The Mk47 STRIKER is said to be “the first major advancement in crewed weapons systems since the end of World War II,” but it is being purchased in relatively small quantities due to its high cost. The most recent $ 25 million order was placed in October 2010
The great importance of the infantry platoon and squad (the latter usually corresponds to the average capacity of standard armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles) as the main components of combat units has greatly influenced the development of tactical doctrines over the past decades. This is now largely true of the prevailing low and medium intensity conflict scenarios. Accordingly, dissenting opinions have been and are being put forward with regard to improving the combat effectiveness of an infantry platoon and squad with regard to mobility, autonomy and firepower
The need to increase firepower has long been apparent for standard fire support, this would allow a dismounted platoon and squad to immediately respond to a threat, not relying solely on fire support provided by the corresponding armored combat vehicles (AFVs) or, even worse, upper echelons. Indeed, the availability of full-time fire support at the platoon and squad level today is seen as an absolute requirement, given the high pace of modern combat operations, as well as the proliferation of increasingly sophisticated and effective surveillance, identification and communication systems. All of this is intended to provide instant suppressive fire immediately upon target identification.
What kind of weapon and at what level?
The above considerations have led to the general consensus that at the squad level, additional individual armament can consist of one or two light support means, it is usually represented by a light machine gun, for example, the ubiquitous FN Herstal MINI-MI / M239 SAW and / or a single-shot grenade launcher (it can be either a separate weapon, for example, the H&K GP, or an underbarrel, for example, the well-known M203 or its more modern variants). At the platoon level, standard means may include weapons for direct fire (universal machine guns (UP) - heavy machine guns (TP) - and automatic grenade launchers (AG)), systems for indirect fire (light or landing (for commandos) plus AG).
In many possible combat scenarios, the enemy will be outside the range of direct-fire weapons and can thus be destroyed only by indirect-fire systems firing along a parabolic trajectory. That is, it is indisputable that small-caliber automatic weapons, designed to destroy point targets, and weapons for shooting in areas that shoot fragmentation ammunition (light mortars and AG), should form a single whole and complement each other. So the question is whether mortars or AG are the best solution in this case.
AG from Heckler & Koch GMG is in service with the British Marines
Calculation of a 60 mm mortar in action
Light amphibious mortars, due to the characteristics of their 60-mm ammunition, are much more effective than the AG in terms of "delivering" fire for suppression. On the other hand, however, they have a much lower rate of fire compared to even the worst AG models, they cannot fire from a vehicle in motion, except for a few models for special forces, they can only be used for indirect fire. In addition, while someone wants to reflect on the possible future introduction of 60-mm ammunition with control at the end of the trajectory, AGs have an important and unique advantage regarding another of their characteristics - the destruction of armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles, since their ability to quickly fire in bursts compensates for the low accuracy and difficulty of hitting fast-moving targets. Quite a big drawback of AG, from which, unfortunately, there seems to be no ready-made medicine, their cost. A large number of low-budget armies are considering or have no choice but to consider the AG (at least Western-made) as too expensive a weapon compared to more traditional fire support weapons such as light / amphibious mortars and versatile and heavy machine guns.
Thus, more or less common practice is to arm platoons of fire support of the main infantry companies with universal machine guns and light machine guns (it is very indicative in the case of companies of the American Marine Corps equipped with the M240G 7.62 mm UP and the M224 60 mm light mortar), while TP and AG are assigned to fire support companies (for example, a Marine Corps weapons company has a support platoon with six M2HB 12.7 mm TPs and six 40 mm Mk19 AGs).
These traditional schemes, adopted by the US Marine Corps and many foreign armies, are increasingly criticized by experts and users who argue that the AG should be extended down to the infantry squad level. However, these proposals are resisted on the grounds that the UP and light mortars currently available provide an adequate volume of fire and indeed cover large areas and at long ranges compared to the AG. This observation is correct, but it begins to lose its firmness when it is judged that mortars cannot be fired directly and, moreover, are almost useless when hitting multiple targets in built-up areas and especially in high-rise buildings.
In any event, it would definitely be wrong to expect that an infantry squad, already equipped with light machine guns, can maintain adequate mobility on foot over rough terrain, loaded with another special fire support weapon. Much the same applies to the platoon with its UC and light / amphibious mortar, while in the case of the standard infantry company the controversy is still ongoing. Indeed, it often happens that an infantry company does not have a standard weapon to deliver indirect fire to its platoons, while the platoons themselves are in exactly the same predicament in relation to their squads, as a result, squads can rely only on direct-fire weapons, with the exception of their own single-shot grenade launchers that cannot destroy targets in the folds of the terrain at ranges exceeding 300-400 meters. The very first indirect-fire weapon that a squad can count on is thus at company level, that is, these are light mortars of a fire support platoon.
In addition, it should be noted in this regard that just a few years ago, the platoon, which was gradually losing its importance in many armies, is reduced to nothing more than a link between the company and the squads, and thus, among other aspects, is deprived of its regular means of fire support. In this case, the first indirect fire weapon to support squads will be at the company level, usually represented by a medium 81mm mortar - a solution that, however, conflicts with the increased tactical mobility.which is necessarily provided for by modern operational doctrines for small infantry units.
In theory, a virtually endless list of different solutions could be proposed. However, in general, it seems possible to get a gain when deploying fire support weapons, regardless of their type, as close as possible to infantry squads and first-line platoons.
These considerations help explain why light / amphibious mortars have gained notable popularity again in recent years, and are now quite popular in modern armies. This applies not only to the ground forces of Africa, Asia or Latin America, whose prevailing operating conditions make these weapons virtually indispensable, but is true even for many Western armies, Finland, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Great Britain and the United States and many more. who have kept light / amphibious mortars in their arsenals or are hastily purchasing them from the defense industry.
The ubiquitous AG Mk19 40mm was originally developed as a tripod weapon, but is now increasingly seen as a ring-mounted weapon system in vehicles or a remotely controlled weapon station.
The Russian AGS-30 is a modernized version of the original AGS-17 Flame 30mm automatic grenade launcher. The latter became the first AG in the world to be produced in large quantities.
The Soltam range of 60 mm mortars includes the C-03 Commando Mortar (pictured) weighing 7 kg, with a range of 1 km, and is operated by one person; light mortar C-576 Lightweight Mortar has a range of 1600 m, also operated by one person; and C06A1 is served by settlement
British Marines fire their 51mm light mortar
Do you still need light mortars?
The past two decades have witnessed a growing distinction between "classic" light mortars on the one hand, and simplified amphibious models on the other. This difference does not affect the caliber; all "classic" designs are 60mm mortars and the same applies to most of the landing models, which also fire the same ammunition (the only significant exceptions are the Israeli IMI COMMANDO 52mm, FLY-K from Rheinmetall (ex-Titanite, ex -PRB) - also with a 52mm caliber, but fires completely different mines, and finally the 51mm L9A1 from BAE Systems). Rather, the difference between the two categories of light mortars lies in their respective characteristics and parameters in terms of mass, size and range.
"Classic" models have a barrel length from 650 mm to 1000 m, are equipped with a bipod, have a mass of about 12 - 22 kg and a range of at least 2000 meters (up to 3500-4000 meters for some models), while their amphibious counterparts have a barrel of 500 mm – 650 mm with a simple base plate, their weight is about 4.5–10 kg, the range does not exceed about 1000 meters (in this regard, a noticeable exception is the South African M4, the range of which reaches 2000 meters).
The current generation of "classic" light 60mm mortars is certainly capable of offering improved operational flexibility for small infantry units deployed in a wide variety of theaters, providing adequate fire support and area suppression capabilities. On the other hand, it is undeniable that today's weapons are not much different from their predecessors half a century ago. Some improvements have been introduced (for example, recoil dampers, bipod bipod, light alloy barrels for reduced weight, or expansion guide rings to eliminate the movement of the mine in the barrel), but these can hardly be called revolutionary. There may be still some room for further development regarding scopes (these are telescopic sights, optoelectronic devices, illuminated reticle for night shooting, etc.), but, in general, one can cautiously assume that the "classic" light mortars have almost completely exhausted their development potential.
The overall combat effectiveness and advantage of light mortars cannot be assessed in isolation and should rather be viewed in the overall context of all infantry weapons. While the advantages of light mortars have been described above, there are two main negative factors: the possible increasing competition of the AG (at least for some specific applications) and the fact that they usually require a three-man calculation for themselves. This completely contradicts modern trends in the field of weapons served by the crew at the squad and platoon level.
A completely different situation we see in the field of increasingly popular simple amphibious models, which are carried and maintained by one soldier (although a second person is still needed to carry ammunition). Thus, they can be deployed to provide an infantry squad with their own regular fire support without adversely affecting walking mobility. In addition, some of the current amphibious models are not limited to indirect fire and can also fire their mines in a flat or semi-flat trajectory. This capability is provided by a descent system that replaced the traditional fixed firing pin of the striker, it also allows the mine to be re-launched in the event of a misfire.
As already noted, amphibious models usually have half the range compared to their "full-size" counterparts. This, of course, can become a serious limitation under certain combat conditions, but according to experts, this drawback is fully compensated by the advantage of the minimum range. The lower the minimum effective range, the more effective this weapon is during combat in built-up areas. The average figure for amphibious models is 100 meters, but some models are credited with 50 meters.
Various concepts have been adopted regarding scopes for light mortars. Some manufacturers and users prefer extremely simple solutions, such as a white aiming line drawn along the barrel and range markings on the carrying strap; at the same time, configurations are progressively more sophisticated and range from scopes built into the carry handles, range and vertical angle markers on the baseplate around the barrel, to a bubble gauge, to the sophisticated British L9A1 night sight. Rheinmetall's FLY-K mortar has what is described as a unique system with a built-in inclinometer that allows the weapon to be brought into the desired firing position by simply raising the barrel until it is aligned with the corresponding vertical angle mark stamped on the barrel.
As with their "classic" counterparts, the technological development of light amphibious mortars has been limited in the recent past and it is difficult to imagine significant breakthroughs in the future. A possible direction for further improvements may be to reduce signatures, which are understandably central to guaranteeing the survival of the mortar crew. The only currently available model for which an acceptable level of signature reduction has been achieved is the FLY-K, whose main characteristic is the use of a unique jet unit combined with a mine stabilizer. This device captures propellant gases when fired, thus completely eliminating flash and smoke signatures, and also sharply reducing the noise signature caused by the impact of the base plate on the ground to about 40 dB at 100 meters. In addition, there is no heat exchange between the mine and the barrel, so that the mortar remains undetected by infrared homing heads and thermal warning systems.
The South African 40-mm AG Vektor works on the principle of a long recoil when firing from an open bolt. The weapon weighs 29 kg plus 12 kg is the weight of the mounting support. The ammunition box can be mounted either on the left side of the receiver or on the right, so the feed direction can be changed without special tools. The maximum rate of fire is 425 rounds / min, it can be reduced to 360 rounds / min by changing the position of the muzzle brake
American soldier evaluates the capabilities of the modular rifle MASS (Modular Accessory Shotgun System). The MASS combines the firepower and performance of the M4 5, 56mm rifle with a variety of under and over barrel attachments. MASS allows the soldier to destroy long-range targets with a rifle while taking advantage of the versatility of smooth-bore ammunition for short-range targets.
Automatic grenade launchers
Automatic grenade launchers (AG) are becoming more widespread in many armed forces around the world. At the same time, however, they are still the subject of a rather heated debate regarding their characteristics and their respective operational aspects.
The issues of the controversy are quite clearly delineated. Some analysts and branches of the military do not consider the AG as a hybrid weapon system, whose deployment in small infantry units does not seem quite obvious due to the widespread use of direct and indirect fire support weapons at the squad level, for example, light / amphibious mortars and UP or TP. However, others welcome the AG as a truly universal weapon system capable of effectively destroying a wide range of stationary and mobile targets with direct and indirect suppression fire.
Recent combat experience, most likely, again led to the predictable conclusion that the AG and TP simply complement each other and the question of which of them is the best weapon can only be answered within the framework of a specific combat mission. A very interesting example is the development of the decisions of the French army. Recently, in order to increase the protection of the shooter, the army began an accelerated program to replace the open turret mount for the 12.7 mm machine gun on some wheeled VAB armored personnel carriers deployed in Afghanistan with the M151 PROTECTOR remotely controlled weapon station from Kongsberg. But as soon as the upgraded vehicles entered the troops, a new urgent program was launched to replace at least some 12.7-mm TPs with the M151 module with a 40-mm AG. VAB machines with open installations, however, will retain their TP, possibly due to the shooter's excellent situational awareness in this case.
Next, we will consider the AG in two configurations: dismounted and installation on machines, the latter can even in many cases be considered as standard means of a squad or platoon.
AGs can be used to fire at interdiction from defensive positions or to provide offensive fire from their own troops, they fire direct and indirect fire. Thanks to the use of fragmentation ammunition, AGs are much more effective against manpower in comparison with other fire support weapons that shoot direct fire, for example, UP and TP, while they also have a slightly greater practical range. Also, as already noted, the AGs have additional capabilities for the destruction of armored combat vehicles. Special cumulative anti-tank projectiles are available mainly for Russian and Chinese AGs, while Western-oriented manufacturers and consumers increasingly prefer universal ammunition, for example, the American M430 HEDP model, whose warhead is capable of penetrating 50-mm armor. (In this regard, the M430 is considered in comparison with the standard M383 round as the best solution for the destruction of personnel outside of cover, despite its small lethal radius).
However, the low accuracy inherent in the AG or, more precisely, their ammunition (average deviation ± 10 m at a distance of 1500 m) is a significant drawback, especially when firing at moving targets. In addition, a relatively small explosive charge embedded in the warhead of a caliber of 30-40 mm, which is also initiated by a shock fuse (hence detonating on the ground, in contrast to the complex solution embedded in the Russian "bouncing" grenade VOG-25P), results in a smaller optimal lethal radius. In this regard, significant development efforts had to be focused on improving these characteristics.
Some manufacturers have taken the path of creating more efficient fuses. For example, the already mentioned M430 grenade has a fuse in the front, which, however, interferes with the cumulative jet (therefore, a relatively low penetration ability compared to what one would expect from a warhead with such a diameter). SACO Defense, the original manufacturer of the ubiquitous Mk19, took a different path and offered a system equipped with a telescopic sight and laser rangefinder a few years ago, which was a useful but modest improvement. Other manufacturers have gone further down the same path, introducing subsequent generations of AGs that are more or less based on the same architecture as the Mk19, but have more and more advanced sights. An example of such a trend would be the Heckler & Koch GMG model, which has a mirrored telescopic sight. In addition to these partial improvements, real solutions to eliminate the shortcomings of traditional AG designs were found in the parallel development and implementation of two new technologies:
- Complicated sights with built-in laser rangefinders and ballistic computers, which could be described as really miniature (and not too expensive) fire control systems (FCS), capable of doing ballistic calculations based on the target range and the characteristics of the ammunition used; and, - Air detonation ammunition with a programmable remote fuse.
The individual XM25 air blast weapon is based on approximately the same principles that are adopted for the new generation of the AG (a full-fledged solution for capturing a target for escort, MSA and programmable ammunition), but its 25-mm air blast projectile rotates, in contrast to the remote fuse (that is, the fuse counts the revolutions of the projectile). Types of shots 25x40 mm include high-explosive air blast, armor-piercing, anti-personnel, concrete-piercing and non-lethal projectiles with a range of 500 m for point targets and up to 700 m in areas. The system is being developed by Heckler & Koch and Alliant Techsystems, while the target acquisition and fire control system is being developed by L-3 IOS Brashear. Current plans call for the purchase of 12,500 XM25 grenade launchers at a planned cost of $ 25,000 for the system.
The US Army has begun supplying the new M320 40mm grenade launcher. The first unit will be the 82nd Airborne Division. M320. The grenade launcher will replace the current model M203, it significantly improves the accuracy of shooting day and night, thanks to the laser rangefinder and IR laser pointer. It is also more versatile, can be mounted under the barrel of an assault rifle and fired as a standalone weapon, and is safer due to its dual action trigger.
The Milkor M32 semi-automatic grenade launcher is mainly in service with the US Marine Corps. Introduces a new principle of suppressive fire across areas with the same low velocity 40x46mm grenades as standard assault rifle grenade launchers
The "eternal" large-caliber machine gun M2 12, 7 mm, apparently, was on the path of decommissioning modern armies as it did not meet modern combat requirements. The fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, however, led to a sharp revision of the scope of its use, many of these weapons were removed from storage.
These two technologies complement each other in transforming automatic grenade launchers into much more effective weapons systems than was previously possible. Air blasting provides much better lethality, but of course this cannot be done without "telling" the projectile the exact moment when it should detonate. On the other hand, the inherent poor accuracy of the AG and their ammunition may make modern sights and LMS useless unless programmable fuses become more affordable.
The principle of operation is inherited from technologies that were originally developed in the 70s and 80s for medium caliber and automatic aircraft cannons. Since each projectile passes through the muzzle of the gun, the selected detonation time is programmed in the fuse by a magnetic induction device (coil) connected to the FCS. Detonation time is calculated by the MSA based on the expected projectile flight time. The timer in the fuse counts down to zero, and the projectile detonates at a given point, releasing a mass of highly lethal fragments in the direction of the target.
The emergence of fire control systems in combination with air detonation ammunition changes everything. AG can now be used much more effectively when destroying area and linear targets (for example, personnel out of cover, a convoy of unarmored or lightly armored vehicles along the road) and possibly even air targets (for example, transport helicopters or ambush helicopters) due to their a new opportunity to fill the volume with fragments in addition to the area. This principle of operation implies that the warhead can be designed to fire debris in the front cone, which translates into much greater efficiency (although the circular lethal radius is of course reduced). Most models also include an additional shock fuse, which can be deactivated by the shooter under special conditions (for example, when shooting in wooded areas or through dense thickets) and a permanent self-destruct device that prevents potential damage from unexploded ordnance. It will also be possible to use the AG to fire on some open surfaces (for example, windows and doors in built-up areas) even under special conditions (for example, there are no walls or other obstacles just outside the window or door), while it may be pointless to shoot through the gaps with standard ammunition with shock fuse. It is quite understandable that AGs also become very effective against hidden and behind cover targets, although the lack of data from the rangefinder can lead to the fact that the remote fuse will be set to an approximate value. The REM ammunition remains physically compatible with conventional conventional AG sights, but of course it cannot then be programmed for air blasting.
However, it goes without saying that such characteristics come at a price. This applies not only to the weapon itself, but also possibly most of all the ammunition; a programmable 40 mm projectile costs about 10 times more than a standard projectile, even if mass produced. This definitely helps to understand why the AG and the next generation of ammunition are not taking the market by storm.
The American General Dynamics Mk47 STRIKER, equipped with Raytheon's AN / PGW-1 lightweight video sight and firing the NAM MO PPHE high-performance programmable air blast ammunition, is said to be the first air blast-powered weapon system deployed worldwide; but it is purchased in relatively small quantities, mainly for special forces. This is possibly due to the emergence of new operational doctrines where at least some of the roles currently assigned to the AG can be performed by the future XM25 Individual Airburst Weapon, which includes a smaller version of most of the same technological advances as the Mk47.
Singapore Technologies Kinetics (STK) took a different (and in a commercial sense, much more intriguing) path and rather developed not a weapon system as such, but a "modernization kit" consisting of an FCS, a detonation delay device and a programmable air blast ammunition. This "kit" can be installed not only on STK models (this includes the original model CIS-40, a lightweight version of the SLW with a weight reduced to 16 kg while maintaining the same rate of fire of 350 rounds / min and a super-light version of the SLWAGL), but also on many others AG standard caliber 40 mm. No sales have been reported yet.
The new light, heavy 12.7 mm M806 machine gun entered service with the US Army in 2011. The first units to receive the new machine gun were highly mobile forces, such as airborne, mountain and special units.
Back to basics?
The cool attitude of the American army towards the introduction of the Mk47 into service as a new generation AG was originally attributed to the implementation of a parallel program for the XM307 ACSW (Advanced Crew Served Weapons - advanced weapons serviced by the crew) - a grenade launcher designed to fire new high-speed 25x59 mm grenades with a proximity fuse (not to be confused with the new XM25 25x40 mm low-speed grenade) and having a much greater effective range (up to 2000 meters) and a flat trajectory. The XM307 program was closed in 2007, however, shortly thereafter, the XM312 program (a conventional heavy machine gun that fires standard 12.7 mm rounds and has a lot in common with the XM307, which allows you to quickly change from one configuration to another) was also closed due to poor field test results.
A pair of XM307 and XM312, as expected, will initially gradually replace most of the 12.7mm machine guns, as well as the AG Mk19. Following the closure of both programs, General Dynamics was awarded a contract to develop a new TP to replace the M2. The new project was initially designated LW50MG and later classified as (X) M806, and is currently seen as a complement to the M2 rather than a replacement.
The (X) M806 design is based on the recoil reduction principle developed for the XM307. The new TP is 50% lighter (18 kg without attachment), it has 60% less recoil force compared to the M2, but at the same time "paid" for this with a lower rate of fire (250 rounds / min), although it is higher than that of the XM312. The M806 began arriving at the end of 2011. The first to receive it were airborne, mountain and special units.
