| Type 11 Grenade Launching Sniper QLU-11 / LG5 | |
| Origin: | People's Republic of China |
| Type: | Anti material rifle Grenade launcher |
| Is Ranged: | history --> |
| Service: | 2011–present |
| Manufacturer: | Norinco |
| Weight: | 12.9kg (28.4lb) on bipod 23kg (51lb) on tripod |
| Length: | 1225mm |
| Cartridge: | 40×53mm HV 35x32mmSR |
| Action: | hybrid short-recoil and advanced primer ignition (API) blowback |
| Rate: | Semi-automatic |
| Velocity: | 320m/s |
| Range: | 1000m (3,000feet) (point target) 2200m (7,200feet) (area target) |
| Feed: | Drum magazine 4 or 15 rounds (40mm HV) 3, 5, or 7 rounds (35mm SR) |
| Sights: | Y/MJL11-005 fire control sight system[1] QMD-131 electro-optical daylight scope QMV-131 electro-optical night vision scope |
The LG5 (PLAGF military designation: QLU-11 or QLU-131)[2] is a semi-automatic grenade launcher developed by Norinco and introduced in 2011.[3] The launcher's designation "QLU" stands for "light weapon (Qīng Wŭqì) - grenade (Liúdàn) - sniper (Jūjī)" in Chinese military coding standard.
The LG5/QLU-11 can be equipped with free-floating barrel, a fire-control system with a laser rangefinder, thermal imaging capability, and a ballistic computer that gives it air burst capability.[4] The QLU-11 was tested in combat against Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden by Chinese marines.[5] The LG5/QLU-11 is designed for long-range use and so has been described as a "sniper" grenade launcher.
Befitting that designation, it is said to have a very high accuracy of 3-round R100 accuracy of 1m (03feet) at 600m (2,000feet) range, meaning that with proper aiming the weapon can put three successive high-explosive rounds into a typical window or door. Its development was inspired by the American Barrett XM109 anti-materiel rifle, which fires 25 × 59 mm grenades, and its design is based on the Chinese HSARI LR2 .50 caliber anti-material rifle.[6]
QLU-11 utilizes a new Type 11 precision cartridge that is derived from the DFJ-87 armor-piercing grenade. The lighter casing reduces the ammunition weight from 217g to 200g. Propellant takes a larger percentage of the cartridge space, thus improving the velocity to 320m/s (from 195m/s). This modification greatly increases the recoil, which QLU-11 features a recoiling free-floating barrel with advanced primer ignition (API) blowback action, a large muzzle brake, floating receiver, and two sets of buffer mechanism inside the stock and optics rail mounts to mitigate.[7]
To ensure the long-range accuracy, the electro-optical sight system with built-in fire control system is standard issue for the QLU-11. The daylight scope is designated QMD-131, while the night vision version is designated QMV-131. Both scopes feature in-scope HUD, a laser rangefinder, temperature sensor, ammo selection, ballistic calculated reticle, elevation angle sensor, inclination angle sensor, drift correction sensor, self-diagnosis software. The effective range is 1000m (3,000feet) for daylight scope and 800m (2,600feet) for night vision scope.
There are two variants of the weapon, an export version and a domestic version:
China
Saudi Arabia