Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon
Encyclopedia
The Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon (SMAW) is a shoulder-launched rocket weapon, based on the Israel
i B-300
, with the primary function of being a portable assault weapon (e.g. bunker buster
) and a secondary anti-armor rocket
launcher. It was introduced to the United States armed forces
in 1984. It has a maximum range of 500 metre against a tank
-sized target.
It can be used to destroy bunker
s and other fortification
s during assault operations as well as other designated targets with the dual mode rocket and to destroy main battle tanks with the HEAA rocket. Recent operations in Afghanistan and Iraq have seen a thermobaric rocket added (described as NE—"Novel Explosive"), which is capable of collapsing a building.
–unique system. The Mod-0 demonstrated several shortcomings, resulting in a series of modifications in the mid 2000s. These modifications include a re-sleeving process for bubbled launch tubes, rewriting/drafting operator and technical manuals, and a kit to reduce environmental intrusion into the trigger mechanism. This also includes an optical sight modification to allow the new HEAA rocket to be used effectively against moving armor targets. The U.S. military recently fielded new boresight bracket kits which, when installed, correct the loss of accurate boresight issues between the launch tube and spotting rifle. During Operation Desert Storm 150 launchers and 5,000 rockets were deployed to the United States Army
. Since then the Army has shown increased interest in the system.
and IMI and thus resulted in the enhanced FGM-172 SRAW. In combat operations it was ultimately used to augment rather than to replace existing SMAW inventories.
under the direction of Nammo-Talley Defense Systems are working in coordination on the SMAW II project to develop the newest launcher. Nammo-Talley Defense Systems is developing the new rounds. The SMAW II launcher is called "Serpent" by the developing companies, and is similar in many respects to the first SMAW launcher, except it replaces the standard SMAW launcher's spotting gun with a sophisticated fire control electronics built by Raytheon. The sighting unit is enclosed on the launcher in a unique roll-cage to protect it. From videos the roll-cage also serves as a carry handle. Development teams claim that over-all weight is reduced by four and one half pounds from the older SMAW launcher. The "Serpent" fires the same rounds as the standard SMAW and supports new and improved/enhanced rounds. Raytheon at AUSA 2010 convention stated it would be ready for deployment by 2012.
The Shoulder-launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon has an 83.5mm tube and fires 83 millimetres (3.3 in) rockets. It is a man-portable weapon system consisting of the MK153 launcher, the MK 3 encased HEDP rocket, the MK 6 encased HEAA rocket, and the MK217 spotting rifle
cartridge. The launcher consists of a fiberglass launch tube, a 9mm spotting rifle, an electro-mechanical firing mechanism, open battle sights and a mount for the MK42 Day Sight and AN/PVS-17B night sights.
The SMAW MK153 Mod 0 launcher, based on Israel Military Industries
' B-300
weapon, consists of the launch tube, the spotting rifle
, the firing mechanism and mounting brackets. The launch tube is made of fiberglass
-epoxy
composite material
with a gelcoat
on the bore. The spotting rifle, a British
design (derived from the LAW 80
), is mounted on the right side of the launch tube. The firing mechanism mechanically fires the spotting rifle and uses a magneto to fire the rocket. The mounting brackets connect the components and provide the means for boresighting the weapon while the encased rockets are loaded at the rear of the launcher. The spotting cartridges are stored in a magazine in the cap of the encased rocket.
The 9mm spotting round is ballistically matched to the rocket and serves to increase the gunner's first-round hit probability. Each round consists of a special 9mm tracer bullet
, crimped into a 7.62x51mm NATO casing with a .22 Hornet
blank cartridge for propellant. The system can be used in conjunction with the AN/PEQ-4 aiming light in place of the spotting rifle.
Training is accomplished with the MK7 Mod 0 encased common practice rocket and the MK213 Mod 0 noise cartridge. At 152.3 decibel
s, the weapon is one of the loudest on the battlefield, second only to a mine-clearing line charge
.
Like many other rocket weapons, backblast is a significant safety concern. The backblast extends in a 90-meter, 60° cone to the rear of the weapon. The backblast is lethal out to 30 metres (98.4 ft), and still extremely dangerous to 90 metres (295.3 ft). The resultant shock wave
can even cause sympathetic detonation
of unsecured ammunition.
The High Explosive Anti-Armor (HEAA) rocket is effective against current tanks without additional armor and utilizes a standoff rod on the detonator, allowing the explosive force to be focused on a small point and for maximum damage against armored targets. The HEAA round is capable of penetrating up to the equivalent of 60 centimetres (23.6 in) of rolled homogeneous steel.
The Novel Explosive (SMAW-NE) rocket is effective against caves and bunkers. The SMAW-NE uses a thermobaric warhead
which produces an overpressure
wave capable of collapsing a lightly constructed building. The Naval Surface Warfare Center
teamed with the Marine Corps Systems Command
, NSWC Dahlgren and Talley Defense Systems responded to an urgent U.S. Marine Corps need for a shoulder-launched enhanced-blast warhead in 2003. It was used in combat during both the First and Second offensives in Fallujah
2004.
United States Marine Corps
Lebanese Armed Forces
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i B-300
B-300
The B-300 is a reuseable man-portable anti-tank weapon system developed by Israeli Military Industries in the late 1970s for use by the Israel Defence Force. The B-300 can be carried and operated by a single operator and is effective to approximately 400 meters...
, with the primary function of being a portable assault weapon (e.g. bunker buster
Bunker buster
A bunker buster is a bomb designed to penetrate hardened targets or targets buried deep underground.-Germany:Röchling shells were bunker-busting artillery shells, developed by German engineer August Cönders, based on the theory of increasing sectional density to improve penetration.They were tested...
) and a secondary anti-armor rocket
Rocket
A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...
launcher. It was introduced to the United States armed forces
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
in 1984. It has a maximum range of 500 metre against a tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
-sized target.
It can be used to destroy bunker
Bunker
A military bunker is a hardened shelter, often buried partly or fully underground, designed to protect the inhabitants from falling bombs or other attacks...
s and other fortification
Fortification
Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs...
s during assault operations as well as other designated targets with the dual mode rocket and to destroy main battle tanks with the HEAA rocket. Recent operations in Afghanistan and Iraq have seen a thermobaric rocket added (described as NE—"Novel Explosive"), which is capable of collapsing a building.
Service history
The SMAW system (launcher, ammunition and logistics support) was fielded in 1984 as a United States Marine CorpsUnited States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
–unique system. The Mod-0 demonstrated several shortcomings, resulting in a series of modifications in the mid 2000s. These modifications include a re-sleeving process for bubbled launch tubes, rewriting/drafting operator and technical manuals, and a kit to reduce environmental intrusion into the trigger mechanism. This also includes an optical sight modification to allow the new HEAA rocket to be used effectively against moving armor targets. The U.S. military recently fielded new boresight bracket kits which, when installed, correct the loss of accurate boresight issues between the launch tube and spotting rifle. During Operation Desert Storm 150 launchers and 5,000 rockets were deployed to the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. Since then the Army has shown increased interest in the system.
Follow-On To SMAW
In 2002, the Corps began a program to develop a successor to the SMAW system, tentatively titled "Follow-On To SMAW". The contract was awarded to Lockheed MartinLockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area....
and IMI and thus resulted in the enhanced FGM-172 SRAW. In combat operations it was ultimately used to augment rather than to replace existing SMAW inventories.
SMAW II program
In 2008 a replacement program was again initiated and titled the SMAW II. Developed in tandem with a round capable of being fired from an enclosed area without ill effects on environment and personnel. It weighs a combined 29.7 pounds (13.5 kg) (11.7 pounds for the launcher, 18 pounds for the rocket) and the contract is worth providing the U.S. Marine Corps is satisfied with testing and follows through with plans to buy 1,717 new launchers.SMAW II Serpent
RaytheonRaytheon Missile Systems
Raytheon Missile Systems Company is a subsidiary of Raytheon Company. Headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, its president is Taylor W. Lawrence. Formerly, known as Hughes Missile Systems Company before being acquired by Raytheon Company....
under the direction of Nammo-Talley Defense Systems are working in coordination on the SMAW II project to develop the newest launcher. Nammo-Talley Defense Systems is developing the new rounds. The SMAW II launcher is called "Serpent" by the developing companies, and is similar in many respects to the first SMAW launcher, except it replaces the standard SMAW launcher's spotting gun with a sophisticated fire control electronics built by Raytheon. The sighting unit is enclosed on the launcher in a unique roll-cage to protect it. From videos the roll-cage also serves as a carry handle. Development teams claim that over-all weight is reduced by four and one half pounds from the older SMAW launcher. The "Serpent" fires the same rounds as the standard SMAW and supports new and improved/enhanced rounds. Raytheon at AUSA 2010 convention stated it would be ready for deployment by 2012.
Design
Spotting rifle
A spotting rifle is a small-calibre rifle used as a sighting device for artillery. The ballistics of the spotting rifle are matched to those of the artillery piece, so that if a shot from the spotting rifle lands on the target, it may be assumed that the main weapon will also do so.- Anti-tank...
cartridge. The launcher consists of a fiberglass launch tube, a 9mm spotting rifle, an electro-mechanical firing mechanism, open battle sights and a mount for the MK42 Day Sight and AN/PVS-17B night sights.
The SMAW MK153 Mod 0 launcher, based on Israel Military Industries
Israel Military Industries
Israel Weapons Industries , formerly the "Magen" division of the Israel Military Industries Ltd. is an Israeli firearms manufacturer. In 2005, the Small Arms Division of IMI was privatized....
' B-300
B-300
The B-300 is a reuseable man-portable anti-tank weapon system developed by Israeli Military Industries in the late 1970s for use by the Israel Defence Force. The B-300 can be carried and operated by a single operator and is effective to approximately 400 meters...
weapon, consists of the launch tube, the spotting rifle
Spotting rifle
A spotting rifle is a small-calibre rifle used as a sighting device for artillery. The ballistics of the spotting rifle are matched to those of the artillery piece, so that if a shot from the spotting rifle lands on the target, it may be assumed that the main weapon will also do so.- Anti-tank...
, the firing mechanism and mounting brackets. The launch tube is made of fiberglass
Fiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...
-epoxy
Epoxy
Epoxy, also known as polyepoxide, is a thermosetting polymer formed from reaction of an epoxide "resin" with polyamine "hardener". Epoxy has a wide range of applications, including fiber-reinforced plastic materials and general purpose adhesives....
composite material
Composite material
Composite materials, often shortened to composites or called composition materials, are engineered or naturally occurring materials made from two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical properties which remain separate and distinct at the macroscopic or...
with a gelcoat
Gelcoat
Gelcoat is a material used to provide a high-quality finish on the visible surface of a fibre-reinforced composite material. The most common gelcoats are based on epoxy or unsaturated polyester resin chemistry. Gelcoats are modified resins which are applied to moulds in the liquid state...
on the bore. The spotting rifle, a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
design (derived from the LAW 80
LAW 80
The LAW 80 , sometimes erroneously referred to as LAW 94, is a man-portable, disposable anti-tank weapon currently in use by the British Army and a few other militaries.-Description:...
), is mounted on the right side of the launch tube. The firing mechanism mechanically fires the spotting rifle and uses a magneto to fire the rocket. The mounting brackets connect the components and provide the means for boresighting the weapon while the encased rockets are loaded at the rear of the launcher. The spotting cartridges are stored in a magazine in the cap of the encased rocket.
The 9mm spotting round is ballistically matched to the rocket and serves to increase the gunner's first-round hit probability. Each round consists of a special 9mm tracer bullet
Tracer ammunition
Tracer ammunition are bullets that are built with a small pyrotechnic charge in their base. Ignited by the burning powder, the phosphorus tail burns very brightly, making the projectile visible to the naked eye...
, crimped into a 7.62x51mm NATO casing with a .22 Hornet
.22 Hornet
The .22 Hornet is a low-end vermin, small-game and predator centerfire rifle cartridge. It is considerably more powerful than the .22 WMR and the .17 HMR, achieving higher velocity with a bullet twice the weight. The Hornet also differs very significantly from these in that it is not a rimfire...
blank cartridge for propellant. The system can be used in conjunction with the AN/PEQ-4 aiming light in place of the spotting rifle.
Training is accomplished with the MK7 Mod 0 encased common practice rocket and the MK213 Mod 0 noise cartridge. At 152.3 decibel
Decibel
The decibel is a logarithmic unit that indicates the ratio of a physical quantity relative to a specified or implied reference level. A ratio in decibels is ten times the logarithm to base 10 of the ratio of two power quantities...
s, the weapon is one of the loudest on the battlefield, second only to a mine-clearing line charge
Mine-clearing line charge
A mine-clearing line charge is used to create a breach in minefields under combat conditions. While there are many types, the basic design is for many explosive charges connected on a line to be projected onto the minefield. The charges explode, detonating any buried mines, thus clearing a path...
.
Like many other rocket weapons, backblast is a significant safety concern. The backblast extends in a 90-meter, 60° cone to the rear of the weapon. The backblast is lethal out to 30 metres (98.4 ft), and still extremely dangerous to 90 metres (295.3 ft). The resultant shock wave
Shock wave
A shock wave is a type of propagating disturbance. Like an ordinary wave, it carries energy and can propagate through a medium or in some cases in the absence of a material medium, through a field such as the electromagnetic field...
can even cause sympathetic detonation
Sympathetic detonation
A sympathetic detonation , also called flash over, is a detonation, usually unintended, of an explosive charge by a nearby explosion. Sympathetic detonation is caused by a shock wave, or impact of primary or secondary blast fragments.The initiating explosive is called donor explosive, the initiated...
of unsecured ammunition.
Rockets
The High Explosive, Dual Purpose (HEDP) rocket is effective against bunkers, masonry and concrete walls and light armor. Initiated by a crush switch in its nose the HEDP rocket is able to distinguish between hard and soft targets resulting in greater penetration into soft targets for increased damage potential. The HEDP round is capable of penetrating 2 centimetre (0.78740157480315 in) of concrete, 30 centimetres (11.8 in) of brick or up to 210 centimetres (6.9 ft) of wood-reinforced sandbags.The High Explosive Anti-Armor (HEAA) rocket is effective against current tanks without additional armor and utilizes a standoff rod on the detonator, allowing the explosive force to be focused on a small point and for maximum damage against armored targets. The HEAA round is capable of penetrating up to the equivalent of 60 centimetres (23.6 in) of rolled homogeneous steel.
The Novel Explosive (SMAW-NE) rocket is effective against caves and bunkers. The SMAW-NE uses a thermobaric warhead
Thermobaric weapon
A thermobaric weapon, which includes the type known as a "fuel-air bomb", is an explosive weapon that produces a blast wave of a significantly longer duration than those produced by condensed explosives. This is useful in military applications where its longer duration increases the numbers of...
which produces an overpressure
Overpressure
The term Overpressure is applied to a pressure difference, relative to a "normal" or "ambient" pressure, in various circumstances:* In engineering: the pressure difference over the wall thickness of a pressure vessel...
wave capable of collapsing a lightly constructed building. The Naval Surface Warfare Center
Naval Surface Warfare Center
The Naval Sea Systems Command Warfare Centers are composed of the Naval Surface Warfare Centers and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center . They operate in a seamless, integrated manner, and they collaborate with customers using a common work assignment process to get the right work to the right...
teamed with the Marine Corps Systems Command
Marine Corps Systems Command
Marine Corps Systems Command is located at MCB Quantico.-Mission:Serve as the Commandant's principal agent for acquisition and sustainment of systems and equipment used by the operating forces to accomplish their warfighting mission....
, NSWC Dahlgren and Talley Defense Systems responded to an urgent U.S. Marine Corps need for a shoulder-launched enhanced-blast warhead in 2003. It was used in combat during both the First and Second offensives in Fallujah
Fallujah
Fallujah is a city in the Iraqi province of Al Anbar, located roughly west of Baghdad on the Euphrates. Fallujah dates from Babylonian times and was host to important Jewish academies for many centuries....
2004.
Users
Republic of China Marine CorpsRepublic of China Marine Corps
Republic of China Marine CorpsPersonnel15,000 The Republic of China Marine Corps is the amphibious arm of the Republic of China Navy responsible for amphibious combat, counter-landing and reinforcement of the main island of Taiwan, remote islands, defense of ROCN facilities, and also functions as...
United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
Lebanese Armed Forces
Lebanese Armed Forces
The Lebanese Armed Forces or Forces Armées Libanaises in French, also known as the Lebanese Army according to its official Website The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) (Arabic: القوات المسلحة اللبنانية | Al-Quwwāt al-Musallaḥa al-Lubnāniyya) or Forces Armées Libanaises in French, also known as the...
See also
- IMI Shipon
- STRIMLRAC F1The LRAC F1, officially called Lance-Roquettes AntiChar de 89 mm modèle F1 is a French reusable rocket launcher developed by Luchaire Defense SA, and manufactured in cooperation with Manufacture Nationale d'Armes de Saint-Étienne and was in the 1970s marketed by Hotchkiss-Brandt...
- Carl GustavCarl Gustav recoilless rifleThe Carl Gustav is the common name for the 84 mm man-portable reusable multi-role recoilless rifle produced by Saab Bofors Dynamics in Sweden...
- FolgoreBreda FolgoreThe Folgore is an Italian 80 mm recoilless anti-tank weapon developed and manufactured by Breda Meccanica Bresciana. It weighs 18.9 kilograms and 25.6 kilograms . Development of the Folgore started in 1974 and it was adopted by the Italian Army in 1986...