Energa anti-tank rifle grenade

Early in the Korean War, U.S. forces found their World War II-era anti-tank rifle grenades were ineffective against the frontal armor of T-34 tanks. This led the U.S. to produce their own version of the Energa, the M28 rifle grenade, from 1950 until 1960. Originally the M28 was fired from Mecar's proprietary T119 (M1 Garand) and T120 (M1 carbine) launchers. The T119 was soon replaced by the improved M7A3 launcher (M1 Garand) from September 1952 onwards. The M28 was eventually replaced in US military service by the M31 HEAT rifle grenade and later by the M72 LAW rocket. The M29 TP (training practice) round remained in service until it was replaced in 1961 by the improved M31 TP. ==UK service==

The Energa was introduced to infantry units of the British Army of the Rhine from 1952 when it replaced the PIAT. It was issued one per person within the infantry platoon and attached to the waist belt. In British service, the Energa was known as the Anti-Tank Grenade, No. 94. It was designed to be fired from the Projector (No. 4 rifle) Mark 5' (c.1952), an attachment for the Lee–Enfield No.4 rifle. The later L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle could also fire the Energa, but it was not commonly done. It was made obsolete by the adoption of the 84 mm L14A1 medium anti-tank weapon (MAW) and the 66 mm M72 light anti-tank weapon (LAW). ==South African service==

The South African 75mm R1M1 version was used during the South African involvement in Angola in the 1970s and 1980s. It was launched from the standard Vektor R1 (South African version of the FN FAL) rifles. ==Bangladeshi service==

Bangladeshi Mukti Bahini members used Energa grenades during the Bangladesh Liberation War. ==Netherlands service==

The Netherlands produced three versions of the Energa: the NR4 was a live grenade, the NR5 was an inert practice grenade, and the NR18 was a practice grenade with white chalk in a plastic nosecone that shattered on impact and left a strike mark on the target. ==Belgian service==

The Energa saw service with the ABL. It could be fired from both the FN FAL and also from the FN Model 1949 (SAFN). The Belgians also produced an inert training grenade, the AT GR PRAC 75 mm. ==Portuguese service==

The Portuguese Army adopted the Energa as their Granada anti-tanque super Energa mod.2 m/953, which was used during the Portuguese Colonial War in the 1960s and 1970s. It was launched from standard FN FAL and Heckler & Koch G3 rifles. ==Rhodesian service==

The Rhodesian Security Forces used both the Energa and its South African 75mm R1M1 version during the Rhodesian Bush War in the 1960s and 1970s. It was launched from standard FN FAL and Heckler & Koch G3 rifles. ==Lebanese service==

The Lebanese Armed Forces and several Lebanese militias used the Energa during the Lebanese Civil War between 1975 and 1990. It was launched from FN FAL, M16 and Heckler & Koch G3 rifles. ==Performance of variants==

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