide area, and the
emlssion period is usually short to prevent any possibility of their being returned
The othei design point ls that CS grenades are now rarely thrown, but rather
projected using a bmall propellant charge f rom a launcher to a range.of 100 m
i t Ob yarost or riore, t he larncher usually oe ng some-or- ol r iol gu"r' When r ol
guns are used the usual diameter of the grenade is 37 mm (1 .456 in), but this is The L67A 1 produced by the Royal Fabrique National have produced
iow generally regarded as being too smbll and the British army has opted for a Ordnance Factory atEnfield is in this grenade-launcher to fit on to the
qrenJde dlametel of 66 mm (2.6 in) and uses a specialized grenade-launcher service with the British Army. It fires FN C 5.5 6- mm light assault rifle ; or,
rather than riot guns. the L I 8A I CS gas round, which holds fitted with a stock, it can be used as a
CS is not the only modern form of irritant agent, but it is the most wldely used four gas pellets designed to burst weapon in its ownright.
Other irrltant agents are mild halluc nogenic agents that lmpart a temporary 6 m above the ground so the crowd
feel ng of panrC or fear, but the use of such agents is disliked by many on cannot pick up the gas canister and
humai taribn grounds, and they may thus be a double-edged weapon. Some of throwitback.
the'mlnd'agents have a nasty habit of being just as effective on their users as
on their lntdnded targets, evbn when respirators are used. Most pol ce and
parami itary resprrators are ljmited in their effectiveness to protection against CS
and CN only and some powerf ul modern agents could overcorne their protectlve
properties.
' Humanitar an considerat ons also come to the fore when kinetic grenades are
consrdered. These are usually the baton rounds or the infamous 'rubber bullets'
that are used to disab e by stunning. These kinetic projectiles were f irst mooted
during the 1950s, when some author ties considered their use rn riot situations
in whlch guns could not be used but something more powerfu than irrtant
agents wts requ red. At first dlsabl ng missiles of several types were cons -
dered, ranging from lead shot in thick bags to heavy rubber r ngs. These were
usually fire-d f rom ordinary rtol guns and lt was not long before the baton round ln
its present form appeared. Ai first wooden projectiles were used, but these
weie soon discarded as they were prone to spllnter ng and causing nasty
wounds. Then rubber was used for some time before it was discovered that
under certain clrcumstances rubber was also likely to be too njurious. The
current baton rounds are flat-ended PVC slugs that are not as heavy as rubber
but are stlll likely to impart a powerful blow.
Baton rounds ban cause serious injuries if used at very close ranges, and thev Above: The Hilton multi-purpose Erurl Below: British troops take cover fra!:.
have caused deaths. They are also very inaccurate and often have to be used is an anti-riot gunwhich can fire an a hail of missiles while one soldier
Tfore as area weapons than as point target weapons. But they can break up impressive variety of projectiles returns fire with a plastic bulJet. Tt e
hostile crowds and when used with extreme caTe can even disable riot r nglead- from gas shells to single and multiple British Army adopted IIat- no s ei Pi;C
ers or troublesome indlvlduals. They can certainly keep crowds out of hand- baton rounds. It is a far cry from the slugs in place of rubber baton
thrown mrssile range. Despite thls, the use of baton rounds has often resulted in simple, almost crude, riot guns rounds, which produced too matt'
a great public outciy against thelr employment. But in the absence of anything initially produced. fatalities. I n experienced hand s
belter the baton round ls an establlshed anti rlot munltion. lhese can be su rprising ly ac cur a :e.

='.". \.
__
-
=!"';{-:r-:
 iurnn- I Multi-Round Projectile-Launcher
=
The MM-I is one of a new breed of
anti-riot weapons that uses a rotary
maqazine to hold a number of anti-riot
rounds ready to fire; in the case of MM-
t
1 thrs magazine holds L2 rounds The
MM-1 has been desigped for situations
where a singrle anti-riot round would
be oi limrted use mosl currenl antl-not
weapons are single-shot only and have
to be reloaded manually after every
firing. In the face of a mob rushingt
directly at a frrer that single round is
otren insufflcienr ro deter everyone in
the mob, and the firer can easily be
overwhelmed,
With the MM-l this is far less likely
to happen Using the MM- I it is possi
ble to flre 12 rounds in as few as srx
seconds, somethrng that mrght make Above: The basic design of a rotary
m ag a zine gre n ade - launcher date s
even the most determined mob have
second thoughts The rounds are held from before World War II . Most anti-
rn ]2 chambers on a rotating plate as riot guns are single-shotweapons
each round is flred a spring mechan- which obviously render the firer
Lsm brinqs the next chamber into line
temporarily vulnerable while he
,r,nth the barrel ready for another pull reloads.
ol the trigger. The MM-L has no butt,
berng held by the firer by a foregrip
and a pistol grip behind the large and
bulky magazine After each loadingr I
,he chamber plate rs wound up by
:urninqtit in a counter-clockwrse direc-
rlon to tension the sprinq mechanism.
The MM-l can flre either 37-mm
.i.456-1n) or 4O-mm (1 575-in) antr-riot
nunitrons of all kinds, and adaptors
:an be used to flre conventional shot-
;un cartrrdqes, Flares can also be
-:ed The maximum rangTe is about
,2C m (131 yards), but this capability is
,=ss rmportant to most users than the
::cck effect ol a number of rounds Above : Pace H ollwood, the MM- I is
:erng fired rn rapid successron This is the USA Europe and Africa and the Specification not a lightpiece ofkitbutoffers a
::: the only advantage of the MM- 1 for MM-l 1s now a widely-used weapon MM-I number of advantages over mote
r--5 1t one man can lay down a wide CS The only problem that arises is that it ts Calibre: 37 or 40 mm (1.456 or 1.575 in) conventional designs. One man can
:: smoke screen from a range of over a bulky weapon and it takes some time Length:546 mm (21.5 in) lay a large smokescreen or generate
-J m (109 yards). This fact has been to reload, The MM-i rs produced by Weight:loaded 9 kq (19.84 lb) abig cloudof CS gas amongsta
:ap.dly appreciated by many police Hawk Engrineerinq Inc. of Northfield, Range:up to 120 m (13L yards) crowd from outside the range of
special forces in the Middle East, Illinors Magazine capacity: l2 rounds. hand-thrown missiles.
--j

fo*"r-StaflKA-l Impact Weapon MOD.T.zz CS Rocket-Launcher

- ing about 15 seconds. Ordinary com-
pressors or air cylinders can be used
for the refill process, It is possible to
use the Power-Staf with a backpack
carryinq three air cylinders and
enough air for 300 piston actuations A
special form of Power-Staf used with
this backpack arranqement is known
as the KA-l, and the entire backpack
system is known as a Riot Pac.
When in use the Power-Staf has an
effective strike ranqe of between l.68
and L.9B m (5,5 and 6 5 ft) The blow ts
said to be powerful enough to ensure
that anyone receivrnq it will tnvolun-
tarily move away, so under riot condi-
tions the Power-Staf and devices lt]<e it
may well have their uses. Unfortutate
ly they are also used within some of the
stricter types of penal institution in
many countries to ensure order and
obedrence of orders, somethinQl that
does little to enhance the extreme dis
like of such devices by many senstble
people,
Specification
Power-Staf
Weisht: 3 i7 kq (6.99 Ib)
Lengrths: 787 mm (31 in) rod extensior
610 mm(24 in)
Effective strike range: l,68 to 1.98 m prevent injury if it strikes a person dur-
(5.51o65ft)
Rod velocity: 7.62 m (25 ft) per second
The MOD-T-22 CS is a novel approach
to the dspenslng of antl-dot agrents (in
thrs case CS) ior rt uses a rocket gre-
nade fired foom a barrel. The rocket
qrrenade resembles a mortar bomb,
complete wrth tail fins, while the pro-
jector at fust slQfht appears to be a sim-
ple luJce. These first impressrons are
deceptlve, especially with regard to
the projector for the desiqn is rather
more complex than it appears,
The projector looks like a srmple
barrel but it rs in facr two concentric
barrels The inner barrel is used to flre
the rocket qrenade while the outer
barrel is used to direct the rocket ex-
haust gtases forward around the muz-
zle. This enables the launcher to be
fired from withrn an enclosed area,
making it possible (for example) to ftre
qrrenades through a window from wrth-
in a room. The launcher barrel has a
hinged breech to allow loading from
behind or from within an armoured
vehicle, and the barrel can be ele-
vated within limits in a simple steel
frame.
The rocket qrenades are entirely
plastic and are designed to break up
on rmpact to release their CS contents.
The nose of the grenade rs made from
a flexible material that is designed to
ing its fllght, although it seems likely
that some wounding could result as the
grenade weighs 0.62 kg (1,37 1b). The
qrenades are fired electrtcally, and
their rocket motors are contained with-
in the tails The grenades have a body
drameter of 75 mm (2,95 in) and can be
flred to ranges between I00 and 250 m
(109 and 273 yards), considerably
more than most comparable projec-
toIS
The MOD-T-22 CS rocket-launcher
may be used from static or mobtle
positions Wlth the static posrtions,
launchers may be placed around
vulnerable areas, i e, buildings likely
to attract the attention of rioters during
penods of civri unrest, or around in-
stallation penmeters, They can then
be fired from a central control position
as and when required. Mobile laun-
chers are usually mounted on police or
special anti-riot vehicles, and usually
Iocated close to a hatch so that they can
be easily reloaded.
Specification
MOD-T-22 CS launcher
Internal calibre: 75 mm (2,95 tn)
Lengrth: 550 mm (21 65 in)
Weisht: 4.5 kq (9 92 lb)
MOD-T-CSgrenade
Calibre: 75 mm (2,95 in)
Length: 350 mm ( I3.78 in)
Weight: 0 62 kg (1.37 ]b)
Range: 100 to 250 m (1O9to 273yards)
ffi $"f,"r*uly Multi-purpose
The Schermuly multi-purpose gn:n has
a calibre of 37 mm (1 456 in) to enable
rt to fire a wide range of anti-riot and
other munltions, thereby warranting its
multi-purpose desrqnatron. It can flre
all manner oi baton, smoke, trrLtant
agent and other rounds.
The Schermuly gun is produced by
Webley and Scott but marketed by
Schermuly'l he bassol Ine w^apo1 s personnel carrier and the Shorland
a srgnal prstol
much-updated version
a drmour eo cdJ. Very olten anti-r-ot guns
of a World War II design that now
makes use ol high{ensile aluminium
alloys. The gun may be regarded as an
enlarged version of the siqnal pistol
havrng a butt, a long smooth-bored
barrel and a foregrip Loadrnq uses the
conventronal shotgun break-open sys-
tem, and there is a larqe interlock de-
vrce over the chamber to ensure the
barrel rs securely locked for flringl
thus the weapon cannot fire unless
properly closed. The double-action
trigqrer demands a lonq and irrm pull to
ensure rt does not go off accidentally
and there is also an automatic rebound
device rn the striker mechanism to
prevent a loaded gun from firinq if
dropped.
The Schermuly gun makes much
use of alumrmum and hrgh-grade alu-
mlmum castrngs to keep down weiqht
but the result is a qualrty weapon that
has been dehberately desrgned to
have the 'feel' ofan expensive shotgun
though the shotqun anaiogy rs sporled
Gun Riot Control Weapons
somewhat by the fact that leaf slqrhts
are fltted and a foregnp is provrded
under the barrel Varrous barrei
lengths can be produced but one spe-
cial feature of the Schermuly is that it
can be fltted on the machine-gun
weapon mounts of many armoured
vehicles used rn the rnternal securlty
role such as the Saracen armouted
can be of much more use than
machrne-gnrns in internal security op-
erations so ths provldes the Schermu
ly qun wrth a valuable 'extra'
As mentioned above, the Schermuly
enln can flre a wide range of munition
types It fires not only the usual offictal
rounds produced for the Brrtrsh Army
but also many commercial products
manufactured for a wider market
Schermuly is also known as Pains
Wessex, so it is not surprising to learn
thar rhe comoany also nakes varrous
antrriot munrtrons to qo wrth its qun,
Avarlable are irritant agrent and other
rounds some of which are used by the
British army, which has also used the
gun,
Specification
Schermulygnrn
Calibre: 37 mm (1.456 in)
Length: 828 mm (32 6 in)
weight: 3. lB kq (7 lb)
Range: up to 150 m (164 yards)

Left: The Schermuly is made of light Above:TheSchermuiy riot Wn is

aLloy, and different barrels, calibres
and chamber configurations are all
possrb/e. The foregrip helps achieve
accuracy aswell as keeping the
firer's hand away from a hot barrel,
and is adjustable to suit the firer.
produced byWebley and Scott.It
fires 37-mm ( J .45-in) projectiles to a
maximum range of I50 m and can be
fitted to the machine-gun mounts on
vehicles such as the Saracen APC.

Above:Riotguns tend to be fired like shotg;uns. i.e. from a stanCinErposiure.

and the Schermuly has been deliberately desigaed" lo l?a,rdJe iike a s,hotgrur:
for this reason. The hardwood butt attached to tfie prstoi Err'p asse;rbl; aisc
mounts the back sight.
Riof Control Vehicles
Bringing tracked personnel carriers on to the streets invariably leads to news
reports of 'tanks quell riot'; besides, tracked APCs are expensive to maintain and
not suited to internal security (lS) operations. These reasons led the British Army to
retain obsoletewheeledAPCs for use in Ulster, and manywheeledAPCs have IS
variants offered for sale.

In most countnes the greater part of the army comma4der and the pohtrcal consequences of
budget rs spent in manning equrpprng and tanks' being brought on to the streets.
trarning for conventronal military operations Srnce the requirement for specralized rnter
wrth tanks, reconnatssance vehicles armoured nal security vehicles flrst emerged many com-
personnel carriers, air-defence weapons, artrl panies have devoted consrderable effort to the
lery etc, desLgn and development oi n'heeled vehicles
B.-rL in the .aSt 25 TearS OI So r11on! otrTl-^. lol uS'- -fl -t-11€lflol soc-ri'v ope,orlOnS
have found themselves being used in rrot con- The hull must provrde complete protection
trol and internal security operations for which agaLnst attack from at the very least 7.62 mm
they have not been trained or equrpped (0 3 in) ball ammunrtion Some countrles want
In the case of armoured vehlcles thrs has 1ed protectron aqtatnst 7 62-mm armoul -pterctnq
tothedevelopmentofarmoured,rehiclesspe- ammunttion as well but thts means armour
crflca11y for use in rnternal security operations, must be much thicker, a factor which increases
Full-tracked armoured personnel carriers the werght of the vehicle signrflcantly
such as the M1l3 are not surted lor use rn in some countries the terrorist's most com-
nternal security operations for a variety of mon weapon rs the mine olten lard tt.L culverts
reasons including the hrgh cost ol operating under roads tn remote areas, and intended lor
-nd maintarnrng a tracked vehicle compared detonation when a vehicle tuns over them.
,'.-rth a wheel vehicle the size and lack of man More oiten than not such mines are exploded
,euvrabrlity of such vehrcles rn ccnfined by remote control so that the terrorist can htt
: oaces the lack of provrsion for the tnfantry to just a mrlitary or para mrlitary vehtcle, allowing
,se their weapons lrom wrthrn the vehrcle in ctviltan traffic to pass tn safety.
::mplete safety the lack of doors lor raprd If the mtne is a standard antt-personnel mtne
=:.:ry and exii, poor observation tot Onu"r u3?,,.
?
A longer appearing on the world's,W - ':Wi
scene no
:creens becau se of rigorous press censorship by L
:he South African government:SADF regular "at .

:roops in Buffel AFCs are brought in b dueil ,:+

anoiher riot. South Africa has been compelled to
ise troops to conttol outbreaks ofrioting, and, in
::.e absence of the constraints familiar to
jcvernments elected by universal suffrage, this
:as often been accomplished with brutal
efficiency. The Army is the best on the African
:ontinent, and has had little difficulty containing
:ne rioting so far.

F
:l...

;: r -.,--. '.,,.*r€.=

,..."

or small antL tank mrne the vehtcle destqner
can help to minimtze the damaqe to the vehrcle
b-v carelul desrgn oi the hull armour so that the
blast is deflected sidev,tays and up-,ro'ards and
nol contarned -rlthrn the hu]] of the t ehtcle For
example, the British Saxon vehrcle has rntegral
hrrll .r,irth the areas above the rn'heels being of
sheet steel so that lhey blow'a.way in ihe event
oi a vehicle runnrnq over a mlne. Th" Sculh
Aincan Rhrno and Bulldoq armoured person
net carriers have a V shaped hrll rarsed -ruell
abcve ihe wheels so that if the vehrcle runs
:rer a mine lhe wheels and suspension lake
.r: blast not the hull.
Diesel fuel preferred
lLese1 engines are preferred to per.rol en
: n:srrL rnternal security vehtcles not only be
.a-.se tney are more fuel efficient bul because
dr:sel iuel ioes not catch flie as e;istly as pet-
ro. ,r an1- case the posrtron of the luel tank 1s
cnirca. rn an internal securlly vehtcle
Tle ccmmander, drtver and lroops must
ha,ie e.'.cellen1 all-round f,elds of vrsron lhrough
rn-rnici.,s -,-rhrch rnust provrde the sanie degree
of prc:eclron as the remainder of the hull. The
comnanders and drrvers wtndorns niust have
r,r,rper and spectal cleantnq liqutds to remove
any parnt thrown by demonstralcrs.
The crew must be able io use therr small
.--,lrns ironr -,,r,,rthrn ihe vehrcle ti requrred and
R.iot Control v'/eap ons
the means oi entry and exit musl be as nurner
ous as possible Ii lor example the matn door
were at the rear and the vehicle -was ambushed
from the rear, the occupants v,-oulci noi be able
to leave the vehicle rn safety The doors and
handles must be desrgned so that unauihorrzed
-^ntry rs not possrble and there irust be no
attachments that assist rioters to chmb onto the
vehicle
The tyres must be of the run flat type to
enable the vehrcle to be drtven some distance
r,vith bullet damaged tyres The vehrcle should
also have a fire detectton anC suppression sys
l-om, especrally around the n'heel arches rio
t-^rs often throw pelroL bombs al the internal
secunty vehrcle s rubber tyres .whrch easrly
catch flre.
The rool of the internal securtty vehtcl'o must
be sloped so ihat any qtrenacles that are throt'i'n
onlo the roof roli olf before explcdinq The
openrnqrs around the doors and enqine com Above: The Buffel is one ofSouth A{rica's increas:ng
parr.ment musr oe carefully designed so that range of home-produced military vehicles, and :ts
any flamrnq liqurds frcm petrol bombs run design re{lects South African combat experience
both at home and in operations jn Nam jbja anc
dovrrn lo lhe orci-Lnd and not tnlo :he ';ehrcle
Angola.
==
,ii ',
:i=:{
:
Riot Control Vehicles

Buffel

The unique Buffel Armoured

Personnel Carrier is based on the
ciassr of lft e Sa mil 50 truck. The
pronounced Y'' -shaped hull, I
designed to deflect the blast of a land
mine, reflects South African combat
experience in Namibia; SWAPO
I
guerrillas have proved adept at
Iaying well- conce aled land mines on
dirt roads, and the outlawed African
NationalCongress (ANC) has begun
a similar campaign in border areas
ofSouth Africa. The Buffel has been
produced in several different
configurations, some with engrine
enc/osed, and o ther s with it
protected only by amesh screen. The
cab can be fitted on either side. As an
APC itis obviously designed to deal
with a Lightly equipped enemy.The
high sides of thevehicle swing down
to enable the troops to dismount.
Instead offiring ports proper, the
Buffel hasweapon rests cut into the
top of the side-pieces. This top-heavy
vehicle can provide an exciting
dilve, teetering around corners in an
alarmingmanner.
Riot Control Vehicles

As the troops or police may have to stay

rnside the vehicle for a constderable period
the interior must be insulated and provided
with a heater/cooiing sysiem, The seats must
be provided with seat belts because 1f the vehi-
cie does run over a mine many of the casualties
could otherwise occur as the occupants are
thrown around the interror of the vehicle,
Adequate stowage space must be provrded for
riot shrelds, weapons and other essential
equipment such as communications systems,
Some internal security vehicles are fttted
with turret-mounted 7.62-mm or 12,7-mm (0,5-
in) machine-guns, while others have a simple
armoured observatton cupola for the comman-
der. Some vehicles also have specialized
equipment (for example, a barrrcade removal Many wheeled APCs serve in the internal security The AT- 1 05 Saxon, ordered for the British Army,
device at the front of the vehrcle), while others role with various degrees of modification . The has been bought by several counfuies to serve in a
VickersValkyr can carry a wide variety of paramilitary capacity. Malaysia purchased 40
can be frtted out as specialized command post vehicles in 1977 for a total cost of $4.7 m.
vehicles or ambulances, The type can also be equipmentfor this task, including a barricade
rcmoval device, smokegrenade launchers and
used to carry EOD (explosive ordnance dis- tear gas bottles.
posal) teams and their specialized equipment
such as remote-control devices fitted wtth TV
cameras and other apphances, Some internal
security vehicles are fitted with tear gas laun-
chers or even waier cannon
Some countries use standard mllitary
wheeled armoured personnel carriers lor the
internal security role while others prefer
cheaper vehicles based on standard light truck
chassis, Mercedes-Benz and Land Rovervehi-
cles being the most favoured as these are used
by many defence and police forces, thereby
making training and the provision of mainte-
nance and spare parts much easier,
Internal security APCs
Some wheeled APCs are used in internal
security role, These inciude the MOWAG Ro-
land, MOWAG MR 8 family, MOWAG Piranha
range of 4x4, 6x6 and 8x8 vehicles, Verne/
Arrowpoint Dragoon, Cadrllac Gage V-100, V-
150 V-200 and more recent V 300 Commando
famrly, Cadrltac Gage Commando Ranger,
Humber 'Pig' used extensively by the British An interior view of the Transaif shows the good The Transaif multi-role internal security vehicle,
army in Northern lreland (one even turned up visibility through armoured glass. The monitor on which appeared in 1985, offers most of the abilities
rn Malta during the hijackrng of an Egypt Air the dashboard allows the driver to see what is of amilitaryAPC but at a morereasonable cost.
behind the vehicle.
Boeing 737 arrcraft late rn 1985), Alvis Saracen,
GKN Sankey AT-105 Saxon, ENGESA EE'll
Urutu, SIBMAS, Vickers Defence SysiemVBDX also introduced armoured personnel carriers
Valkyr, Fiat Type 6614, Renault VAB, Berliet tn 4x4 and 6x6 configuration using the Land
VXB-170 Panhard VCR, Panhard M3 ACMAT Rover chassis, A wide range of optional equip
BMR-600 BLR-600 Ratel, Transportpanzer, ment is olfered to meet virtually any police or
Condor, UR-416, TM 170 and the Soviet BTR military requirement,
series of 6x6 and Bx8 vehicles, The ltahan Frai 11.47 A Campagnola 4x4
lnternal security vehicles based on the West light vehlcle is used by many countries, so the
German Mercedes-Benz chassis include the Mondialpol Trading Company has recently
Thyssen Maschinenbau UR-416, of which over built prototypes of an internal secunty vehicle
800 have been built since 1.969, and the more based on this chassis.
recent TM 170 and TM 125 Both of the latter The Advanced Security Agency SpA of
are fu1ly amphrbious, which makes them ideal Mtlan has been engagted in ihe design and
for civil and milrtary operations, The TM 170 developmeni of the Guardian range of 4x4
has already been seiected by the West Ger- internal security vehicles for some time, and
man border guard as the replacement for its now offers such vehicles not only on the origin-
older MOWAG MR 8 4x4 vehrcles which have a1 Fiat Campagnola chassis, but also on the
now been in service for some 20 years, I:ate 1n more recent Land Rover One Ten and Mer-
1985 it was revealed that the Brttrsh army Berhn cedes-Benz 280 GE chassis, As wrth most vehi-
Brigade is to acqutre over I00 of these vehi- cles of this type, optional equipment ranQles
cles, from winches to bulletproof tyres and a public
Since 1965 Shorts of Northern Ireland have address system,
built well over l, 000 of their Shorland armoured In addition to making the Swiss MOWAG
patrol cars for sale to some 40 countries. In 1974 Piranha range of 4x4 and 6x6 vehicles under
the Shorland SB 40J' armoured personnel car- hcence, Chrle also builds the VTP-Z whlch ts A Buffel heads purposefully into the terrain for
rrer was introduced and sales of thrs have been srmilar in some respects to the West German which itwas designed: although APCs can often
made to almost 20 countrres, As Land Rover has Thyssen IS vehicle, and the Multi 163 armoured double as Internal Security vehicles, the reverse is
:--r:duced a new chassis so Shorts have used personnel carrier which rs also used to patrol not often the case. As with all military
-i-s -:r -:s tnternal securrty vehicles, airports and other high-risk areas. ptocuremen| you pays your money andyou takes
Products of Wales has The Bravia company of Portugal has built the your choice.
---,=l-: -::n:',red
 Riot Control Weapons

Above: On patrol in Northern lreland with a

Humber l-ton APC. Five hundred'Pigs' are
retained by the British Army as /S veijcles.

Right:The Belgian SIBMAS APC is fittedwith a

Vickers turret with twin 7.62-mm machine-guns
and with another 7.62-mm GPMG at the rear.

.Lbove: An interior view of the Transaif shows the

j:eater crew comfort afforded to police or
pasarnilitary personnel, compared to soldiers
into APCs built for the battlefield.
=ammed

-'---rnrte range of 4x4 armoured personnel

r:llers, whose versions are almost identical to
-,= American Cadillac Gage V-100 lamily For
--= National Guard the company has built the
l.-:imando Mk III armoured personnel carrrer
"-:-:h is similar in concept to (but somewhat
,-;er than) the Brrtrsh Shorland vehicles.
-f,/arsaw
Pact riot control
-,'i:hrle
Western countries have cleveloped
,-,--y vehicles that are surtable for use in inter-
:-.. security operations, the Warsaw Pact coun-
:-=s (the USSR rn particular) have not de-
=-:ped any vehicles specrficaliy lor this role
=-: rf riots do happen, which they do only armoured car of World War II, and is armed TheVickersValkyr can serve in a wide vane;; c:
:=::ly, then the police are used with the army wrth a turret-mountecl machine-gun. This vehi roles. from basic APC to weapons carrier.
- - ;-^1. .,^ cle was never used by the East German army command post, ambulance and internal secr:.'-
- -ouN-up.
:;ents vehicle. The latter role is becomingr a starCa:j
in Afghanistan have
shown, however, but issued to police and security troops and
v ariant to w hee led per s onnel c arrier s.
-:-r: ie BTR-60/BTR-70series of 8x8 armoured flna-ly to workers mrlrtta units.
;,-rscnnel carriers do suffer from a number of The SK-2 armoured water cannon was built
::=-,',-backs, and some of these vehicles have on the chassis of the G5 6 x 6 truck used in large
:=:r fltted with additional armour protection numbers by the East German army. Mounted
--1 :nproved firepower, rncluding an AGS-17 on the rool to the rear of the cab, rs a htgh-
=- -:.iatic efenade-launcher, pressure water cannon whrch can be traverse j
l.lany years ago East Germany built two through 360' and elevated from -10 to -=i'
=:--:les for internal security operations, These This cannon has a rangte of about 7Cr-'--
r=:= ihe SK-l armoured car and the SK-Z yards). An unusuai feature of the SK-2 :s -:=
=::--:'-ued water cannon, The SK-1 is very simt- method used:c reflLl ihe water tarrks. :re-.-=:-
:: -: appearance to the Sovtet BA-64 cle is drrven Jver a;ra.r.-/.-ater m;:-:.-..: i-:
>K brenade Discharqer LIAI
When the current outbreak of troubles
in Northern Ireland begran in 1969 the
British army was ill-equipped to carry
out many of rts internal secunty duties.
For a whiie it was forced to make
purchases of often-unsuitable riot
munitions launchers from the USA or to
rush into use hasty conversions of old
signal pistols, Typicai of the latter was
the L67AI riot gun, a conversion ofan
old World War II siqnal pistol to take a
rifled barrel simple sights and a
rudrmentary butt The L67A1 may strll
be encountered, mainly in trainrng
roles but it was an awkward weapon
to use not very accurate and prone to
damage.
Somethmg better was required and
came in the form of the Grenade Dis-
charger L1AI Thrs was desiqned spe-
cifically to flre CS grenades, and at flrst
srght seems to be a very simple
weapon, Srmple it is, but with a number
of important safety and handling de
sign features.
The LlAl is muzzle-loaded, and af
ter the qrenade rs inserted into the
launcher cup a safety sequence of op-
erations has to be followed to ensure
that the qrenade rs flred only when it is
requrred and not at any other trme.
First, a cocking plungrer located at the
fore end of the pistol grip has to be
pressed, The safety catch must then be
pressed and only then does pressure
on the trrgger, while the safety rs still
held down, flre the qrenade, The finng
pulse comes from two ordrnary U2 bat
teries behino the burt plate
The LlAl can launch grenades to a
range of about 100 m (109 yards) and
the type of qrenade flred is one that
cannot be picked up and returned;
however, the L 1A I is not lust a riot gmn,
for rt can also fire smoke and marker
grenades for battlefleld operations,
althougrh rt 1s not often so used.
The desrgn sophlstication of the
LlAl is such that it can be easily strip-
ped for marntenance and cleaning
and its simple constructron also makes
it very robust. It rs also easy to handle
in action although it cannot be sard that
it is an accurate weapon. Havrnq been
designed to flre marnly CS grenades Lt
is an area weapon and there is llttle
chance that it will ever hlt a point
target, It cannot fire baton rounds,
The LlAl was produced at the old
Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield
Lock rn Middlesex now Royal Ordn-
ance, Small Arms Division, It is no lon-
qer in productron,
Specification
Grenade Discharger L IAI
Calibre: 66 mm (2.6 in)
Lengrth: overall695 mm (27.36 rn)
Weight:2.7 kq (5.95 lb)
Range: 100 m(l09yards)

The LIAI replaced thevarious grcnade launchers acquired by the British The LIAIis designed to fire 550-9 CS gas grenades into a crowd from outside
Army when troops were sent toNorthernlrelandin 1969.ltis a single-shot the range of hand-thrown missiles- 1ts grenades are so designed as to make it
muzzle loader which fires its grenade electrically, current being provided by impossible for rioters to smother them or throw them back.
a pair of standard U2 dry cells.

NfZ ,:
ffi Arwen
fhe Arwen (Anti-Riot Weapon
ENfleld) is somethinq of an innovation
and certainly an advanced desiqn rn
comparison wrth many contempor-
ales lt is a very sophrsticated piece of
engnneering that can perhaps be cal-
led a weapon system as it rs a not
munitron launcher alhed to a novel
lange of ammunitron. The Arwen is
produced by Royal Ordnance, Small
Arms Drvisron, at Enfleld Lock, Mid-
dlesex.
Arwen has a cahbre of 37 mm
l1 456rn) and may be considered as
:',ro tubes ;orned togtether by a rotary
nagazine. The rear tube holds a butt
plate and can be adjusted telescopl-
:ally to suit the firer. The rear tube is
'cined to a firing mechanism complete

T his automatic 37 -mm weapon was

one of three prototype designs built
and tested at the Royal Ordnance
Factory atEnfield.

, a-
Arwen (continued) Riot Control Weapons
r,rih pistol grrip, while the forward tube
: the barrel with its corruqtated cool-
-:g proflle. The barrel is fitted with a
-:regrip, also adjustable in position to
::rt the firer. Between these sections is
:e rotary magazine that holds flve
:: :nds The finng mechanjsm is srm-
;-e and controlled by the trigger Pull-
--3 the lngger rotates the magazine
',:rirl a round is in line wrth the cham-
:er. Further trigqer pressure fires the
::und. Leaf sights are provided, for
-:-rwen is more accurate than most
s-rLriar weapons,
Five types of round are flred from
-:-:.'ven, althouqh not all may be en-
::intered operationally. The main
--:--riot munition is a baton round with
: rushroom-shaped head that pro-
-"--res the PVC pro;ectile with a good
:. ]'strc trajectory, allowingr deliber-
r:3 aun at point tarQlets to be made
-:e others include a CS round, a
.::eening smoke round a baton round
','.--:h a CS element and a round that

-::s a projectile to penetrate thin bar-

:-:ades whrle carrying some form of
jr -iant agent. It is possible that this last
:: :ld wrll not be placed in production
-:.e marn design point regarding all
':,=se rounds is that their aluminrum Above:The productionmodelof theArwen has a5-roundrotary magazine adapted from therevolver principle
- act as their own firingT chambers After firing it ejects tfte spent ca rtridge case and rotates a new round in line with the barrel.
-:,-:3s
.:e instant offlring each round has it
"--- rnternal charge and is flred with
---lport provided by sprockets at the
:...-and rear of lne rolary maqazrne
',-= rest of the case rs quite unsup-
: :ed as only relatively small prop-
=-:::t charges are used
-r-rwen can be fired with a good de-
-=: or accuracy up to a rangte ofabout
-., m (J09 yards) using the baton
:- -:-d. The usual rate of fire, including
= =::ing spent cases and reloading
,-:::gh a rim on the right-hand side of
= rnagazine, is about 12 rounds per
These two factors make
-,:ilte,
-::.';en a formidable anti-riot weapon,
=,*,j the weapon has already been
: -::rased by many police and secur-
, : -:rces, especially in the USA, where
-' ,: :ow a favoured weapon for gmards
:-aximum security penal establish-
.
--:--S
Specification
-l-:lien
3e-jbre:37 mm (1.456 in)
-e:.grth: adjustable from 760 to 840 mm
-: : :c 33 in)
lTeights: empty 3, I kq (6,83 lb);
-, =::d 3.8 kq (B 36 lb)
l,laqazine capacity: 5 rounds Anyone who thinks a pump action shotgun makes a menacing sound when the action is operated should hear the
i=:.ge: baton round 100 m (iO9 yards) awesome mechanism of this pump actionArwen prototype,whichis a deterrentin itself.

WEST GEBMANY

TRGG Portable Irritant Agent Projector

can be any one of a number from tear
gas to CS, The weapon can also project
powerful dyes to mark rioters for later
apprehension,
The TRGG has a maximum oper-
atronal range of20 m (21,9 yards), The
contents of the tanks are sufficient for
about B0 jets of aqent, and each jet is
usually automatically monitored to
prevent waste or excessive concentra-
tions of agrent. When refills are re-
quired the tanks can be quickly and
easiiy changed (wrthin a few seconds)
without recourse to tools This is usual
ly done by a person other than the user
who would otherwise have to remove
the carrying foame for reloadrnqi
Riot-control devices such as the
TRGG are not favoured by some poltce
and paramilitary forces, The very
apearance of the TRGG is distinctive
and makes it and its user a tarqet for
possible retaliation, while the weight
of the equipment is such that the user is
unable to move very rapidly if cir-
cumstances demand it, The device
also has a relatively restrrcted ranqie
The 20 m (21,9 yards) mentroned
above may not be achieved agiarnst Specificatior.
even a slight headwind and at lonqfel 1 KUU
ranges rhe rrrirant agert can L - j -.- txr^i-L.-, --- :
persed to such an extent tha. , :-=:
have lirrle effec on de e:r..:..::.:'=
, i, =: - :
At closer ranges, ho-,'.'e'.'=: .: j : -.:'
mrdable deterrent. B-: =;--: :- -:.,. ' -
shortranges the TRCC:e;-r::: = :- -
sjderable
.^^-r drru
deqe: .: !--:+-"-..- : -:
pur( --! r--:-. - ___:
 SWEDEN
BAT Riot Munitions
Sweden rs not normally reckoned as a
nation where rrots are a major prob-
lem, but the Swedish authonties take
no chances and keep a close eye on
riot-control equipment used else-
where. During the 1970s their obser-
vers noted that many current anti-riot
grenades were not very efftcient as
most could be picked up and returned
to therr previous owners, Grenade-
Iaunchers, tf used, were also very in-
accurate. The Swedes decided that if
they were to have such munitions they
would design thetr own, and invited a
private concern to produce something
suitable
The result was a device known as
the BAT grenade. This is a 40-mm
(1 575-in) drameter can-type grenade
with a fllling of CS (Swedish law Pro
hibits the use of any other agents with-
in Sweden) flred from a muzzle-
mounted launcher on an in-servtce
weapon As the grenade strikes the
ground a protruding glass tip is broken
whrch then releases the CS but with
the added feature that the CS ts driven
out by internally generated qas press-
ure, This rnternal pressure is suificient
for the contents to act as a form of rock-
et motor, making the qrenade streak
about enatically, emitting CS all the
whrle, The effect is that the grenade is
almost impossible to qrasp and its path
rs difflcult to predict. The CS cloud is
emrtted for up to three seconds.
The accuracy requirement was met
by fitting a detachable 40-mm (1.575-
rn) launcher onto the muzzle of a 9-mm
(0,354-in) Carl Gustav sub-machine
gmn although other similar weapons
do equa]ly well. The grenades are
fired usrng ordinary blank cartrtdges
and adequate accuracy at ranges up to
200 m (219 yards) can be obtained UP
to 10 grenades a minute can be fired
using the semi-automattc mode of the
Cari Gustav sub-machine gun. The
Swedish poiice have purchased the
BAT grenade and its iauncher, and
more have been sold to Denmark and
SOUTH AFBICA
r:--::=::-=El
tfl Stopper
Recent events in South Africa have
tended to hide the fact that civll unrest
has long been a feature of South Afri-
ca's mixed racial society, and the
police forces there have always been
well schooled in antrriot tactics and
equipment. One of their latest items of
equipment that has been prominent in
newsreels is a riot control weaPon
known as Stopper,
Stopper is an orthodox design with a
smooth-bored barrel havinq a calibre
of 37 mm (1,457 in) It is used to fire a
variety of projectiles includinq baton
rounds, irritant agent rounds and even
paramilitary rounds such as smoke and
illuminating The weapon itself is very
simple, being lrttie more than an over-
sized break-open shotgun with a body
made from metal stampinqs. The twtn
pistol grips are interchanQteable and
the butt is a simple assembly that re-
tracts into the body when not required
Rudrmentary sights set at 50 m (55
yards) are provided. Stopper is very
easy to use as little more rs required of
the user other than knowing how to
ioad it (just like a shotgun) and pulltng
the triggper after pulling back the ex-
iernal hammer. Stopper has been pro-
duced with the realization that lt will
Q'et very little care in use or storage
;
_:A
Norway Many other organizations, Above:The BAT grenadecanbefired from grenade launchers, thrownby
some including special forces, have hand or used for close-range personal defence by striking the impact fuse
evaluated the BAT grenade and its against ahard surface, which makes it discharge the gasin apowerful jet
associated launcher. aerosol.
A by-product of the research that
led to the BAT grenade is the BAT
aerosol generator that can be used
with virtually any irdtant agrent. This
device is portable, weighing about
5kg (11 lb), and can be carried on a
backpack or under an arm. A pressure
bottle is used wtth a container of the
iftitant aqent and by careful use of the
system controls various densities of
aerosol cloud can be Produced This
system has been purchased by police
forces in Sweden NorwaY and Den-
mark and has aroused interest else-
where, usually with CS in mind,
Specification
BAT grenade
Calibre:40 mm (1.575 in)
Lengrth: 120 mm (4,72 in) To deal with point targets, fot If an area covering is needed, for
Weight: 150 qrams (0,33 Ib) example to shoot gas grenades instance when dealing with crowds,
Maximum operational range: 200 m through awindow toflush outa the projectile is also providedwith
(2 19 yards) sniper, stabilizers can be fitted. an impact absorberl stabilizer.
The matt black flnish is covered with a
thln film of dry lubricant that prevents
rust and other corrosion over the entire
service tife of the weapon. Stopper ls
usually issued fitted with a shoulder
s1ing.
The main anti-riot rounds used wtth
Stopper are CS and the usual baton
rounds, The baton rounds are simple
flat-nosed PVC or rubber slugs with no
design frnesse, while the CS rourid is
also a straightforward design that
starts to emit fumes following a 1 5-
second delay after firing Both rounds
use aluminium cartridge cases. The CS
round continues to emit gas for be-
tween srx and 25 seconds depending
on the local conditions. It has been de-
monstrated that rt can be grrasped and
thrown while still emitting its CS fumes.
Stopper can be fired from the shoul-
der or htp and Lrs etfective range is
limited to a maximum of about 100 m Specification The Stopper is abrutallY simPle
(109 yards). It can be flred to a max- Stopper 37-mm smooth-bore riot gun firing
rmum of approximately 3OO m (328 Calibre:37 mm (1 457 in) either CS gas shells or baton rounds.
yardst. bur aI lhal range t is very tn- Lenqths: butt extended 700 mm The twin pistol griPs are
accurate and baton rounds will have (27,56 rn); butt retracted 506 mm interchangeable, and the buttcan
virtuaily no stopping power, lt is also (19.92 rn); barrel390 mm (15,35 in) retractinto the body of theweapon'
not very accurate even at its operation- Weight:with slinq 3.7 kq (8, 157 ]b) Its matt black finish is covered with
al ranges and can only be used effec- Range: operational 50 to I00 m (55 to dry \ubricant to Protectitfrom
tively as an area weapon unless the 109 yards); maximum 300 m (328 corroslon.
target is very close yards)
 Anctomg oI c Riot
Televisionpictures of burning cars and a stone-throwing mob embattledwitharmy
or police units give the impression of total chaos, but experience has shown that
crowd behaviour tends to follow certain patterns. whichever service has the
disagreeable task of riot control, the aim is to limit the damage and ultimately break
up the mob without recourse to unneccessary violence.
It has been argued that, in a democracy, va
rious forms of violence (ranging from assasstna-
:ion to a well-placed rotten egg) can be and
often are a legrtimate defence against drcta-
:orshrp, incompetence and even chronic pom-
posity, This is not to suggest that all windbag
pohtrcians should be shot, but merely to point
rut thai acts ol violence are as much part of the
!:lrtical process as election promises, kissing
cabies and deals struck in smoke fllled rooms,
Of course, whether an act of polrtrcal vio-
-ence rs;ustified or not depends very much on
:ne's point of view; and one cannot argue that it
s justified as long as it represents the will of the
rajorrty, because the majority can often be as
-apleasant as any dictator, or simply may not
lare one way or the other,
The time-honoured method of expressing
:-sapproval en masse remains the humble riot,
=d democracyfear the world over owes much to
of the mob, Paradoxically,
=::vernmental
: ahtarian regimes very often owe their exist-
-:-ce to control of the mob. So if a rrotrng mob
r:Dresents society's lowest common denomi,
-=:or, rt could be argued that both fascism and
r::nmuntsm are tn one sense more democratic
-:. more responsive to the demands of the
,:-,-rer sections of socrety) than are other more
-ieral regimes, Whether or not the lower sec-
--rs ol society should be heard in the first
:-ace has been debated for many, many
:-:usands of years: if nothrng else, Pontius Pi
-::e made a very democratic decision. But be-
::e one gets carried away with the ldea that all
:-,bs, all riots are composed of the uncaring,
:,: uninformed and the unwashed, it must be
s=-i that the collective IQ of the mob will rapid
- ,'snk to the IQ of the stupidest people present,
-:-ere is something about the sheer violent ex,
--aration of being part of a mob that appeals to
-:,: animal (and possibly the trrbai) instinct in
. ' cf us, And quite often it is the most rational
j
-- civilized of human beingswho are capable
:, -re worst excesses of mob vtolence. Being
: -. of a mob gives one a (morai) licence to krl1,
r:s-roy and maim since a collective responsi-
: -:v takes over from personal moraltty. It is for
-:--: reason that a riot remains one of the most
=-=riive weapons imagrnable; and why
,:r--,'oklng and leading of a riot is the stock in
.:-1e of any skilled political acttvtst anywhere;
riots result in so much bitterness, At
=-i',l,hy
:: end of the day rioters will excuse them
-==--"'es their'own acts of violence, but remem-
::: -,-rvidly those acts of violence that the au-
:-,:-:ies were forced to use to prevent the riot
:----rg totally out of hand,
-:- cther words, ex-rloters will tend to say
--i oossrbly even to belleve) that they were
i:::=C rnto ammal-like behaviour because of
_,--rer person's (authority's) actions; that dur-
--I -,:re riot they were carried along on
:=:-:ral tide of violence and thus were
=:-::rsible for their own actions.
:-,: ,-;e can begin to define the factors leading
,: :: 1n 'effectlve' rrot Frrstiy, there must be a
-:r:::: icr a large number of people to be
= =:-:red
together in one place (a demonstra-
',:: = .cod queue, a football match, a visiting
: -; :-:r cr whatever). Secondly, there must be
- :=:-=:"rly-held beliel by the crowd that they
have every reason (rndeed the right) to be
there, plus a generally-held sense of grie-
vance, Thirdly, a growrng awareness of their
(the crowd's) potential power is needed.
Fourthly, there must be an incident or series of
incidents that will increase tension, And flfthly,
there is a need for instigators who will do their
damnedest to make sure that the crowd turns
into a mob, producing a riot and loss of control,
Thrs last is most importantr riots very rarely, if
ever, erupt spontaneously; and having
erupted, they have little or no sense of direc-
tion of their own, The crowd of human indi-
viduals becomes an antmal-like herd, with a1l
the instincts of not too savaQte sheep, at least
until something trrggers off the violence and
the sheep turn nasty. Thrs trrggerrng phase
may only last a few minutes, but is an extremely
vital onet 1t is at this stage that authority must try
to disperse the mob, not by appeahng to their
better natures, but by panicking them and forc-
ing them, rf possible, to spht up into smaller
groups which will lack the collective courage
of the larger herd,
All sorts of example spring to mind, but be-
fore we look at riot-control methods, rt is worth
looking at a few riots that have been dehber-
ately started and tbat have had a defimte effect
on history. Remember that a riot is effective
because it purports to show that the powers
that be have lost control, are no longer capable
ol keeping order and should therefore be re-
placed. Of course, in truth it probably does not
mean anything of the sort, but it is interesting to
note that the recent football riots have been
blamed as much on varrous authorities as on
the thugs who staried them. The French stu-
dent riots of the 1960s resulted from a more
A British police officer, Tottenham I985: it noa.
widespread (and fashronable) support for the seems only amatter of time beforeplastlcbuy',les
militant Left that in itself spawned the Baader-
will be used inmainland Britain.Whether itwou:c
Mernhof Gang, the Red Brrgade and other poh-
tical killers, In the 1970s rroting in predomrnant-
be sensible to create a paramilitary anti-riot urlr:
along the lines of European forces like theFrenc!
ly black areas of Detroit set integration in the CRS remarhs op en to debate.
USA back years. Similarly, present-day rioting
tn South Africa, with as many if not more people
A petrol bombis hurled atBritish troops in the
killed by the rioters as by the police, has re- Bogside area ofLondonderry. The use of plastc
sulted in a degree of sympathy betng shown by bullets always excites controversy but. faced u"i:L
the West for a basically unsympathetic regime, a dou s ing fr om bu r ning pe tr o 1, lie so/djer rn us I be
the allowed to take action.
the
not
rffiffi
Anatomy of a Riot
Controlled rioting allowed the Bolsheviks to
gain control of the Russtan Revolution. Control-
led rioting has allowed the IRA to maintain the
rnitiative in Northern lreland, In l7th-century
England, the London 'mob' was a definite polt-
trcal force, knew its own strength and was in-
strumental in forcing King George to release
John Wiikes from the Tower of London, Wilkes
was a stronq supporter of the American colon-
isis (becoming known as the 'father of the
American revolution'), was a mob orator par
excellence and used this control for his own,
possibly lustifled, politlcal ends, And of course
it was rioting in lran, tnspired by both the
Tudeh (communist party) and the Ayatollah
Khomeini, that ultimately brought down the
Shah by demonstrating to the population and to
the Shah's Amertcan backers that he had lost
control. A11 in all, a rlot is a far better indication
of popular unrest than any suwey or poll.
Iran is an excellent example of one of the root
causes of rioting and general civil unrest: the
more you give people, the more they want and
the more they realize how little they had be-
forehand. When any democratic reforms are
instituted, particularly in a country with a re-
latively uneducated and unsophisticated
population, the result is a demand for even
faster change coupled with a growlnQl resent-
ment, even hate, for the authorities for not hav-
tt
ing instituted these reforms much sooner, And
whatever the truth of the matter, the reforms
are seen as resulLing lrom the power of the
people rather than the good sense and demo-
cratic ideals of the government, This is particu-
larly true when a marked social and economic
gap exists between the ruling classes and the
majorrty of the populatton, In this sense, demo-
cracy often carries within rtself the seeds of its
own destruction, since it proves all too easy for
erther fascist or communist groups first to sub-
vert and then to take over the movement for
reform, as the Nazis did tn Germany after
Worid War I, and as the communists did with
the Vietcong (origtnally a broad-based coali-
tion) before the outbreak of the Vietnam War.
A classic example at the time of wrrting is South
Afnca, where widespread and vicious rtoting
has started just when the government has be-
gun (slowly) to dismantle apartherd, This can
only favour extremists of both sides.
Riot dispersal
How riots are prevented and dispersed is a
fascinatinq sublect in itself, Before we look at
an example, drawn from real life, lt must be
remembered that the will of the authorities to
prevent and,/or disperse a riot must be greater
than the wrll of people to riot in the first p1ace,
The rioters, actual or potential, must reahze that
the authorities really do mean business, Force
is met with even greater iorce, but offlcial force
must be controlled, selective and of the minr
mum requirement needed. Riot management
and control are no place for gratuitous violence
no matter how great the provocatlon.
The scene is a Bntish colony inevitably, but
not yet, due for independence mainly because
the more moderate polltlcal parties are not
quite strong enough to grasp and marntain poli-
tical power. There are two main extremist poli-
trcal partiesr one is rehgious-based (and
approximately 50 per cent of the populatton
belong to this religron; there are also marked
culturaVsocial difierences between rhem and
the other 5O per cent); the other extremist party
is communist-based and draws its main sup-
The ideathatrioting is mainly a symptom of
economic hardship was given the lie by the
widespread mob violence in affluent areas of
Switzerland in the early I 980s. The well-trained
police force managed to control events without the
intervention of the army.
The US National Guard is no stranger to riot
control: (above) a curious youngster in Memphis
examines aTennessee Guardsm an's bayonet, and
Qeft) a sentry is seen posfed on Pennsylvania
Avenue inWashington during the 1968 riots.
port from the latter half of the population, Ex-
iremists of each side regard the other as being
inferior, Everyone realizes that independence
wrll come, and everyone wants to take credit
for it. The two extremist parties have little
widespread support, but both receive help
from outslde sources: the one from a co-re-
ligiomst country close by, the other from Mos-
cow, The colony practises internal self-govern-
ment, but the police are controlled by the Brit-
ish. There is also a sizeable detachment of
British troops in the colony, which has a vital
naval base much used by the Western alliance,
The colony's economy is based on manufactur-
ing and trade, and can easily be dlsrupted,
The aim of each extremist party is to see civil
order break down completely and to make the
colony such an embarrassment to the UK (not to
mentron so expensive to maintain) that the UK
will cut her losses and get out early, allowing
the stronger and more committed party to
seize control. It ts a situation that ts (or rather,
was) rdeai for widespread rioting to take place.
Riot control starts with properly appreciat-
ing the threat, and in particular not underesti-
mating it. To this end, the Special Branch has
managed to inflltrate the senior councils of both
political parties and ls reasonably confident of
knowing when and where a riot wtll be plan-
ned. However, it will not be able to foresee a
riot that skilled agitators can develop from, say,
a rehgious lestival or unpopular football result.
There are in the colony two companies of
Gurkhas trained in riot-control methods. Gur-
khas are used because they are extremely dis-
ciplined troops and because everyone knows
their reputation and rs slightly scared of them
(terrifled, in some instances).
The religious extremist party announces a
legitrmate demonstration (say against co-
education in the schools) and Special Branch
sources indicate that the communists will
attempt to turn this into a riot. The government
announces that the demonstration is going to
take place (wlth its blessing), and tn order to
safeguard the demonstrators, a company of
Gurkhas will be on hand, complete with war

Cogs, to prevent the demonstrators being
attacked by their opponents, Come the day,
and 20 demonstrators and probably as many
egitators find themselves confronting a com-
pany of Gurkhas (plus war dogs) and, not sur-
prrsingly, no not takes place, The demonstra,
:ron is a brt of an antr,climax, too. All the same,
everyone present is photographed, particular-
-y those people at the back of the crowd (an
agitator's favourite place). In this way, over a
penod ol time known agitators wrll be rden-
-rfied and il as and when troops ever have to
:oen flre, as far as possrble only the aQtitators
-,';Ll1
be shot
Another occasion is more serious, The com-
::'..r-'sis start a rumour that religious extremists
*=-,-= -<lled a young man, belonging to another
-q::-.' cllural group, because he was caught
.';-:- a ;::-',,,hose father is a leading religious
pc,-:c;a:r J';rnprng on the bandwagon, the reh-
lnous pariy starts a rumour that the British are
;oing to ban reiigious instruction in schools,
Secondary school students get in on the act
ris berng insttgated by the communists) and
:emand automatic university places for all
.:condary school leavers, Three major secon,
rary schools are taken over by their students,
:-,-eraqe age 16, It becomes obvious that se-
:-:us trouble could break out, a1l it needs being
- -rtle rncident to trigger off a major riot.
-\ joint army/Special Branch/Police opera-
-:ns room is set up, reasonably close to the
-=lrtre of the major city (where trouble usually
.:=rts, if only because of population concentra-
-:r), Guards are increased at the naval base,
:*: because rt is miles away lrom any malor
:','rn littie trouble is antictoated.
h'eludeto ariot
Ihe rnctdent happens:
a Brrtish serviceman
::,ving home runs over and kills a local child.
j:rsrbly, for his own sake, the serviceman
::es not stop, But thrs incident ts all it needs for
---e drfferent factions to coalesce into a virulent
movement, Local businessmen put
=:r-British
'--e shutters up, 'Ihe majority of the local
::oulation go home and pull the covers up,
-:-e young, the mean, the hysterical, the ex-
l:iriists, the criminal and the agitators take to
-:-: streets, The usual pattern is for farrly small
:-:bs to roam around, indulging in the odd spot
:- prllage and rape, until they form up in one
,:ry large mob, at which pornt someone will
::jgest a speciflc target (probably the British
._gh Commissron bulldtng) and they wrll try to
:'-.rn rt down.
Agitators are working to shepherd these
s::-aller mobs to a specifrc meeting place, so
:-: authorities have three rmmediate prob-
-:ns: they must have a continuinq flow of intelh-
l:ence so that they know where al1 the sub-
:-:bs are; they must try to stop them from arriv-
en masse at the central meeting place; and
-:J-j-ley
- do get there, they must be able to dts-
::rse them as soon as possible, In this instance,
: : rnany as I5 sub-mobs (each consisting of 500
:: more persons) are heading by various
::ltes to the matn city square, At thrs time
;::fessional agitators are in the front and at the
:=ar, both leading and driving, The agitators
.:: also on the look out for 'natural' mob lead,
=:s those who by virtue of size or personality
::: act as a focus lor the mob's collective hate
=:-j destruction and who can be urged to fuIfll
':--: role,
-::rtlally, the police attempt to lbrce the sub
---bs back, but aiter one unlucky constable
-s had petrol poured over him and then
Riot Control Weapons
ignrted, their enthustasm for maintatning law
and order somewhat abates. Trained 'snatch'
squads have attempted, with some success, to
prck up more obvious agitators, but the sub-
mobs do arrive at the main square, some 7,000
or more people baying for blood,
The authorities now try to keep the mob
penned on as narrow a front as possible (in
Northern lreland they use a specrally de-
veloped four-wheeled armoured bulldozer
known affectionately as a 'Paddy Pusher'), be-
cause the next phase ts full-scale confrontation
with a company of Gurkhas, who are ali lined
up rn full riot gear (gasmasks, plastic armour,
shields, batons, rifles, helmets etc), By this
point the professional agitators have melted
away from the lront of the mob and are now
leadlng from the rear. Snipers on the rooftoos
should neutralize the.r contrrbulion if rhe mob
refuses to disperse
Mob contained
Now that the mob is contalned on a narrow
front, with no opportunity to outflank the Gur-
khas, it slows and stops, At this point a senior An Illinois National Guardsman silhouetted
officer orders the mob to disperse, TheV never against the flames on Chicago'sWestSide during a
do so the next step is for the Gurkha company night of violence, April I 968, which left at least
to open order march and move forward to- eight people dead. He is checking a Browning .3C
wards the mob, Thrs has to be a faultlesslv calmachine-gun.
executed procedure, worthy from the drili
point of view of the Queen's Birthday Parade, so
that the contrast between a remorseless, disci- 1ng a riot is to prevent it from taking place -: _:_:
plined force and an undrsciphned rabble will frrst instance, And that, unfortunately, is ." ._:
be appreciated by the rloters themselves, often the responsibility of the politicra-
Needless to say, the agitators at the back are One frnal point should be made. It rs :--.-=_-
encouraging those at the front to go on; the next ably the intention of the professional ac:::::: .-
step is lor a warning volley to be fired over the provoke the authoritres into using ei:=ss.,=
heads of the crowd; and a sensible commander force, or what looks like excessive force ".;:_=:,
wrll ask his snipers to take out the leading shown on the evening news. In some ins:a:-:=:
agitators at the same time, the pohce management of the prcketing c=:;
Now the mob begins to turn into a collection the recent British miners' strike was de:-::-
of frrghtened people, turning and beginning to able because a situation was allowei : :=
stream out ofthe square. As they do so, police velop which could only be contarnei i:-.'
=-r-
and troops warting in the shadows, and rn the rreme force on rhe pari ol lhe pol-ce I:: _:__
approach roads to the square, move forward to ger the police warted, the worse the s-:.^a-----_
split the mob up into hundreds of small groups, became, A picket of 6, 000 has lrttle or no :. ::
otherwise they will reform within minutes, tive goodwill and should never be ailc-,'.-e j :_
Arrests are made and hopefully that rs the end drctate matters, even if police and p1.<=: t:
of it, at least for this time. speak the same language,
Upfortunately, it does not always go as
smoothly as that. The problems are particularly
acute when the population is well educated,
better motivated and properly led, It is even
more acute when the riot occurs on home
ground, as in Northern lreland. A variety of
techniques and weapons have been de-
veloped, but very few ofthem have proved to
be as effective as anticipated: with CS gas, for
example, rioters rn Northern Ireland soon disc-
overed that a handkerchief soaked in a mixture
of vinegar and water acted as a pretty elficient
qas mask; and householders ]eft buckets of
vinegar and water outside their front doors so
that the 'boys' could riot unmolested, Rubber
buliets do have an unfortunate tendencv to kill
people, andwhile one can argue that the vrctim
should not have been there in the first place,
that argument wears a bit thin when a iO-year-
old boy is krlled, Water cannon are effective
only whrle the water lasts, and not everyone
minds getiing a soaking, Marker dye, used
from a water cannon or in the form of hand held
aeroscls. seemed like a good idea, but it does
A sergeant of the Royal Malay ReEnment rests
wash off and ar.1-;ray i: loses much of rts effec
tiveness r,','hen the entire population turns up
against a car, spare magazine in his left hand.
during inter-racial riots in Kuala Lumpur. Wher
the nex: da1' al- ,','earing the same colour dr'-e religious and racial divisions are exacerbated b-,-
thar was sprayed on rhe r-oLers economic grievances. jt rs offe n a military
About the oniy effective method of cc::::-_ responsibility to keep the lid on.
\TERNATIONAL

Water Cannon
One of the most effective anti-rtot
weapons is water and when flred from
a water cannon it becomes even more
effective For many years the water
cannon has been used to disPerse
crowds and mobs for the simPle
well Few
reason that it works verY
doters will stand in the path of a water
.1et without taking protectlve action
which usually takes the form of running
away. If high-pressure hoses are used
the sheer effort of simply standing up-
right becomes difficult and any ideas
of riotous behavtour usually vanish,
Water cannon have manY other
advantages to their users, High on the
Iist is that such devices rarely cause
serlous casualties to produce the mar-
tyrs so beloved of many causes, Water
j6ts may cause bruises bY knocking
people over, but it is uncommon fot
them to cause anything worse. Another
advantage is that water is cheap and
Lrsually p1entiful. AIl that is requlred to
make water Into an anti-riol weapon is
to pass it through a water pump. These
are usually easy to fino. often in
mobile form
Water cannon rarelY car.rse much
damaqe to buildings and installations,
They may cause temporarY flooding
and associated nuisance but rarely
more, There is also a simPle waY that
water can cause rtoters to be singled
oul for later apprehenston. mxing
dye with the water marks rioters in a
manner they cannot easllY remove
Specialized types of water cannon
hav-e been produced, One still kept in
reserve in Northern lreland is known
Water Dispenser' This is
as the Speciai
mounted on an old Saracen armoured
carrier and is desiqned to deliver short
'slugs' of water at point targets up to
40 m (43,7 yards) distant. The effect of
one of these sluqs has been likened to
receiving a heavy blow from a fist, and
a anyone hit by such a slugt is llkely to
lose interest in the local proceedings
for some time but is not likelY to be
permanently harmed, The SWD has
not yet been used 'operationallY',
Water cannon have their limttations,
however, In many urban centres they
mrght not be able to qet near their
a intended targTets as they cannot get
past parked vehicles or barricades,
They are also limited in range, Other
than on a few of the more specialized
designs the useful range is limited to
about 30 m (33 yards), well withln
thrown-missile range, Unless they are
ready prepared they take some time to
get operational, and once their tanks
are empty theY maY take even longer
to refill, In some situations the mere
srgtht of water cannon vehicles can in-
flame tensions or passions to a danger-
ous level,
But for all these drawbacks water
cannon are still very useful antt-riot
weapons, Even the most determined
rioter cannot remain long ln the path of
a powerful water jet, and lt should also
be noted that the dislike of water by
crowds ts so intense that few riots take
place in the rain.
Water Cannon, seen here in actionin
West Germany, have proved useful
anti-riot weapons especially in chilly
weather, although they do not deter
the really hard-core rioter.

Model 02 LAPA Carabina Automatica

The Model 02 IAPA Carabina Auto-
matica rs designed to fire the relatively
low-powered 5,56-mm (0,22-in) Long
Riflgcartridge and is intended for use
bv nolice prison quards and similar
oirimrtitarli persoinel. The design is
an offshoot from the Model 03 I,APA
(Laboratorio de Pesqulsa de
Annamento Automatico Ltda) assault
njle, and uses a very simtlar operating
mechanism, Both weapons are cur-
rently under development in the LAPA
workshops in Rio de Janeiro,
The Model 02 is a fully automattc
weapon that bears some resemblance
io the LAPA assault nfle but has been
made much llghter (and thus easier to
nandle and to carry) than the full milit-
ary version, It is still under develop-
rni:nt and to date two versions have
aooeared. One uses an l8-round box
naqazine inserted into the pistol grip
-,.rhile the other has a cuwed 3O-round
nagazrne tnserted into a housing-iust
:crward of the Plstol griP The flnal
:orm has apparently yet to be declded,
Bcth versions have an M16{YPe car-
:-.-.rg handle over ihe tn-line receiver'
-;;r.rch also houses the rear sigthts, and
-:-e cocking lever is under this handle
-:s ',\1th other weapons of this type the
low-powered round used Produces
very little recorl, enablinq accurate fire
even on fully-automatic bursts.
The Model 02 is intended to deliver
automatrc fire with accuracy in urban
warfare condrtions, usually in internal
security situations, As a result of its
desiqn it can fire at cyclic rates ofup to
2,400 rpm, although this dePends on
the ammunition being used, for some
makes of cartridgte eienerate much
lower rates of flre.
The Carabina Esportiva ts a semt-
automatic version of the Model 02 us-
ing a lO-round maqazine in the qrip lt
is lntended for cil'rlian use, hopefully
as a sportlnq weapon, but it could also
be used for paramilitary Purposes.
The Model 02 makes full use of mod-
em materials in lts design, the entire
body being made of a strong Plastic
material. Its smooth outlines certamly
make it an easy weapon to carry in the Specification Intended for use by paramilitary
close confines of a poltce vehicle, and Mode 02 LAPA Carabina Automatica personnel, the LAPA carbine fires .22
LongRifle cartridgewhich has low
its all-in-line configuratton makes the Calibre: 5 56 mm (0.22 in) Long Rifle
weapon easy to aim andto control The Lengths:overali 775 mm (30 5 in); lethality (although it tends to
produce infectious wounds). The use
over-all desrgn ts reported to be still barrel 370 mm ( 14.57 in)
under development but it seems very Weight:unloaded 2. I kg (4.63 Ib) of such a low-powered cartridge
hkelv rhat orders will be placed by Muzzie velocity: about 330 m ( 1,082 ft) reduces recoil and muzzle climb,
Brazilian police and paramililary units ner second making automatic tire more
1n the near future Magazine capacity: 18 or 30 rounds accurate.
 Armed Forces of the V{crld

-he frontiers of Perr, ,'. :- :-:

=::=:- :- -- -:=
-- -:e equipment used by these forces is a strange
'crmed by tr;butaries :' :-: : .:- ---: - =-= -- '_ \:-:e of Eastern and Western types, the latter The Navy
rave been the sou.c: :'::--::- :::--:: .a .- ::- i:g from the USA and Western Europe. The ln contrast with tne a'- ?. :^e 27,000-man Peru-
)eru's neighbours. Be:,",:e- --- 'l-: a--- -a. -- S:! ei connectlon occurred in the early 1 970s when vian navy operates eo- D-erl sre3orrinantly Euro-
-
zry 1977, and again '===--2-. ':: -:-:= -= a- e'i.s deal was signed for T-54lT-55 MBTs and pean in orgin. The n a r s:r <e =crce of the fleet is
corder battles were:c-g-: '. -- ::-"::- --:- =-:- lS --23-4 self-propelled AA guns. Further purchases the submarine arrn \\:rs x 'r^oce:n West German
:lash involving aircrai :- :,::- : :€,: :-: : -::: :: eied artillery pieces, SAMs and aircraft. Howev-
r 'Type 209', two ex-A. e':ar Cuppy l' and four
eading to a full-scale \Aa- r.-:- =:-'':-' -:- -':::: :- snortage of spares and poor maintenance has American-built 'Abtao' class :cais. The last are uni-
t :enetrated some 10 km € I - :-,: -:- :=-,:, :- ':c:r:edly caused many problems with this equip- que in that two of then a-e:"e crly submarines left
::'-iory as recognized c, :-= =-:'-:: :- : : := -:.:. A full list of army weapons includes: in the world with dec< grrs, each having a slngle
-:-: rc which ended the a' z'' =-' ::'::- : ::-:: 127-mm (5-in) weapon.
:::,.,een these two co-^:-:: -:.- '-:- .-:== Armour: M4A3 Sherman, TAM, T-54 and T-55 The capitalships corrprse two ex-Dutch'De Ruy-
::^:nring borderproble-: :-=:-. =-::== j'- ter' class '1 52-mm (Gin) gun cruisers of which one,
s-roressed a Trotskyite J-:-.: :--:-::. - --: '.' 3-l-s ; AMX-1 3 L-1 0 I FL-1 2 light ta n ks ; M 3A1
F
the Aguirre, has been transformed into a helicopter
s:3-t cars; BRDM-2, Fiat 6616 and MB armoured
scJth east, on the boroe' .', :- l: .'= :-'-: -.-=
::'s: and M 134'1 , Chaimite and U R-416 APCs;
carrier for Agusta-Sikorsky SH-3D/H Sea Kings f itted
:arly 1960s. However, in::: ::: '{il:" :-::,--l
1
with AM.39 Exocet anti-ship missiles, To back the
Artillery: (towed) 05-mm (4.1 3-ln) M 01
:re ,1970s internal oppos::- ::*-l:-:'.:e::, cruisers there are two ex-British 'Daring' class des-
1 1

-:i,,, tzers, 105-mm M56 pack howilzers,122-

:^e Sendero Luminoso S- - -; : :: - - -- :: troyers each fitted with elght MM.3B Exocet laun-
'-- -; . :-- -r '4.8-in) D74 guns, 122-mm D30 howitzers,
3.Lerrilla group, which is be::- -: -:-E:: ' 3C"mm (5.12-in) M46 guns and 155-mm (6.1-in) chers, and four newly-built ltalian 'Lupo' class fri-
;agedwith Peruvian gove---:--':':=: - : . : :-: gates each with eight longer-range Otomat SSMs.
-:rrorist campaign w tr :::- --:.' .': -,'.
'.'114howitzers; One 'Holland' and seven 'Frlesland' class ex-des-
;-propelled) 33 (3.2-in)Type 6614 and
81-mm
'2C-n'rm M 10641 SP mortars; troyers also provide a useful surface strike, shore
bombardment and limited ASW element.
The Army -crars) 81-mm and 120-mm Brandt; and The light forces are based on six 'PR72P' class
'122-mm BM-21
Divided into five r ::-. -=; - - = --= -- - -,- fast attack misslle craft each fitted with four MM.38
;
",riLr
Anti-armourweapons: '1
05-mm Model 1968and
::'ong Peruvian arrny s -:- -; . : , :?: ---: : , - -iGmm (4.17-in) M40A1 recoilless rifles;and
Exocets, and 1 1 river gunboats and patrol craft for
=:ns which in terms c' ---:e*= =,-a =:-e , =-- - - - .a ATG\A/c '
use on the country's lakes and great rivers.
;:Ces. A full listing of lne a-. -- ri -r -riE Anti-air weapons: (towed) twin 20-mm, 40-mm
For the single 3,500-man Fuerza de Infantera de
-'ee armoured divisions. Marina amphibious brigade (of three battalions) and
:-e cavalrydivision (for.rr r::-:- ::: -:: -:':: '.'- 3oiors,40-mm L/60 Bofors,40-mm U70 local security detachments there is an amphiblous
-==---' 3 :'c:s and 76-mm (3-in) M3 guns; warfare force of two LSTs and two LSMs. The
==ren infantrydivisions,ea:- -": -- se -cropelled) 23-mm ZSU-23-4; and
cattalionsandonefielca:: :-. l-:-: Marines use standard infantry small arms, 120-mm
S^M) SA-2, SA-3 and SA-7; and
:-elungledivision (four j"^g -'z--'':.:-: :-: mortars, 106-mm M40 and 84-mm Carl Gustav re-
and one field artillery grc-: = Small arms: 9-mm Uzi SMG; 7.62-mm FN-FAL,
- 62-mm G3and 7.62-mm AK-47 rifles; and7.62- coilless rifles, twin 20-mm AA guns and several
:-e para-commando brigade a'.2,='.:- -',= armoured units including some 50 Chaimite
oattalion and two comrrantr: :,i:--i :- :
-- FN.MAG MG, wheeled reconnaissance and APC vehicles.
: -e armoured car brigade rreg -:-: To supply the surface combatants at sea there is
-;,o independent f ield artiller' 3': -:s -^ e re is also an army aviation service, the Servicio an extensive replenishment service wlth two trans-
:r,o independent field artillerr' :a::: :- : :: l'. acion del Ejercito del Peru, which has one ports, three underway replenishment tankers and
, ^e independent ai r defence g': -: : s:r and three transport squadrons flylng a total of
: -e independent SAM group, ' , !essna 185 fixed-wing aircraft, and 25 Mil Mi-8
e
T he P eruuian navy has six PR - 7 2 P F ast Attac k C rcft
:,',c independent infantry gro!cs -:s ',rrrth 15 more and 20 Mll Mi-6 'Hooks' ln built by SF CN in F r ance. D is pl acing 5 60 tons at fuLL
': :r independent infantry batta :- s -.::-:ge plus six A6rospatiale SA.31BC Alouette ll load, they carry four ExocetSSMs in single cells
.-'ee independent cavalry reg -:- -.: -: :3s:ei-s. Most of the Soviet helicopters were and ausefulgun amamentof one76-mm/62 OTO-
= 3nt independent engineer
barz =': =- : -::-:a ed because of their abysmal servicing and
.^^^.4
Melara, two Bofors 40-mm/70s and two 20-mm
: -e Amazon special engineer g': -: - -:-- Oerlikons.
Armed Forces of the World
four support/harbour tankers. For other work there
are seven survey/research craft and some 20 aux-
iliaries. A small 600-man coastguard extsts for coas-
tal patrol duties with 12 large and '1 2 small armed
patrol cr:aft.
The Servicio Aeronaval de la Marina Peruana, or
naval air force, has three ASW/marrtime patrol
squadrons flying seven Grumman S-2E Trackers,
two Fokker F.27MPA Maritimes, three EMBRAER
El\,48-1 11 and four Beech Super King Air 82007
fixed-wing aircraft and about 12 SH-3D/H Sea King
hel copters. A utility helicopter squadron flies four
Bell 206s, six Bell UH-1D/H 'Hueys' and s x Agusta-
Bell AB.212ASWs. The last are equipped to carry
and fire Sea Killer ASMs, and are used from the
'Lupo' class frigates. For fleet support/liaison role
there is a transport unit with two Douglas C-47
Dakotas, one Douglas DC-3 and two Cessna'1 5Os,
whilst for aircrew training a mixed squadron f lies srx
Beech T-34A/Cs, four Bell 47Gs, and four Bell 206s.
The Air Force
Although showrng up poorly in the recent border
skirmishes with Ecuador, the Peruvlan air force
(Fu6rza Aerea del Peru) is one of the most modern
on the South Amerlcan contlnent, The matn attack
element is formed by a bomber group of three
squadrons, two of whrch fly the survivors of eight
B(l) Mk B, one B(l).Mk 78, three T.lVk 74, six B.Mk
72, six B(l).Mk 56 and 12 B(l).Mk 68 English Electric
Canberra light bombers delivered from the mid-
1950s onwards. The third flles 12 or 13 Cessna
A-378 Dragonfly light attack jets.
€
-,#b"'
Air-defence and ground-attack duties are handled
two fighter groups totallrng five squadrons. One
by
group fl es two squadrons with some 25 mod-
ernrzed Dassault Mirage 5Ps and f ive Mirage 5DPs,
1O other Mirage SPs having been transfened to
Argentina dur ng the last days of the Falklands war
to replace heavy lAl Dagger losses. The th rd squad-
ron flres anothe r 12 or 13 Cessna A-37s, but is due to
re-equrp wrth 11 Dassault-Breguet Mirage 2000Ps
and two Mirage 2000DPs currently on order. The
number was actually to be twice this, but f inancial
problems caused the order to be halved. lt is also
believed that a f urther 30 Mirage 50Ps were ordered
at the same tlme for strike duties but the status of
this order is at present in question for the same
reasons. The other group has only two squadrons
but f lies the 46 survivors of 56 Soviet Sukhoi Su-20/
22 'Fitter' ground-attack fighters suppl ed in the
1970s. These compr sed 36 Su-22 'Fitter-F' and 16
Su-22BKL 'Fltter-J' single-seaters and four Su-20U
'Fitter-E' two seaters with provision for 'Atoll'
AAMs.
For COIN and army support misstons an attack
helicopter un t is being formed wlth a dozen Mil
Ml-25 'Hind' helicopters. A imited reconnaissance
capability is provided for by a s ngle squadron with
six customized civil tw n-engined jets and ptston-
engined alrcraft.
Long-range transport and army resupply/para-
troop missions are flown by two transport groups
with three squadrons, and the Natlonal Jungle Air
Transport f leet. The latter f lies de Havllland Canada
DHC-6 Twin Otters. Pilatus Turbo-Porters and some
&
!F t &*&
'''
Peru
k# a{;{'---
Typifying the Canberras still flying and
periodically coming to W ar ton for re{urbishment,
this Mk72 is from the Peruvian air force'sJorge
Chavez base. Two squadrons fly 3l aircraft of
three marks, tasked with bombing, and another
unit has two trainers and I I ex-RAF Canberras.
C-47s, whilst the former have at their disposa some
50 transports, of which the rnost lmportant are four
Lockheed L-100/C-130H Hercules, two Dougias DC-
B-62Fs, 13 Antonov An-26 'Curls' and 14 DHC-5
Buffaloes. A liaison group operates two squadrons
of Beech King Air, Beech Oueen Air and Beech 99
tw n-engined aircraft between the main military
bases and populatron centres. Rotary lift is prov ded
by a single group with independent f light elements
usrng some 59 helicopters of seven different types
(eight Alouette llls, slx Mi-6s, f ive Mi-Bs, three Nl BB
BO 105Cs, nine Bell 206s,'l 6 Bell 212s, and 12 Bell
21 4STs).
The Academla del Alre provides all aircrew train-
rng with four squadrons flying 55 Cessna T-41D
piston-engined and T-378/C and Macchi M.B 3394
let-engined tralners. The last was, in lts M.8.339K
Veltro ll single-seat attack jet form, to have been
produced locally, but financlal problems appear to
have halted for the tlme being th s replacement for
the Cessna A 37.
The Gates Learjet in its various forms has found its
way into the inventories of several air arms around
the world. Typical are two Model 25Bs operated by
Peru for survey work on behalf of the Directorate
General ofPhotographicAir Survey and Mapping
from Las Palmas.
:'ii'=''!'iliii'i:rii=*'
_