Ratel-This boxy, six-or eight-wheeled armored personnel carrier comes in many variants, equipped for troop or cargo transport, command, or fire support. It is used by the mechanized infantry units of the South African
Army,
Renarno-Portuguese acronym for “Mozambique National Resistance.” Created in 1976 as an anticommunist guerrilla organization, it is dedicated to the overthrow of the Mozambican Frehmo government.
Rooikat-An armored fighting vehicle designed and built in South Africa.
Rooikat is Afrikaans for “lynx.” The vehicle itself is lightly armored, with a high-velocity, 76mm gun and an advanced laser fire-control system, including gyro stabilizers It is a match for second-line and older tanks.
RPG-Rocket-Propelled Grenade-Russian designation for a series of simple antitank weapons. The most common is the RPG-7, which is a shoulder-fired weapon with a short range.
RPK-A Russian designation for a light machine gun of mediocre performance, especially when compared to the U.S. M60 machine gun. It weighs a little over twelve pounds.
RSA-Republic of South Africa.
RTO-Radio Telephone Operator-Any soldier assigned to carry and operate a unit’s radio. He is usually found within arm’s reach of the officers.
S-60-The designation for a single-barreled 57mm antiaircraft gun. It is normally deployed in batteries of six or regiments of twenty-four. The guns are radar guided.
SA-8 Gecko-A newer, mobile antiaircraft missile, it can engage aircraft at low and medium altitude. It is completely self-sufficient, with the radar and missiles mounted on an amphibious wheeled vehicle.
SAM-Surface-to-Air Missile-A general term applied to any missile used to shoot at aircraft.
SAR-Search and Rescue-The use of aircraft and specialized rescue teams to search for and recover aircrews downed behind enemy lines.
Sarin-One variety of “nerve gas.” Sprayed over enemy troops, it kills by inhalation or skin contact. An extremely small dose, measured in milligrams, is lethal. It works by interfering with the nervous system.
T-62A-The successor to the T-55 tank, the T-62A first appeared in the 1960s. It mounts a I I 5mm gun and improved fire-control system. It has thicker armor, but compares poorly with its U.S. equivalent, the M60 tank.
T-72 tank—A modern Russian design, the T-72 mounts a 125mm gun and improved armor. It has several flaws, notably its fire-control system and a cranky automatic loader. Nevertheless, the T-72’s heavy armor is still hard to penetrate, especially from the front.
TOW-Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wire-guided missile-A large, long-range antitank missile that first saw service in Vietnam and was a spectacular success. Since then it has been improved and is now the standard U.S. heavy antitank weapon. It has a range of 3,750 meters.
UH-60 Blackhawk-A troop-carrying helicopter used by the U.S. military. It can carry a squad of infantry and is also used for special warfare missions, and for sub-hunting by the U. S. Navy.
ZU-23-A Russian twin 23mm cannon on a ground mounting, it has a small chance of hitting a jet aircraft, but has the advantage of being cheap and numerous. It can also be used against ground troops.
