Wasp 58

In the early 1980s, Luchaire's sales department had noted the rising costs of light individual anti-armour/assault weapons were to the point that fewer and fewer could be purchased and that there was a need for a one-man anti-armor/assault weapon which could be purchased for a cost slightly higher than that of a rifle grenade, but with the greater accuracy and ease of use of a one-man rocket launcher

The world export markets was the major considerations behind the development of the Wasp 58 by Luchaire.[3]

The Wasp 58 is a direct-fire weapon used to attack lightly armored vehicles at ranges up to 300 metres.[4] It can also be used against bunkers or as a fire support weapon.[2] The Wasp 58 is a one-man disposable weapon system based on the recoilless principle. On ignition the propellant fires the 58-mm projectile forward while at the same time ejecting a counter mass of plastic chips to the rear to achieve a recoilless effect.[2] The plastic chips due to their size and weight lose any velocity after 1 metre of travel from the back of the launcher. The projectile is stabilized by six fins that unfold and lock into place after leaving the tube.[3]

The designers of the Wasp 58 made it compact and simple to operate with a small launch signature. This enables it to be fired from enclosed spaces, including from small rooms in buildings, and protects the user from having his position revealed.[2] The Wasp 58 is composed of a sealed launch tube manufactured from fibreglass reinforced plastic. The Wasp 58's HEAT antiarmour warhead is 58-mm in diameter and is based on the Grenade à fusil antichar de 58 mm Mle F1 PAB rifle grenade's warhead, also designed and manufactured by Luchaire and in service with the French military and other armies worldwide.[3]

The anti-armour warhead of the Wasp 58 can penetrate 300 mm of rolled homogeneous armour (RHA).[4] While insufficient in penetration for frontal engagements of today's modern main battle tanks, it can engage other armoured targets (wheeled armour vehicles or light tanks) from both frontal and side.[2]

The Wasp 58 requires no annual maintenance or special storage other than that which would be required for other small arms munitions. The Wasp 58 has a hit probability of over 95% when fired against stationary targets (88% against moving targets).[4]

The Wasp 58 was first sold in 1987.[3] It has been a commercial success with over 450,000 produced,[4] including licensed production in Greece. It is in service in France (with the French Commandos de l'Air),[2] Belgium, Denmark, France, Greece and the Netherlands. The Greek Revolutionary Organization 17 November stole a few rockets and used them for terrorist attacks.[3]