Norinco LG5 / QLU-11


The LG5 is a semi-automatic grenade launcher developed by Norinco and introduced in 2011. The launcher's designation "QLU" stands for "light weapon - grenade - sniper " in Chinese military coding standard.

Description

The LG5/QLU-11 can be equipped with free-floating barrel, a fire-control system with a laser rangefinder, thermal imaging capability, and a ballistic computer that gives it air burst capability. The muzzle brake is fitted with a fuse programmer for specialized air burst munitions. The QLU-11 was tested in combat against Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden by Chinese marines. The LG5/QLU-11 is designed for long-range use and so has been described as a "sniper" grenade launcher.
Befitting that designation, it is said to have a very high accuracy of 3-round R100 accuracy of at range using the BGJ5 ammunition, meaning that with proper aiming the weapon can put three successive high-explosive rounds into a typical window or door. Its development was inspired by the American Barrett XM109 anti-materiel rifle, which fires 25 × 59 mm grenades, and its design is based on the Chinese HSARI LR2 12.7 × 108 mm anti-materiel rifle.
QLU-11 utilizes a new Type 11 precision cartridge that is derived from the DFJ-87 armor-piercing grenade. The lighter casing reduces the ammunition weight from to. Propellant takes a larger percentage of the cartridge space, thus improving the velocity to . This modification greatly increases the recoil, which QLU-11 features a recoiling free-floating barrel with advanced primer ignition (API) blowback action, a large muzzle brake, floating receiver, and two sets of buffer mechanism inside the stock and optics rail mounts to mitigate.
To ensure the long-range accuracy, the electro-optical sight system with built-in fire control system is standard issue for the QLU-11. The daylight scope is designated QMD-131, while the night vision version is designated QMV-131. Both scopes feature in-scope HUD, a laser rangefinder, temperature sensor, ammo selection, ballistic calculated reticle, elevation angle sensor, inclination angle sensor, drift correction sensor, self-diagnosis software. The effective range is for daylight scope and for night vision scope.

Variants

There are two variants of the weapon, an export version and a domestic version:
  • LG5: Export version. Fires 40×53mm HV NATO grenades, which are also exported by China
  • QLU-11: Domestic version. Fires 35×32mm SR grenades

Ammunition

LG5

  • BGJ5 high-explosive, dual-purpose sniper grenade, 40×53mm
  • BGL3 high-explosive precision grenade, 40×53mm
  • BGL3A programmable airburst grenade, 40×53mm
  • BGH1 high-explosive incendiary grenade, 40×53mm
  • BGR1 incendiary grenade, 40×53mm
  • BGS1 training grenade, 40×53mm

QLU-11

  • Type 11 high speed precision cartridge, 35×32mm SR
  • Type 11 programmable airburst cartridge, 35×32mm SR