Grappling hook

[1][2] The grappling hook was originally used in naval warfare to catch ship rigging so that it could be boarded.

Most grappling hooks are thrown by hand, but some used in rescue work are propelled by compressed air (e.g., the Plumett AL-52), line thrower, mortar, or a rocket.

The rifle-launched grapnel (LGH), a single-use grappling hook placed on the end of an M4/M16 rifle, is used for this purpose.

[8] During WW2 British and German ships towed grappling hooks in the hope of snagging or damaging enemy submarines,[9] a tactic also employed by the Japanese.

[10] Grappling hooks were used by soldiers at the D-Day landings to aid in climbing the cliffs at the Normandy beaches.