NOTE: This article is about M136 rocket launchers featured in the main ARMA games. For its U.S. military counterpart in ArmA 3's CSLA Iron Curtain Creator DLC, see M136 (CSLA). |
The M136 is an 84 mm rocket launcher featured in both ArmA: Armed Assault and ArmA 2.
ArmA: Armed Assault[]
« | The M136 is the successor of the M72 LAW in US Army service. The M136 is a recoilless weapon used primarily by infantry to defeat light armor. The 84mm High Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) warhead provides high penetration capability and lethal after-armor effects. Library Description[1]
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The M136 is used by both U.S. Army and RACS military forces in ArmA: Armed Assault.
Overview[]
The M136 is an unguided and reloadable, portable short-range rocket launcher.
It can load and fire 84 mm rockets fitted with high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warheads, and is accurate at ranges of up to 500 metres. The M136 lacks an optical sight and only features a simple ironsight to aim with.
The M136 is designed to be a lightweight, shoulder-carried anti-vehicle rocket launcher that is effective against both light and medium armoured vehicles.
If necessary, it can also be used to raze unreinforced structures and be employed against clumped-up infantry, though it is rather ineffective in the case of the latter due to the small blast radius of the HEAT warhead.[A1CfgA 1]
For all intents and purposes, it is essentially the American counterpart of the Russian-made RPG-7V. However, the M136 doesn't feature the ability to load more powerful munitions and is restricted to just one warhead type. It also isn't guided like the heavier Javelin Launcher, which makes it largely redundant for hitting anything beyond 500 metres.
Ironsights[]

Recoil curves[]
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Charts/graphs are not available on mobile. Please switch to desktop mode in order to see them.
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Munitions[]

M136 Rocket
The M136 can only load and fire one type of rocket.[A1CfgW 3] It requires two[A1CfgM 2] free inventory slots:
Parameter | Value |
---|---|
Base damage value | 400[A1CfgA 2] |
Splash damage value | 20[A1CfgA 3] |
Warhead type | Armour Piercing + High-Explosive |
Blast radius (metres) | 2[A1CfgA 1] |
Launch velocity (m/s) | 5[A1CfgM 3] |
Maximum speed (m/s) | 290[A1CfgA 4] |
M136 rockets are always fired with an initial velocity of 5 m/s.[A1CfgM 3] After 0.1 seconds of being launched[A1CfgA 5], the rocket will only take 1 more second[A1CfgA 6] of flight time to attain a top speed of 290 m/s.[A1CfgA 4]
The rocket's warhead has a blast radius of 2 metres.[A1CfgA 1] It will automatically explode if it does not hit its target or come into contact with a hard surface after 6 seconds of flight time.[A1CfgA 7]
Trivia[]
- The M136's tube in real-life is not reinforced to withstand the pressure from more than one launch. However, the in-game M136 is oddly depicted as a reloadable weapon.
- Its hand animation is universally shared with every single launcher-type weapon in Armed Assault, even for launchers that are fitted with handgrips.
- Prior to Patch 1.06, the M136's rocket was slightly more powerful, though its blast radius was significantly smaller with a radius of only 0.2 metres. The patch's release buffed the M136 by widening its blast radius from 0.2 metres up to 2 metres but also nerfed its base damage value from 470 to 400.[2]
Gallery[]
ArmA 2[]
« | The M136 is the successor of the M72 LAW in US Army service. The M136 is a recoilless weapon used primarily by infantry to defeat light armor. The 84mm High Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) warhead provides high penetration capability and lethal after-armor effects. | » |

The M136 is used by both the U.S. Marines and U.S. Army forces in ArmA 2.
Overview[]
Returning from Armed Assault, the ArmA 2 M136 continues to serve as the standard-issue shoulder-fired rocket launcher of the U.S. military.
It still uses 84 mm rockets fitted with HEAT warheads. The M136 lacks any kind of sensors for tracking targets and only has an ironsight to fall back on for aiming. It cannot have its zeroing adjusted.
ArmA 2's M136 is once again designed to complement medium AT launchers like the USMC's SMAW or the U.S. Army's MAAWS. While it still has its uses against non-heavy armour vehicles, the M136 isn't nearly as helpful when it comes to tackling Main Battle Tanks compared to its Russian-made counterpart - especially when the latter is loaded with PG-7VR grenades.
Compared to its predecessor in Armed Assault, the M136's damage output has been sharply reduced and is also much less flexible due to the tiny blast radius of its warhead.[A2CfgA 1]
As before, its HEAT warhead isn't powerful enough to penetrate heavy armour[A2CfgA 2], although some damage can still be inflicted provided that it strikes the rear of the tank or turret where an MBT is most vulnerable. However, this is still inadvisable to attempt in practice and will almost always result in the M136's already limited supply of munitions being wasted, so it's better to leave such targets to heavy ATGM launchers like the FGM-148 Javelin instead.
To make matters worse, ArmA 2's M136 takes up 100% more inventory slots than its counterpart in Armed Assault (six slots as opposed to two).[A2CfgM 2] Whereas a single soldier in Armed Assault could feasibly carry up to two rockets at a time (one loaded into the launcher and one spare) and still retain enough space for their primary weapon, this is no longer possible in ArmA 2. Unless the user chooses to sacrifice all spare magazines for their primary weapon, it will not be possible to "reload" the M136 out in the field after they have fired their one and only rocket.
Ironsights[]

The M136's ironsights do not allow for zeroing to be manually adjusted.
Recoil curves[]
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Charts/graphs are not available on mobile. Please switch to desktop mode in order to see them.
|
Munitions[]

M136 Rocket
The M136 only supports one type of rocket.[A2CfgW 4] It requires six[A2CfgM 2] inventory slots to carry:
Parameter | Value |
---|---|
Base damage value | 335[A2CfgA 2] |
Splash damage value | 11[A2CfgA 3] |
Warhead type | High-Explosive Anti-Tank |
Blast radius (metres) | 1.1[A2CfgA 1] |
Launch velocity (m/s) | 285[A2CfgM 3] |
Maximum speed (m/s) | 290[A2CfgA 4] |
M136 rockets are always fired with an initial velocity of 285 m/s.[A2CfgM 3] After 0.1 seconds of being launched[A2CfgA 5], the rocket will only need 1 additional second[A2CfgA 6] of flight time to attain a maximum speed of 290 m/s.[A2CfgA 4]
The rocket's warhead has a blast radius of 1.1 metres.[A2CfgA 1] It will automatically explode if it does not hit its target or come into contact with a hard surface after 6 seconds of flight time.[A2CfgA 7]
Trivia[]
- Just like in Armed Assault, ArmA 2's M136s are unrealistically depicted as reloadable weapons.
- Similarly to the Russian RPG-18, the M136's rockets occupy a full six slots of the player's inventory despite the rockets being smaller (and lighter) than ATGMs.
- This was presumably done as a stand-in for the M136 being a disposable weapon in real-life, as unless the player was willing to sacrifice all ammunition for their primary weapon (by carrying two rockets) the M136 would indeed become a single-shot weapon.
- Prior to the latest Steam version patches (as part of the Community Configuration Project), the M136's rockets would emit an excessive number of smoke particles that could cause the game to lag if multiple launchers were fired simultaneously.[5]
Gallery[]
Config/script references[]
CfgAmmo (ArmA: Armed Assault)CfgMagazines (ArmA: Armed Assault)CfgWeapons (ArmA: Armed Assault)CfgAmmo (ArmA 2)CfgMagazines (ArmA 2)CfgWeapons (ArmA 2) |
References[]
- ↑ Bohemia Interactive a.s., 2006, Weapons, armedassault.com, viewed 5 March 2025, <https://web.archive.org/web/20071011200457/http://www.armedassault.com/weapons.html>. (archived link)
- ↑ Španěl, M et al. 2007, ArmA: Armed Assault: Version History, Bohemia Interactive Community Wiki, viewed 30 April 2024, <https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/ArmA:_Armed_Assault:_Version_History#Version_1.06>.
- ↑ Bohemia Interactive a.s., 2009, AT/AA Launchers, Arma 2, viewed 5 March 2025, <https://www.arma2.com/arma-2-weaponry/ataa-launchers>.
- ↑ Bohemia Interactive a.s., 2010, AT/AA Launchers, Arma 2, viewed 5 March 2025, <https://www.arma2.com/arma-2-oa-weaponry/a-2-oa-ataa-launchers>.
- ↑ Foltyn, D, Španěl, M et al. 2013, Roadmap - Arma 2: Community Configuration Project, DevHeaven, viewed 30 April 2024, <http://web.archive.org/web/20130627131748/https://dev-heaven.net/projects/arma-2-ccp/roadmap>. (archived link)
External links[]
See also[]
Weapons of comparable role and configuration[]
- M72 LAW (Outdated U.S. predecessor, ArmA: CWA only)
- PCML (NATO counterpart/successor, ArmA 3 only)
- RPG-7V (CDF/ChDKZ/Takistani Army/Alternate Russian Armed Forces counterpart)
- RPG-18 (Russian Armed Forces counterpart)
Weapons of ArmA: Armed Assault | |
---|---|
Handguns | M9 9 mm • Makarov 9 mm |
Submachine guns | MP5A5 9 mm (SD6) |
Carbines | AKS-74U 5.45 mm • M4A1 5.56 mm (M4A1 GL, M4, M4 GL) |
Assault rifles | AK-74 5.45 mm (AK-74 + GP-25, AKS-74 PSO) • G36 series (G36, G36C, G36K) • M16A2 5.56 mm (M203) • M16A4 5.56 mm (GL) |
Designated marksman rifles | Mk12 SPR 5.56 mm |
Sniper rifles | KSVK 12.7 mm • M107 .50 • M24 7.62 mm • SVD Dragunov 7.62 mm |
Squad automatic weapons | M249 SAW 5.56 mm |
Machineguns | M240 7.62 mm • PKM 7.62 mm |
Grenade launchers | 6G30 |
Launchers | 9K32 Strela • FIM-92F Stinger • Javelin Launcher • M136 • RPG-7V |
Static | AA Pod • AT Tripod • AGS-30 • D-30 • DShKM • M2 • M119A1 • Mk. 19 • Searchlight |
(Parenthesis) denote variants. Queen's Gambit |
![]() | |
---|---|
Handguns | M9 9 mm* |
Submachine guns | MP5A5 9 mm (SD6) |
Carbines | G36 series* (G36C*, G36K*) • M4A1 5.56 mm* (M4A1 GL*, M4, M4 GL) |
Assault rifles | G36 5.56 mm • M16A4 5.56 mm (GL) |
Designated marksman rifles | Mk12 SPR 5.56 mm* |
Sniper rifles | M107 .50 • M24 7.62 mm |
Squad automatic weapons | M249 SAW 5.56 mm* |
Machineguns | M240 7.62 mm |
Launchers | FIM-92F Stinger • Javelin Launcher • M136 |
Static | AA Pod • AT Tripod • M2 • M119A1 • Mk. 19 • Searchlight |
(Parenthesis) denote variants. * denotes weapons also used by the Black Element sub-faction. |
![]() | |
---|---|
Handguns | M9 9 mm |
Submachine guns | MP5A5 9 mm (SD6) |
Carbines | G36 series (G36C, G36K) |
Assault rifles | G36 5.56 mm • M16A2 5.56 mm (M203) |
Sniper rifles | M24 7.62 mm |
Machineguns | M240 7.62 mm |
Launchers | FIM-92F Stinger • M136 |
Static | M2* • Searchlight§ |
(Parenthesis) denote variants. * only used for the Warfare game mode. § denotes campaign-exclusive weapons. |
![]() | |
---|---|
Handguns | M1911 .45 • M9 9 mm |
Submachine guns | MP5 9 mm |
Shotguns | M1014 |
Carbines | M4A1 5.56 mm (M4A1 M203) |
Assault rifles | M16A4 5.56 mm (M16A4 M203) |
Designated marksman rifles | DMR 7.62 mm • Mk12 SPR 5.56 mm |
Sniper rifles | M107 .50 • M24 7.62 mm (M40A3) |
Squad automatic weapons | M249 SAW 5.56 mm |
Machineguns | Mk 48 Mod 0 7.62 mm • M240 7.62 mm |
Launchers | FGM-148 Javelin • FIM-92F Stinger • M136 • SMAW |
Static | M2 • M252 • Mk19 • M119A1 • Searchlight • Stinger • TOW |
(Parenthesis) denote variants. |
![]() | |
---|---|
Handguns | G17 9 mm • M1911 .45 • M9 9 mm |
Shotguns | M1014 |
Carbines | Mk16 CQC 5.56 mm |
Assault rifles | SCAR series (Mk16, Mk16 EGLM, Mk17, Mk17 EGLM) |
Designated marksman rifles | M14 7.62 mm • Mk17 Sniper 7.62 mm |
Sniper rifles | M107 .50 • M110 7.62 mm • M24 7.62 mm |
Squad automatic weapons | M249 SAW 5.56 mm |
Machineguns | Mk 48 Mod 0 7.62 mm • M240 7.62 mm |
Grenade launchers | M32 • Mk13 |
Launchers | FGM-148 Javelin • FIM-92F Stinger • M136 • MAAWS |
Static | M2 • M252 • Mk19 • M119A1 • Searchlight • Stinger • TOW |
(Parenthesis) denote variants. Operation Arrowhead |