MOSCOW, May 12. /TASS/. PSRL-1 multipurpose grenade launchers handed over by Washington to Kiev and tested by the Ukrainian national guard for the first time were copied from the Russian grenade launcher RPG-7, a source in the Russian defense industry told TASS on Saturday.

"PSRL-1 grenade launchers tested by Ukraine are unlicensed copies of the Russian RPG-7 grenade launchers and were manufactured without full conformity to the production process. Thus, this specimen of weapons cannot supported stated characteristics in full scope," the source says.

The launcher lifetime is one of key characteristics of the grenade launcher, the source notes. "The RPG-7 launcher is designed for one thousand firings and can actually operate by 20-30% more. Certain doubts arise in respect of announced durability of the PSRL-1 because its launcher is made of lighter materials," he adds.

As distinct from the RPG-7 and its modifications, the US grenade launcher is fitted with the Picatinny rail (MIL-STD-1913), but such a solution is not reasonable, the Russian defense industry’s representative says. "Both optical and collimating sights for grenade launchers with such recoil should undergo a lengthy and a complex package of tests. It is not possible to mount any sight on such weapon because its attachment will be quickly broken down by strong recoil. Therefore, fitting the PSRL-1 with the Picatinny rail is just a tribute to fashion," the expert says.

The Ukrainian national guard informed on Saturday about tests of the PSRL-1 grenade launcher developed by the US-based AirTronics USA.