Launcher

For a similar weapon, see Grenade Launcher.

"Projectile weapons with high explosive weapons."

— Category description in Call of Duty: Ghosts.

Launchers are weapons which fire explosive projectiles that are featured throughout the entire Call of Duty series. In the early World War II titles they were primary weapons, while in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Call of Duty: World at War, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered and Call of Duty: WWII they were available only as Perks or as a Basic Training. However, from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 onwards, they are available as secondary weapons.

Overview

Launchers have many different purposes. They can be used as indirect fire support, anti-armor, anti-personnel purposes and anti-air purposes. The different types are as follows:

Unguided Launchers: They fire unguided rockets to destroy targets, mainly enemy soldiers, and include weapons such as the AT4 and RPG-7.

Guided Launchers: They fire lock-on missiles to fly at targets; they can be in direct or top-attack profile flight. They must have a lock-on to a target to track, such as the Javelin and the Strela-3.

List of Launchers in the Call of Duty Series

Call of Duty and United Offensive

Finest Hour, Call of Duty 2, Roads to Victory and World at War (DS)

Call of Duty 3 and World at War: Final Fronts

Panzerschreck
Bazooka

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

RPG-7
FGM-148 Javelin (Campaign Only)
FIM-92 Stinger (Campaign Only)
AT4 (Campaign, only obtainable through console commands)

Call of Duty: World at War

M9A1 Bazooka
Panzerschreck (Campaign and Zombies Only)

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Launchers are now classified as secondary weapons.

AT4
Thumper
FIM-92 Stinger
FGM-148 Javelin
RPG-7

Call of Duty: Black Ops

M72 LAW
RPG
Strela-3
China Lake
Grim Reaper (Classified under Special)
Valkyrie Rockets (Classified under Special)
Panzerschreck (Campaign Only)

Call of Duty: Black Ops (Nintendo DS)

Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies

China Lake

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

SMAW
FGM-148 Javelin
FIM-92 Stinger
XM25
M320 GLM
RPG-7
Starstreak (Special Ops Only)

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3: Defiance

Call of Duty: Black Ops II

SMAW
FHJ-18 AA
RPG
War Machine (Classified under Special)

Campaign Only

RPG-7
FIM-92 Stinger
MM1 Grenade Launcher (Classified under Special)
Valkyrie Launcher (Classified under Special)

Call of Duty Online

Javelin
M79 "Thumper"
RPG
SMRS
Stinger
Explosive Crossbow

Call of Duty: Ghosts

Kastet
Panzerfaust
MK32
MAAWS (Classified under Special)
Venom-X (Onslaught DLC, classified under Special)
RPG-7 (Campaign only)

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

Stinger M7
MAAWS
MAHEM
MDL (classified as a Launcher in Exo Survival, but as a Special in multiplayer)
Ripped Rocket Turret (classified as a Special)
RPG (Campaign only)

Call of Duty: Black Ops III

Note that in campaign mode, the launchers don't occupy the two main weapon slots; they are instead selected from the D-Pad like the equipment slot.

XM-53
BlackCell
L4 Siege (added via update)
MAX-GL (added via update)
War Machine (classed as launcher in campaign, but as a Specialist Weapon in multiplayer)
H.I.V.E. (classed as a Specialist Weapon)
Spike Launcher (Campaign only; classed as a Special)
Micro-Missile Launcher (Campaign only; classed as a Special)