Iraqi Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) ammunition carrier

Faded green canvas and brown cotton webbing ammunition carrier. A vertically foldable canvas flap is held in place by a pair of centrally mounted vertically arranged metal clips. These clips in turn hold a pair of outwards folding flaps. One flap holds the base of the metal clips which are secured to the flap by a pair of metal lugs through a small rectangular piece of brown leather. The other flap has a metal grommet for the clip, above this grommet is a vertically made slip where a grommet is likely to have been before. The interior of the ammunition carrier consists of three large vertical pouches and another three small vertical pouches. A pair of cotton webbing straps are roughly sewn to the ammunition carrier using red brown and black thread. These webbing straps both worn heavily and are attached to the carrier via poor quality white metal clips. On each webbing strap is an adjustable rectangular shaped piece of faded green canvas to help protect the shoulders of the wearer. One of the straps has evidence of spilt oil and the other has deeply faded ink marks. A yellow figure '11' has been stencilled onto the centre of the back facing side of the carrier. Over this '11' is a hand applied purple dot with a small white '10' figure over it. Within the bottom and top of the ammunition carrier is internal padding.

This Iraqi RPG7 ammunition carrier was found during a Sensitive Site Exploitation of Al Asad Air Force base by the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR), 4 Battalion Royal Australian Regiment Commando (4RAR CDO) and the Incident Response Regiment (IRR) element on 16 May 2003. This type of RPG7 (Rocket Propelled Grenade) ammunition carrier is common throughout the world, in particular Africa, Asia, the Balkans, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. These ammunition carriers are worn as backpacks and are used to carry three warheads for the popular RPG7 rocket. The RPG7 is a reloadable, shoulder-fired, muzzle-loaded, recoilless antitank and antipersonnel rocket propelled grenade launcher which was introduced to Soviet service in 1961. It is used to engage and destroy armoured vehicles, bunkers, fortifications and personnel. RPG7s are made in many countries around the world including the Peoples Republic of China, Iraq and Russia. hey are very cheap to manufacture and very cost effective as a weapon. he Australian Defence Force has served against regular and irregular armed forces equipped with this weapon system from the Vietnam War onwards.