View source for RGD-5

{{short description|Soviet anti-personnel fragmentation grenade}}
{{Infobox weapon
| name               = RGD-5
| image              = Rgd 5 hand grenade.jpeg
| image_size         = 300
| caption            = RGD-5 hand grenade with UZRGM fuze fitted
| origin             = [[Soviet Union]]
| type               = [[Hand grenade]]
<!-- Type selection -->| is_ranged          = 
| is_bladed          = 
| is_explosive       = 1
| is_artillery       = 
| is_vehicle         = <!-- Service history -->
| service            = 1954–present
| used_by            = 
| wars               = [[Vietnam War]]<br>[[Six-Day War]]<br>[[The Troubles]]<br>[[Yom Kippur War]]<br>[[Soviet–Afghan War]]<br>[[Iran–Iraq War]]<br>[[Invasion of Kuwait]]<br>[[Gulf War]]<br>[[First Chechen War]]<br>[[Kosovo War]]<br>[[Second Chechen War]]<br>[[Iraq War]]<br>[[Russo-Georgian War]]<br>[[2011 Libyan Civil War|First Libyan Civil War]]<br>[[Syrian Civil War]]<br>[[Russo-Ukrainian War]]
<!-- Production history -->| designer           = 
| design_date        = 
| manufacturer       = 
| production_date    = 
| number             = 
| variants           = <!-- General specifications -->
| weight             = {{convert|310|g|abbr=on}}
| length             = {{convert|114|mm|abbr=on}}
| part_length        = 
| crew               = <!-- Ranged weapon specifications -->
| cartridge          = 
| caliber            = 
| action             = 
| rate               = 
| velocity           = 
| range              = {{convert|15-20|m|abbr=on}}
| max_range          = {{convert|30|m|abbr=on}}
| feed               = 
| sights             = <!-- Explosive specifications -->
| diameter           = {{convert|58|mm|abbr=on}}
| filling            = [[Trinitrotoluene]]
| filling_weight     = {{convert|110|g|abbr=on}}
| detonation         = 3.2 to 4.2 seconds.  [[pyrotechnic]] delay [[Fuze|fuse]]
| yield              = ~350 fragments
}}

The '''RGD-5''' (''Ruchnaya Granata Distantsionnaya'', {{Literal translation|hand grenade, distant}}) is a post–[[World War II]] [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] anti-personnel [[fragmentation grenade]], designed in the early 1950s.  The RGD-5 was accepted into service with the [[Soviet Army]] in 1954. It was widely exported, and is still in service with many armies in the Middle East and the former Soviet bloc.

==Description==
[[File:Grenade RGD-5 Navy.jpg|thumb|left|RGD-5 measurements]]
[[File:Russian_-_MUV_pull_fuze.jpg|thumb|left|MUV zero-delay pull fuze, normally connected to a tripwire.]]

The grenade is egg-shaped without ribbing, except for a lateral ridge where the two halves of the grenade join. It weighs {{convert|310|g|oz}}, is {{convert|117|mm|in}} in length, and {{convert|58|mm|in}} in diameter. The surface has a few small dimples with green or olive drab paint.

It contains a {{convert|110|g|oz|adj=on|lk=in}} charge of [[trinitrotoluene|TNT]] with an internal fragmentation liner that produces around 350 [[Fragmentation (weaponry)|fragments]] with a fatality radius of around {{convert|3|m|ft}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Russian RDG-5 grenades in both blasts |url=http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Russian-RDG-5-grenades-in-both-blasts-30224779.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140122223443/http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Russian-RDG-5-grenades-in-both-blasts-30224779.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=22 January 2014 |website=nationmultimedia.com |publisher=The Nation}}</ref> and a wounding radius of {{convert|25|m|ft}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://faq.guns.ru/rgd5.html |title=Ручная наступательная граната РГД-5 |accessdate=2006-12-09 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929120437/http://faq.guns.ru/rgd5.html |archivedate=29 September 2007 |df=dmy-all }} |RGD-5 data (in Russian)</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Hand Grenade RGD- 5 |url=http://universal-dsg.com/product/hand-grenade-rgd-5/ |website=universal-dsg.com |publisher=Hartford International Group}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Owen |first=J.I.H |title=Brassey's Infantry Weapons of the World |publisher=Bonanza |year=1975 |isbn=0-517-242346 |location=New York, N.Y. |pages=222-223 |language=en}}</ref>

Typically, the RGD-5 uses the 3.2 to 4.2 second delay UZRG, UZRGM or UZRGM-2 [[fuze]], a universal Russian type also used in the [[RG-41]], [[RG-42]], and [[F1 grenade (Russia)|F1 grenades]] or the more modern DVM-78 fuze.  It is also possible to screw a MUV booby-trap firing device into the fuze well.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lexpev.nl/grenades/sovietbalkan/russia/rgd5.html |title=RGD-5 |accessdate=2014-03-15 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150202034244/http://www.lexpev.nl/grenades/sovietbalkan/russia/rgd5.html |archivedate=2 February 2015 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

The RGD-5 can be thrown about {{convert|35|to|45|m|ft}} by the average soldier and on throwing, the grenade makes a loud "crack" sound as its spoon falls out activating the fuze.

It is still manufactured in Russia with copies produced in [[Bulgaria]], China (as the Type 59) and [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]]. Millions of RGD-5s and its clones have been manufactured over the years and although not as advanced as more modern grenades specifically designed to penetrate [[CRISAT]] standard [[body armour]], the RGD-5 is an effective and inexpensive weapon. A single RGD-5 grenade costs around [[United States dollar|$5 US]].

==Variants==

===Rifle grenade===
[[File:AK47Figure54.jpg|thumb|AK-47 with a Kalashnikov grenade launcher mounted to its muzzle]]

The [[AK-47]] can mount a (rarely used) [[Kalashnikov grenade launcher|cup-type grenade-launcher]] that fires standard Soviet RGD-5 hand-grenades. The soup-can shaped launcher is screwed onto the AK-47's muzzle.<ref>[[s:File:AK47Figure54.jpg|File:AK47Figure54.jpg – Wikisource]]. En.wikisource.org. Retrieved on 2011-09-27.</ref>  It is prepared for firing by inserting a standard RGD-5 hand-grenade into the launcher, removing the safety pin, and inserting a special blank cartridge into the rifle's chamber.  With the butt-stock of the rifle on the ground it can be fired.

The maximum effective range is approximately {{convert|150|m|ft|0}}.<ref name=r1>[https://www.ar15.com/content/webPDF/AK47USArmyOperatorManual.pdf Operator's Manual for AK-47 Assault Rifle]. Department of the Army</ref>

===URG-N===
[[File:Учебно-имитационные УРГ и УРГ-Н 676931.jpg|thumb|URG-N (right)]]

The URG-N is a reusable training model of the RGD-5 with a modified fuze containing a tiny explosive charge which simulates the detonation of the grenade.  The body of this grenade is painted black with white markings.

===China===
* '''Type-59''' – [[China|Chinese]] built variant.

===Bulgaria===
* '''RGO-78''' – [[People's Republic of Bulgaria]]n '70s variant with DVM-78 fuse. Grenade weighed {{convert|450|g|abbr=on}} and contained {{convert|85|g|abbr=on}} charge of [[TNT]].
* '''RGN-86''' – another [[People's Republic of Bulgaria]]n modification with DVM-78 fuze. Weighed {{convert|265|g|abbr=on}} and contained {{convert|57|g|abbr=on}} charge of [[TNT]].

===Poland===
* '''[[Granat RGO-88|RGO-88]]''' – [[Polish People's Republic]] variant with А-IX-1 filling (95% [[RDX]] and 5% [[Phlegmatized explosive]]). {{convert|60|g|abbr=on}} of explosive mass.

===Lithuania===
* '''RPG-92''' – [[Lithuania|Lithuanian]] copy manufactured by small arms factory "Vytis" between 1992–1996. Not an exact copy, this grenade uses a cylindrical shell instead of an egg shaped one.

===Ukraine===
* In late 2024, the [[Ministry of Defence of Ukraine]] codified and approved the use of domestically produced RGD-5 analogs for its military. This grenade is modified to meet modern standards and has a kill zone limited up to {{convert|25|m|ft|abbr=on}}, making it suited for offensive operations.<ref name="Militarrnyi" />

==Users==
<!--READ FIRST: This section is for cited entries only. Please do not add entries into this list without a citation from a reliable source. All entries without a citation will be removed. Thank you.-->
===Current===
* {{AFG}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Suicide Vest with 5x ball bearing sheets and 2x Grenades |url=https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30118144 |website=Imperial War Museums |access-date=26 November 2023 |language=en}}</ref>{{sfn|Weeks|1980|page=656}}
* {{ARM}}<ref>{{cite news |title=Analyst: Armenian-Modified Grenade thrown During Bush Address |url=https://old.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=9937 |access-date=26 November 2023 |work=Civil.ge}}</ref>
* {{BUL}}<ref name="Nagy" />
* {{CHN}} − Produced locally as the Type 59 grenade.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Rottman |first1=Gordon L. |title=The Hand Grenade |date=20 February 2015 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=978-1-4728-0735-9 |page=31 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3D-VCwAAQBAJ |language=en}}</ref>
* {{GEO}}<ref>{{cite book |last1=Demetriou |first1=Spyros |title=Politics From The Barrel of a Gun: Small Arms Proliferation and Conflict in the Republic of Georgia (1989–2001) |date=November 2002 |publisher=Small Arms Survey |pages=13–14 |url=https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/87859/OP06%20Georgia%20English.pdf |access-date=26 November 2023}}</ref>
* {{ETH}}<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ayele |first1=Fantahun |title=The Ethiopian Army: From Victory to Collapse, 1977-1991 |date=30 October 2014 |publisher=Northwestern University Press |isbn=978-0-8101-3011-1 |page=44 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LK6oBAAAQBAJ |language=en}}</ref>
* {{IRQ}}<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Jacobson |first1=Michael R. |title=Iraqi Infantry |journal=Infantry |date=1991 |volume=81 |issue=1 |page=34 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5sUrAAAAYAAJ |access-date=26 November 2023 |publisher=U.S. Army Infantry School |location=Fort Benning, GA |language=en |issn=0019-9532}}</ref>
* {{PRK}}<ref>{{cite web|title=North Korea Country Handbook 1997 |author=US Department of Defense |url=https://archive.org/details/1997NorthKoreaCountryHandbookinsigniaAndUniforms/mode/2up}}</ref>
* {{flag|Palestine}}<ref>{{cite book |last1=Herf |first1=Jeffrey |title=Undeclared Wars with Israel: East Germany and the West German Far Left, 1967–1989 |date=3 May 2016 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-107-08986-0 |page=357 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5C7xCwAAQBAJ |language=en}}</ref>
* {{POL}} − Produced locally with minor modifications as the [[Granat RGO-88|RGO-88]].{{sfn|Weeks|1980|page=677}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=GRANATY RĘCZNE |url=https://dezamet.com.pl/produkty/granaty-reczne-1 |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=dezamet.com.pl |language=pl}}</ref>
* {{ROM}}{{sfn|Weeks|1980|page=678}}
* {{RUS}}<ref>«''В ходе занятий военнослужащие совершенствовали знания устройства и порядка применения гранат '''РГД-5''', а также практические навыки в метании боеприпаса''»<br>[https://function.mil.ru/news_page/country/more.htm?id=12540548@egNews Военнослужащие общевойсковой армии ВВО в Забайкалье отработали метание ручных осколочных гранат] / официальный интернет-сайт министерства обороны РФ от 5 декабря 2024</ref>
* {{SYR}}<ref>{{cite book |last1=Campbell |first1=David |title=Israeli Soldier vs Syrian Soldier: Golan Heights 1967–73 |date=16 June 2016 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=978-1-4728-1332-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jrIODAAAQBAJ |language=en}}</ref>
* {{UKR}} − Both RGD-5 and locally produced copies used.<ref name="ARES">{{cite report |last1=Ferguson |first1=Jonathan |last2=Jenzen-Jones |first2=N.R. |title=Raising Red Flags: An Examination of Arms & Munitions in the Ongoing Conflict in Ukraine, 2014 |date=November 2014 |page=61 |publisher=[[Armament Research Services]] (ARES) |location=Australia |isbn=978-0-9924624-3-7 |url=https://armamentresearch.com/Uploads/Research%20Report%20No.%203%20-%20Raising%20Red%20Flags.pdf |access-date=17 June 2023}}</ref><ref name="Militarrnyi">{{cite news |title=Ukraine produces analogs of Soviet F-1 and RGD-5 grenades |url=https://mil.in.ua/en/news/ukraine-produces-analogs-of-soviet-f-1-and-rgd-5-grenades/ |date=9 September 2024 |access-date=10 September 2024 |work=Militarnyi}}</ref>
* {{VIE}}<ref>{{cite book |last1=Rottman |first1=Gordon L. |title=Vietnam War Booby Traps |date=29 October 2020 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=978-1-4728-4243-5 |page=21 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hLfyDwAAQBAJ |language=en}}</ref>

===Former===
* {{GDR}}<ref name="Nagy">{{cite web |last1=Nagy |first1=Kristóf |title=Common Training Hand Grenades of the Warsaw Pact |url=https://armamentresearch.com/common-training-hand-grenades-of-the-warsaw-pact/ |website=The Hoplite |publisher=Armament Research Services (ARES) |access-date=26 November 2023 |date=26 October 2021}}</ref>
* {{PAN}} − Used by the [[Panama Defense Forces]]<ref name="OspPanweaps">{{cite book| last = Rottman| first = Gordon| author-link = Gordon L. Rottman| title = Panama 1989-90| publisher = Osprey Publishing| series = Elite| volume = 37| date = 2010| pages = 14, 15, 57, 62, 63| language = English| isbn = 9781855321564}}</ref>
* {{URS}}<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Yelshin |first1=Colonel N. |title=Hand Grenades |journal=Soviet Military Review |date=October 1981 |issue=10 |pages=30–31 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JWnfAAAAMAAJ |access-date=26 November 2023 |publisher=Krasnaya Zveda Publishing House. |location=Moscow |language=en |issn=0132-0750}}</ref>

==Usage in assassination attempt of [[George W. Bush]]==
[[File:RGD-5 hand grenade (DOSAAF Museum in Minsk) 1.jpg|thumb|Grenade cutaway and training sample (DOSAAF Museum, Minsk)]]
On 10 May 2005, [[Vladimir Arutyunian]], a Georgian citizen and ethnic [[Armenians|Armenian]], waited for the [[United States]] [[President of the United States|President]] George W. Bush and Georgian President [[Mikheil Saakashvili]] to speak in Tbilisi's central [[Freedom Square, Tbilisi|Liberty Square]]. When Bush began speaking, Arutyunian threw an RGD-5 hand grenade wrapped in a red plaid handkerchief toward the podium where Bush stood as he addressed the crowd. The grenade landed {{convert|18.6|m|ft}} from the podium, near where Saakashvili, his wife [[Sandra Roelofs]], [[Laura Bush]], and other officials were seated.<ref name="fbi">{{cite web |url=https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2006/january/grenade_attack011106|title=The Case of the Failed Hand Grenade Attack: Man Who Tried to Assassinate President Convicted Overseas |date=11 January 2006 |accessdate=2015-12-06 |publisher=[[Federal Bureau of Investigation]]}}</ref>

The grenade failed to detonate. Although original reports indicated that the grenade was not live, it was later revealed that it was.<ref name="cnn">{{cite news |author=Terry Frieden |title=Alleged would-be Bush assassin indicted |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2005/LAW/09/07/bush.assassin/ |publisher=CNN |date=7 September 2005 |accessdate=2007-03-22}}</ref> After Arutyunian pulled the pin and threw the grenade, it hit a girl, cushioning its impact. The red handkerchief remained wrapped around the grenade, and it prevented the striker lever from releasing. A Georgian security officer quickly removed the grenade, and Arutyunian disappeared, but was later arrested.<ref name="fbi" /><ref name="guardian">{{cite news |author=Nick Paton Walsh |title=FBI says hand grenade thrown at Bush was live |url=https://www.theguardian.com/georgia/story/0,,1487041,00.html |work=The Guardian |date=19 May 2005 |accessdate=2007-03-22 |location=London}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Russian weaponry]]

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book |editor1-last=Weeks |editor1-first=John |title=Jane's infantry weapons, 1980-81 |date=1980 |publisher=Jane's Publishing Company |isbn=978-0-531-03936-6 |language=en}}
* {{cite book |last=Hogg |first=Ian V. |authorlink=Ian V. Hogg |year=1991 |title=Jane's Infantry Weapons 1991-92 |publisher=Jane's Information Group |isbn=0-7106-0963-9}}

==References==

{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.inert-ord.net/russ02i/rgd5/index.html Photos of RGD-5 grenades at inert-ord.net]
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/3-23-30/appd.htm#figd-5 Labelled diagram of an RGD-5 grenade]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070929120437/http://faq.guns.ru/rgd5.html RGD-5 data (in Russian)]
* [http://maic.jmu.edu/ordata/srdetaildesc.asp?ordid=1003 Various photos of Russian RGD-5s]
* [http://maic.jmu.edu/ordata/imagedisplay.asp?ordid=1238&imagetype=4&imageflag=0&imagezoom=0 Photo of Chinese Type 59 grenade (RGD-5 clone)]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qnn676tOAR0 Video #2 of RGD-5 being thrown]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo3p-VzmV08 Video #3 of RGD-5 being thrown]
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}

[[Category:Hand grenades of the Soviet Union]]
[[Category:Cold War weapons of the Soviet Union]]
[[Category:Fragmentation grenades]]
[[Category:Military equipment introduced in the 1950s]]
[[Category:Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1954]]