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Weapons Of The Vietnam WarUS Weapons Firearms The M16 rifle had just been introduced and was still plagued with defects like jamming, especially when poorly maintained or when dirty. In some cases troops trained on the M14 were given M16s to fight with in Vietnam. Later modifications to the M16 would greatly improve this reliability problem; however, even today the M16 is more sensitive to dirt exposure than many other weapons. Vietnam also saw the first major use of the M60 .30 caliber (7.62 mm) machine gun. The gun attempted to combine the best qualities of the World War 2 era German MG-42, the FG-42, and the earlier '30 cal'. The weapon was lighter than earlier weapons but could sometimes 'run-away' for the shooter, continuing firing after the trigger was released. If it did not stop on its own it was necessary to stop the belt from feeding into it. Although this was not a common experience it occurred enough to be problematic in some situations. Other Other weapons often associated with the Vietnam war include Napalm and the defoliant Agent Orange. North Vietnamese weapons The main infantry weapon of the North Vietnamese Army was the AK47. Although most of their weapons, uniforms, and equipment were provided by the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China, the North Vietnamese also carried arms captured from the French and even the Japanese in the earlier Indochinese wars. NVA troops more often used standard-issue gear; their Viet Cong counterparts dressed as the peasants in whose villages they sought harbor, and frequently employed improvised weapons. MiG-21 The Soviet MiG-21 served as the primary high-altitude fighter in the North Vietnamese arsenal. Capable of speeds of more than twice the speed of sound and armed with a 30 mm cannon and Air-to-air missiles, the MiG-21 disrupted American bombing raids, shooting down bombers and engaging in furious and often victorious dogfights with American fighter planes. The highly-maneuverable MiG was also easy to maintain and could operate from unimproved airfields. The MiG-17, an earlier model in the MiG fighter series, also saw frequent service as a fighter/interceptor in North Vietnam. T-54/55 Tank The North Vietnamese Army forces did not use tanks in large numbers. The NVA relied on the Soviet-made T-54/55 as one of their main battle tanks. Fitted out with a 100 mm, turret-mounted main gun, the T54/55 fired anti-tank and high explosive rounds at a range of 15 km. A four-man crew controlled the tank, which travelled at a top speed of about 80 km/h (50 mph). The tank's armor varied in thicknesses from 20 mm on the underside to 203 mm at the turret. The T54/55 weighed 36 tons. BTR 60 Armored Personnel Carrier The Soviet-made BTR armored personnel carriers served as the Vietnamese counterpart of the M113. Several different models of the BTR series were used, including the BTR60P, an eight-wheeled amphibious vehicle with a crew of two, which carried up to sixteen soldiers. While the sides of the vehicle were protected by armor in thicknesses of up to 10 mm, the roofless BTR60 offered no cover for attack from above. The BTR60 travelled on land at speeds of up to 50 mph (80 km/h) and in water at about 10 mph (16 km/h). Junk North Vietnamese forces shipped supplies through coastal and river areas using thousands of small watercraft. Chief among these was the Junk, a traditional Chinese vessel dating back thousands of years. Made of wood, junks were usually powered by sail, although motors were also used. Since junks were not built as warships, their armament, if any, consisted of that which was carried by their crews. DP 7.62 mm Light Machine Gun The North Vietnamese used the DP 7.62 mm light machinegun as their squad-level, automatic support weapon. This counterpart to the American M60 fed cartridges using a pan magazine or belt, and had a range of 800 m. Based on a Soviet design, the DP 7.62 was provided to the Vietnamese by both China and the Soviet Union. Anti-aircraft missiles In North Vietnam, American pilots faced a deadly barrage of radar-guided, base-stationed anti-aircraft fire. In the South, one of the biggest threats to American aircraft was the SA-7 Grail. A shoulder-fired, portable Surface-to-air missile, the Grail could be moved quickly and concealed easily, making it difficult to suppress. Grail missiles downed numerous American planes and helicopters. SA-2 Guideline missiles shipped en mass from the USSR were US pilots' first experience in flying in an environment with effective high-altitude surface-to-air missiles. The SA-2 threat practically lead to the development of modern air defence suppression techniques and also lead to a USSR/USA arms race of more and more effective surface-to-air missiles and air defence suppression techniques, including the development of anti-radiation missiles. Other surface-to-air missile systems used include the SA-1 Guild and SA-3 Goa. Rifle Both the Chinese and the Russians provided variations on the AK-47 rifle in quantity to Communist forces. Known as a "peasant rifle," the AK-47 was simple in its design, reliable, and accurate. It fired a 7.62 mm bullet either automatically or semi-automatically from a 30 round magazine at a rate of up to about 600 rounds per minute, and performed with accuracy at up to 400 m. Communist troops also used the SKS carbine or "Chicom," a semiautomatic rifle that fired 7.62 mm ammunition from a 10 round clip at a slightly greater range than the AK-47. Grenades and antipersonnel devices In addition to standard mines provided by their backers in China and the Soviet Union, Communist troops used a variety of antipersonnel devices, many handmade or obtained from US forces. Viet Cong soldiers dug up and reused American landmines, took Claymore mines from their tripods, and even cut open unexploded bombs to harvest components for their hand-made weapons. Many Viet Cong soldiers lost their lives in accidental explosions at low-tech bomb factories. Booby traps North Vietnamese forces frequently employed homemade booby traps. These included "punji sticks," sharpened sticks of bamboo (sometimes covered in feces to cause infection) concealed in hidden pits and designed to pierce the feet of enemy soldiers; bamboo faces, which swung down onto soldiers who triggered tripwires; trip-wire operated crossbows; and boards studded with pails. While these devices did not kill en masse, their existence traumatized pigs psychologically. Vietnam
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