XM202 FLASH
| Factions | Weapon | Icon | Classes | Ammo | Explosion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Damage | Radius | |||||
 US |
 XM202 FLASH |
 |
Special Loadout Zombies |
4 / 8 | 175 | 275 |
| Designation | Weapon Type | Fire Modes | Fire Rate | Bullet Spread ° | Muzzle Velocity | Projectile weight | Weight | Reload Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [[]] | Rocket Launcher | Single Shot All |
7 RPM | 4° & 2° ADS | 100 m/s | 230 g (0.5 lbs) | 12 kg (26.46 lbs) | 4.9 Seconds |
| Full name | Caliber | Place of Origin | Date | Manufacturer | Barrel Length | Total Length | Weapon Script Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FN | rpg round | USA | 1970 | ARM | in ( mm) | in ( mm) | weapon_xm202 |
The XM202 FLASH (Flame Assault Shoulder) was an experimental U.S. four-tube, shoulder-fired 66mm incendiary rocket launcher developed as part of the XM191 Multishot Portable Flame Weapon program. It used pre-packed rocket clips to fire multiple rounds quickly, delivering a pyrophoric incendiary fill (TPA) intended to defeat bunkers and fighting positions at greater range than backpack flamethrowers. The XM202 is best known as the prototype lineage that led to the later M202-series launchers and their 66mm incendiary rockets.
HISTORY
The XM202 grew out of late-1960s U.S. efforts to replace portable flamethrowers with a safer, longer-ranged shoulder weapon for assaulting fortified positions. Within the XM191 MPFW program, the XM202 launcher was paired with a factory-loaded four-round rocket clip, leveraging components derived from the 66mm M72 LAW family and firing incendiary rockets filled with thickened triethylaluminum (TPA) for an intense, rapidly spreading fire effect. The concept emphasized simple handling, quick loading via clip, and a multi-shot “volley” capability from a compact launcher.
A Joint Army–Marine team demonstrated the XM191/XM202 system in the Republic of Vietnam (RVN) during the war, reflecting the demand for portable bunker-reduction weapons in Southeast Asia. The XM202 itself remained a developmental designation associated with the XM191 trials, while the standardized 66mm four-tube launchers and doctrine were captured later in U.S. Army publications for the M202A1, including the 1975 technical manual and the 1978 training circular. In Vietnam-era use, the XM202 should be understood primarily as a trialed prototype rather than a broadly issued standard weapon.
Sources
- DTIC AD0868942 — XM191 Multishot Portable Flame Weapon (ENSURE 263) (March 1970)
- U.S. Department of the Army — TM 3-1055-456-12, Launcher, Rocket: 66mm, 4-Tube, M202A1 (March 1975)
- U.S. Department of the Army — TC 23-2, 66-mm Rocket Launcher, M202A1 (7 April 1978)
- Glenn H. Mutter (U.S. Army Infantry School) — The XM191 Multishot Portable Flame Weapon (1970)