RL-77 Airburst Rocket Launcher

Last updated: 1.002.003
Current patch: 1.003.001

Stratagems

Patriotic Administration Center

Supply

Support Weapon

RL-77 Airburst Rocket Launcher

Weapons

Support Weapons

Missiles

RL-77 Airburst Rocket Launcher

“

Fires a rocket that detonates within proximity of a target, and deploys a cluster of explosive bomblets.

— Ship Management Terminal

The RL-77 Airburst Rocket Launcher also known as the ABRL is a support weapon that fires a cluster rocket.

Stratagem Statistics

General
Call-in Time	Standard	7.75 seconds
	Upgraded	4.75 seconds
Uses	Unlimited
Cooldown	Standard	480 seconds
	With Morale Augmentation	456 seconds
	With Streamlined Request Process	432 seconds
	With All Upgrades	410.4 seconds

Detailed Weapon Statistics

RL-77 Airburst Rocket Launcher
Cooldown	480 sec
Call-in Time	3 s
Capacity	1
Reload Time	3.7 s
Spare Rounds	5
Starting Rounds	5
Attacks
Grenade 85mm Airburst Cluster	Projectile
Airburst Cluster	Explosion
Airburst Cluster Bomb	Projectile x 25
Airburst Cluster Bomb	Explosion x 25

Grenade 85mm Airburst Cluster
Projectile
Caliber	85 mm
Mass	3.3 kg
Initial Velocity	250 m/s
Drag Factor	30%
Gravity Factor	100%
Lifetime	1.5 sec
Penetration Slowdown	25%
Damage
Standard	350
vs. Durable	350
Penetration
Direct	Medium
Slight Angle	Medium
Large Angle	Medium
Extreme Angle	Unarmored I
Special Effects
Demolition Force	30
Stagger Force	50
Push Force	40

Airburst Cluster
Area of Effect
Inner Radius	3 m
Outer Radius	5 m
Shockwave Radius	7 m
Damage
Inner Radius	150
Outer Radius	149 - 0
Penetration
Inner Radius	Medium
Outer Radius	Light
Shockwave	Medium
AoE Effect
Demolition Force	25
Stagger Force	25
Push Force	40

Airburst Cluster Bomb
Projectile
Caliber	40 mm
Mass	100 g
Initial Velocity	25 m/s
Drag Factor	50%
Gravity Factor	400%
Lifetime	0.8 sec
Penetration Slowdown	25%
Damage
Standard	150
vs. Durable	150
Penetration
Direct	Medium
Slight Angle	Medium
Large Angle	Medium
Extreme Angle	Unarmored I
Special Effects
Demolition Force	25
Stagger Force	25
Push Force	40

Airburst Cluster Bomb
Area of Effect
Inner Radius	4 m
Outer Radius	6 m
Shockwave Radius	8 m
Damage
Inner Radius	500
Outer Radius	499 - 0
Penetration
Inner Radius	Medium
Outer Radius	Light
Shockwave	Medium
AoE Effect
Demolition Force	20
Stagger Force	25
Push Force	40

Tactical Information

• The ABRL has 2 firing modes; Cluster and Flak.
  • Cluster mode uses an impact fuse main rocket and bomblets as well as a 0.25s lifetime fuse or 62.5m maximum range.
  • Flak mode is a 1.5s timed airburst fuse with a maximum range of 375m with a 0.7s random time fuse for the bomblets.
• The cluster rocket has a proximity fuse that detonates prematurely when close to the enemy releasing many bomblets.
• It can destroy illegal Broadcast Towers in 1-2 rockets.
• The RL-77 has a very large effective radius due to the wide spread of its bomblets, and can easily wipe out entire patrols or swarms of enemies with a single rocket. However it needs a very clear line of sight to the desired detonation point due to its proximity fuse of Flak mode, otherwise it may detonate prematurely which can wound or even kill the operator or other Helldivers.
  • When engaging groups of enemies, it may be more effective to aim slightly above the cluster rather than at a specific target or the ground. Also, be sure to account for travel time when aiming at distant enemies. Fortunately, the projectiles are rocket-propelled and are thus much less subject to gravity than others.
• Whilst it excels at eliminating groups of weaker enemies, it is much less effective against larger and/or well-armored targets and is almost useless against hardened structures.
• Like the standard GR-8 Recoilless Rifle, the RL-77 has a backblast when fired. It also has an ammo pack that allows for team reloads. Self-reloading is quite slow, but team reloads are almost instant.
  • The position of rockets on your teammate's back may make it harder to aim the RL-77 when in third-person mode. If you are receiving team reload assistance, aiming down the integrated sight may make it easier to acquire targets.
• The RL-77 can shoot down Automaton Gunships, but requires multiple close hits to do so.

Applicable Ship Modules

The following Ship Modules affect the RL-77 Airburst Rocket Launcher:

Department	Ship Module	Effect
Patriotic Administration Center	Streamlined Request Process	Decreases Support Weapon stratagem cooldown by 10%.
	Superior Packing Methodology	Resupply stratagem boxes refill Support Weapons with the maximum number of carriable magazines.
	Payroll Management System	Reduces reload time for all support weapons by 10%.
Bridge	Morale Augmentation	Reduces cooldown time for all Stratagems by 5%.
Engineering Bay	Streamlined Launch Process	All Support Weapons launch immediately once called in, reducing overall deployment time.

Media

• Tutorial Video Demonstrating Use of the Airburst Rocket Launcher

Trivia

“

MAJOR ORDER: Helldivers, it's time to choose between liberating Choohe or Penta. Depending on your choice, you will receive either the MD-17 Anti-Tank Mines or the RL-77 Airburst Rocket Launcher.
(And you'll save the citizens. Don't forget the citizens.)

— Helldivers 2 Official Twitter(X)

• As part of the "Operation Legitimate Undertaking, Phase I: Citizen Rescue" Major Order on the 26th of April 2024, Helldivers had to choose between this stratagem and the MD-17 Anti-Tank Mines by liberating either Choohe or Penta. The RL-77 was unlocked when the Helldivers chose to liberate Penta.

Change History

Patch

Description

1.002.001
2024-12-13

• New weapon function: In addition to the existing ‘Flak’ projectiles, players can now switch to ‘Cluster’ munition projectiles. Cluster projectiles detonate based on a timer, not a proximity trigger. Both modes deploy the same number of bombs, with the following differences:
  • Flak projectiles and bombs work the same as before
  • Cluster munition bombs have a short arming time
  • Cluster munition bombs do not have detonation timers

1.001.201
2024-10-29

Fixes

• Fixed dead corpses setting off the rockets from the RL-77 Airburst Rocket Launcher.

1.001.104
2024-10-15

Changes

• Reload duration reduced from 7 to 5 sec.

Indirect Changes

• G-6 Frag Grenade buff also buffed the Airburst Launcher's bomblets, as they share the same damage type.

1.000.304
2024-05-14

Fixes

• Airburst proximity explosion is now triggered only by enemies & Helldivers.

1.000.300
2024-04-29

Changes

• Airburst Rocket Launcher will no longer detonate when shot near stratagems (HMG turret, Sentries, Resupplies) and other Helldivers.
• Reduced proximity radius

Fixes

• Explosive weapons no longer pull players inward from the blast.

1.000.203
2024-04-16

• Added to the game.

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Stratagems by Type

Support Weapons

Sterilizer  •  Anti-Materiel Rifle  •  Machine Gun  •  Stalwart  •  Expendable Anti-Tank  •  Grenade Launcher  •  Laser Cannon  •  Recoilless Rifle  •  Autocannon  •  Flamethrower  •  Heavy Machine Gun  •  Airburst Rocket Launcher  •  Arc Thrower  •  Commando  •  Quasar Cannon  •  One True Flag  •  Railgun  •  Spear  •  W.A.S.P. Launcher

Orbital

Orbital Precision Strike  •  Orbital Gas Strike  •  Orbital Gatling Barrage  •  Orbital EMS Strike  •  Orbital Airburst Strike  •  Orbital 120mm HE Barrage  •  Orbital Smoke Strike  •  Orbital 380mm HE Barrage  •  Orbital Walking Barrage  •  Orbital Laser  •  Orbital Napalm Barrage  •  Orbital Railcannon Strike

Eagle

Eagle Airstrike  •  Eagle Strafing Run  •  Eagle Cluster Bomb  •  Eagle Napalm Airstrike  •  Eagle Smoke Strike  •  Eagle 110mm Rocket Pods  •  Eagle 500kg Bomb

Emplacement

Anti-Tank Emplacement  •  Anti-Personnel Minefield  •  Incendiary Minefield  •  HMG Emplacement  •  Shield Generator Relay  •  Grenadier Battlement  •  MD-17 Anti-Tank Mines  •  Tesla Tower  •  MD-8 Gas Mines

Sentry

Flame Sentry  •  Machine Gun Sentry  •  Gatling Sentry  •  Mortar Sentry  •  Autocannon Sentry  •  Rocket Sentry  •  EMS Mortar Sentry

Backpack

"Guard Dog" Dog Breath  •  B-100 Portable Hellbomb  •  Directional Shield  •  Supply Pack  •  Hover Pack  •  Jump Pack  •  "Guard Dog"  •  "Guard Dog" Rover  •  Ballistic Shield Backpack  •  Shield Generator Pack

Vehicle

EXO-45 Patriot Exosuit  •  EXO-49 Emancipator Exosuit  •  Fast Recon Vehicle

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Stratagems by Ship Module

Patriotic Administration
Center

Anti-Materiel Rifle  •  Machine Gun  •  Stalwart  •  Expendable Anti-Tank  •  Recoilless Rifle  •  Autocannon  •  Flamethrower  •  Heavy Machine Gun  •  Airburst Rocket Launcher  •  Commando  •  One True Flag  •  Railgun  •  Spear  •  W.A.S.P. Launcher

Orbital Cannons

Orbital Gatling Barrage  •  Orbital 120mm HE Barrage  •  Orbital Airburst Strike  •  Orbital 380mm HE Barrage  •  Orbital Walking Barrage  •  Orbital Laser  •  Orbital Napalm Barrage  •  Orbital Railcannon Strike

Hangar

Eagle Strafing Run  •  Eagle Airstrike  •  Eagle Cluster Bomb  •  Eagle Napalm Airstrike  •  Jump Pack  •  Eagle Smoke Strike  •  Hover Pack  •  Eagle 110mm Rocket Pods  •  Eagle 500kg Bomb  •  Fast Recon Vehicle

Bridge

Orbital Precision Strike  •  Orbital Gas Strike  •  Orbital EMS Strike  •  Orbital Smoke Strike  •  HMG Emplacement  •  Shield Generator Relay  •  Tesla Tower

Engineering Bay

Anti-Personnel Minefield  •  Supply Pack  •  Grenade Launcher  •  Laser Cannon  •  Incendiary Minefield  •  "Guard Dog"  •  Ballistic Shield Backpack  •  Arc Thrower  •  MD-17 Anti-Tank Mines  •  Quasar Cannon  •  MD-8 Gas Mines  •  Shield Generator Pack

Robotics Workshop

Machine Gun Sentry  •  Gatling Sentry  •  Mortar Sentry  •  "Guard Dog" Rover  •  Autocannon Sentry  •  Rocket Sentry  •  EMS Mortar Sentry  •  EXO-45 Patriot Exosuit  •  EXO-49 Emancipator Exosuit