The Shoulder-launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon (SMAW) is a versatile, lightweight and lethal weapon system. SMAW, employed by the United States Marine Corps for more than twenty years, has proven performance in combat situations, easily demolishing bunkers, breaching fortifications, and defeating armored vehicles. The man-portable SMAW is exceedingly accurate and reliable, exhibiting an average hit probability greater than 90 percent on a 1 x 2 meter target at combat ranges. SMAW is perfectly suited for MOUT scenarios, enabling the gunner to defeat enemy fortifications while remaining under protective cover, greatly enhancing survivability. SMAW will feature even greater capability with a new Confined Space fire-from-enclosure version. Talley Defense Systems, in cooperation with the US Marine Corps, is perfecting a design which drastically reduces backblast and over-pressure, and virtually eliminates flash and smoke when firing the weapon. The SMAW is an 83mm man-portable weapon system consisting of the MK153 Mod 0 launcher, the MK 3 Mod 0 encased HEDP rocket, the MK 6 Mod 0 encased HEAA rocket, and the MK217 Mod 0 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 Mod 0 optical and AN/PVS-4 night sights. The SMAW MK153 Mod 0 launcher is based on the Israeli B-300 and consists of the launch tube, the spotting rifle, the firing mechanism, and mounting brackets. The launch tube is fiberglass/epoxy with a gel coat on the bore. The spotting rifle is a British design and 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. 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 SMAW system (launcher, ammunition and logistics support) was fielded in 1984 as a Marine Corps unique system. At that time, the SMAW included the MK153 Mod 0 launcher, the MK3 Mod 0 HEDP encased rocket, the MK4 Mod 0 practice rocket and the MK217 Mod 0 9mm spotting cartridge. The MK6 Mod 0 encased HEAA rocket is being added to the inventory. The MOD 0 has demonstrated several shortcomings. A series of modifications is currently planned to address the deficiencies. They include a resleeving process for bubbled launch tubes, rewriting/drafting operator and technical manuals, a kit that will reduce environmental intrusion into the trigger mechanism, and an optical sight modification to allow the new HEAA rocket to be used effectively against moving armor targets. Recently fielded were new boresight bracket kits that, when installed, will solve the loss of boresight problem between launch tube and spotting rifle. (from http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/smaw.htm)
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