Rocket Launcher

Updated 2 November 2026 · Fan site. Not affiliated with Rockstar Games or Take-Two Interactive.

The rocket launcher has been in Grand Theft Auto since the first game in 1997. In the 3D games it unlocks late and is sold by Phil Cassidy or Ammu-Nation; from GTA IV on it is called the RPG. In GTA V it costs $6,500 after the mission Blitz Play, and one rocket can destroy most cars outright.

What is the rocket launcher in GTA?

It is the series' standard anti-vehicle weapon: a shoulder-fired tube that sends one explosive rocket at a time. The weapons hub notes it was one of only five weapons in the 1997 original. Since then it has appeared in every main game in some form, with a homing cousin added later (see Homing Launcher).

How much does the rocket launcher cost in each game?

San Andreas has no shop price for it, so it must be found or spawned. In GTA IV, extra rockets from the underground gun shops cost $5,000 each, a steep price that made every shot count.

Where can you find a free rocket launcher?

In GTA III, a rooftop in Cedar Grove holds one, and all 100 hidden packages put one at each safehouse. Vice City rewards 70 packages the same way and hides another in a motel pool in Viceport. San Andreas scatters pickups on roofs, helipads, a ranch and the airport, according to GTA Wiki.

GTA IV hides RPGs on a boulder in Northwood, in Castle Gardens, on a roof in Alderney City that needs a helicopter, and inside a sunken cargo ship. In GTA V, GTA Wiki lists the NOOSE headquarters helipad, the airport, the church porch at the Altruist camp and several underwater wrecks among the spots.

How do you get the RPG in GTA V and GTA Online?

Ammu-Nation stocks it once Blitz Play is done, and Trevor can collect one during that mission if he lacks it. Medal discounts lower the price to $4,875. Lester jokingly calls it the "noob tube" during The Big Score, per GTA Wiki. In GTA Online it unlocks at Rank 100, and GTA Wiki notes no other heavy weapon can be used from a helicopter's side bay.

How does the rocket launcher handle?

In the 3D games the player slows to a jog while holding it, and a rocket follows the crosshair exactly. GTA Wiki notes it cannot destroy a tank in one hit. In GTA V, rockets blow up on their own after five seconds and have a blast radius of about five metres. It is the quickest answer to police helicopters and armoured vehicles, but standing too close to the impact can kill the player too.