SMAW

The grenade launcher is manufactured by the American company McDonnell Douglas Missile Systems Co. in St. Louis , Missouri , commissioned by the United States Marine Corps Command . The foundation for the creation of SMAW was based on the developments of its own program of short-range portable anti-tank weapons ( Short-Range Man-Portable Antitank Weapon Technology , abbr. SMAWT ), carried out in the first half of the 1970s, during which the Redstone Arsenal ^[3] Together with Army laboratories ( , Diamond Adelphi Laboratory and Ergonomic Laboratory of the Aberdeen Research Center , are all three in Maryland ; the project's chief engineer wasBernie Cobb with his assistant Donald Ifshin , both from the Army Research Laboratory) ^[4] developed and tested a model of anti-tank weapons with a caliber of 81 mm, a length of about 790 mm (31 inches), and a launch tube weighing a little more than 3.6 kg (8 pounds), ^[5] with with a rifle-type open mechanical sight ^[6] with a 3-fold increase and a rangefinder for shooting from the shoulder at targets at a distance of up to 350 meters ^[7] and an initial grenade flight speed of about 365 m / s, ^[8] as a potential replacement for grenade launchers family M72 ^[9] . In addition to the described sights, experiments were conducted on the use of SMAWT with a 1-fold sight from the M72A2, ^{[10] a} 3-fold sight XM73 , ^{[11] a} 2.5-fold sight RPG-7 ^[12] . The SMAWT launch tube was made of a layered polymer material reinforced with fiberglass thread (the automated production technology involved wrapping the tube blank with a thread and applying another layer of hot thin-film polymer over it). ^[13] A modified M530A1 fuse was developed for SMAWT ^[14] .

Variant SMAW, which underwent refinement and testing in the 1980s. in its overall characteristics, it differs slightly from the SMAWT of the early 1970s (a few millimeters shorter in length and thicker in diameter, a shoulder rest of a different shape). Also, when creating the SMAW, elements of the well-proven Israeli B-300 Israeli anti-tank grenade launcher, developed in the late 1970s, were used. ^[2]

SMAW was successfully used by marine units during the Persian Gulf War in 1991 , following the results of positive experience in the combat use of weapons, it was ordered in a modified form by the command of the US Army to equip it with the 82nd Airborne Division ^[15] . In addition to MDMSC as the general contractor and manufacturer of grenades, Talley Defense Systems in Mesa , Arizona is responsible for providing the launch tubes, ^[15] 95% of the launch tube body is made of carbon fiber (five times stronger than sheet steel) in the polymer factory Fiber Innovations, Inc. in Walpole , Mass. ^[16] .

In tactical terms, it is planned to use a grenade launcher to destroy field fortifications , to make passages in barriers, walls of buildings, and to destroy unarmored and lightly armored vehicles. The destruction of armored targets and long-term fortifications is considered as an additional task. The effective range of the SMAW grenade launcher is up to 500 meters.

The military specialty of grenade launcher shooters is officially referred to as the “tank destroyer attack aircraft” (MOS 0351 Antitank Assaultman). Organizationally , the SMAW rocket-propelled grenade launchers were brought into assault sections (squads) of twelve personnel and a sergeant-commander. Each section, in turn, consists of six calculations - combat deuces, in each deuce a grenade launcher and assistant loading. The state put six grenade launchers per assault section as part of a fire support platoon of a marine company. A fire support platoon exists as a single unit only in the administrative-rear (housing and contentment), logistics (transportation and supply) and training (training personnel), in any other situation, its personnel are in service on secondment to line units. The combat deuces act in conjunction with the infantry platoons of the Marine Corps, to which they are assigned for the duration of a particular operation.

The kit for the grenade launcher includes: MK 153 launcher, MK 3 thermobaric rocket propelled grenade, MK 4 training grenade, MK 217 sighting cartridge.

The design of the SMAW grenade launcher launcher uses a long-established scheme in anti-tank grenade launchers. The 83mm reusable smooth-bore launch tube at the rear has an extension for venting the expanding gases of the rocket-propelled grenade engine. The electromagnetic-type trigger mechanism with a safety device is mounted in a separate housing along with a pistol grip. On top of the launch tube mounts a daylight optical sight or a universal night sight AN / PVS-4 . Sights, in addition to the built-in mechanical sight and a removable optical sight, include a sighting device with a detachable magazine for 6 rounds of 9 mm caliber, which is an aluminum barrel mounted on the right side of the launch tube and designed to carry out target shooting with a tracer bullet . The external ballistics of the used 9 mm bullet is similar to the ballistics of an 83 mm grenade at a distance of no more than 250 meters. First, the shooter makes a rough aim with a mechanical or optical sight, then carries out the sighting, after which, after adjusting the fire, shoots at the target with a grenade. To save time, when shooting at close range, shooting can be neglected.

The main ammunition for the SMAW grenade launcher is the MK 3 HEDP thermobaric rocket-propelled grenade ( High-Explosive Dual-Purpose ), containing 1.1 kg of explosive . The fuse is designed for instant detonation when firing at armored targets and for making passages in walls and barriers, or for detonating with a slowdown when hitting unarmored targets and fortifications with earthen or sand sprinkling , or lined with sandbags.

Cumulative grenade HEAA ( English High-Explosive Anti-Armor - " high-explosive armor-piercing ") is capable of piercing up to 600 mm rolled homogeneous armor steel .

Both ammunition have the same engine part with a solid propellant rocket engine and a multi-blade aerodynamic stabilizer. In a combat position, only the engine part of the grenade enters the launch tube, and the warhead is outside.

SMAW-D

SMAW-D ( D from Disposable - “one-time”) - lightweight anti-bunker modification of a grenade launcher, one-time use on the principle of “ fired and thrown ”. The design is close to the RPG AT4 . It does not have a handle and removable optical sights, instead of them it has a rather primitive mechanical sight. Weighs 7.25 kg (16 lbs) when curb. It is supplied for paratroopers in the factory equipment, in a sealed launch tube, in the form of ready for combat use. Designed to destroy engineering fortifications and firing points in buildings.

SMAW-NE

SMAW-NE (Eng. Novel Explosive - "new explosive ") - ammunition volumetric explosion that can destroy buildings. Used during the recent hostilities in Afghanistan and Iraq .

• List of grenade launchers

• Giordano, Dominick J. Sights for Light Antitank Weapons . - US Army Human Engineering Laboratory, April 1976. - 224 p.
• Murakhovsky V.I., Fedoseev S.L. Weapons of infantry. - M .: Arsenal-Press, 1997 .-- S. 400. - ISBN 5-85139-001-8 .

• Armament of the Ground Forces AOI