The
UNSC has used reloadable light anti-tank weapons for centuries. Surface-to-surface rocket launchers in particular have been used in warfare for hundreds of years, but they saw recent popularity during the
Covenant War, where heavier firepower became a prerequisite against a superior foe. Without a doubt, the two most popular examples within the UNSC have been Misriah Armory’s M41 SSR MAV/AW (SPNKR), and Chalybs Defense Solutions' M57 Pilum.
M57 PILUM: The M57 Pilum is a shoulder-fired heavy weapon widely issued to UNSC Army, Marine Corps, and Spartan infantry to counter enemy vehicles and Promethean Knights. Cheaper and substantially lighter than the classic M41 weapon system it replaced, the Pilum still packs a considerable punch. The complete M57 weapon system consists of three components: a reusable launch tube, detachable smart-link electronics module, and removable box magazine that holds two rockets. Standard warheads are 50mm high-explosive multi-purpose, but specialist rounds are also available, including those with thermobaric fillers or dumb AI-driven “brilliant” guidance systems.
M41 SPNKR: Few weapons in the UNSC inventory have had such an outsized importance on the battlefield as the classic M41 Rocket Launcher. Though functionally obsolete well before the Covenant War began, when it absolutely, positively, had to be blown into small fragments the M41 could be counted on to deliver the hammerblow. During the Insurrection, it was used as an all-purpose heavy weapon by both sides in the conflict, and the weapon often turned the tide of battle after other sources of heavy firepower had been destroyed or rendered combat ineffective. The M41 consists of two components. First, a reusable launcher with smart-linked fire control module. Second, a disposable magazine holding two 102mm high explosive anti-tank rockets.