M202 FLASH

The M202 FLASH (FLame Assault SHoulder weapon) is an American four-tube, 66mm rocket launcher designed to replace traditional backpack-style flamethrowers. Developed in the 1960s and entering service in the late 1970s, it offered a way to deliver incendiary effects from a much safer distance than a handheld hose.

If you recognize it, it might be from its iconic appearance in the 1985 film Commando, where Arnold Schwarzenegger uses one to level a compound.

## How It Works

The M202 is essentially a "rocket-propelled flamethrower." Instead of spraying liquid fuel, it fires M74 rockets filled with TPA (Thickened Pyrophoric Agent).

The "Magic" Ingredient: TPA is triethylaluminum (TEA) thickened with polyisobutylene. It is pyrophoric, meaning it spontaneously ignites when it touches air.

Intensity: It burns at temperatures between 1,200°C and 2,200°C (roughly 2,200°F to 4,000°F). It burns "white hot," making it significantly hotter than standard napalm.

Impact: When a rocket