March 4, 2007:
The mystery
weapon picture that's been showing up around the net, appears to be
something that began in Chechnya (where the local Islamic terrorists built improvised
weapons firing 55mm rockets), and evolved into a new design for firing RPG
rockets. The U.S. Army has come to call the mystery weapon the C5K, and it
sports a scope. The C5K is a misnomer, and refers to another improvised weapon
(a launcher for an unguided aircraft rocket, the S-5K, a 8.8 pound, 55mm projectile).
These mystery weapons are made in small quantities, in workshops set up for
that purpose. Things like this are intended to provide an easier-to-handle
launcher for RPG rockets. The Chechens began the current round of warfare with
the Russians in the 1990s, and many of their innovations spread to other
Islamic terrorist groups. The Sunni Arabs of Iraq are a well educated lot, and
know for resourcefulness and improvisation. Saddams secret police were known to have links with the Chechens,
and apparently exchanged ideas. The improvised weapons are often more
impressive in terms of appearance than in performance. But that is a common
failing of Islamic terrorists.