Mk 153 Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon

Mk 153 Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon
Type	Multi-role (anti-fortification, anti-armor) rocket launcher
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	1984–present
Used by	See Operators
Wars	Operation Just Cause Gulf War War in Afghanistan Iraq War Yemeni Civil War Russo-Ukrainian War
Production history
Designer	McDonnell Douglas
Manufacturer	Nammo Talley (formerly Talley Defense Systems)
Unit cost	US$13,000
Variants	M141 Bunker Defeat Munition
Specifications
Mass	16.92 lb (7.67 kg)(empty) 29.34 lb (13.31 kg)(loaded with HEDM)
Length	760 mm (30 in)(unloaded) 1,371 mm (54.0 in)(loaded)
Crew	2 (can be operated by one person, but at lower rate of fire)
Cartridge weight	12.9 lb (5.9 kg)(HEDM) 14.25 lb (6.46 kg)(HEAA) 18.5 lb (8.4 kg)(SMAW-NE)
Caliber	83.5 mm (3.29 in) (bore diameter) 83.0 mm (3.27 in) (rocket diameter)
Rate of fire	3 rounds per minute (practical)
Muzzle velocity	220 m/s (720 ft/s)(HEDM) 208 m/s (680 ft/s)(HEAA) 150 m/s (490 ft/s)(SMAW-NE)
Effective firing range	250 m (820 ft)(HEDM) 500 m (1,600 ft)(HEAA) 250 m (820 ft)(SMAW-NE) Arming distance: 17 m (56 ft)(HEDM/HEAA) 8.23 m (27.0 ft)(SMAW-NE)
Maximum firing range	1,800 m (5,900 ft)
Feed system	Detachable single-rocket casing
Sights	Iron sights (250 m; 820 ft) Mk 42 Day Sight (3.8× magnification telescopic sight) RCO/ACOG (4x) AN/PEQ-15 or AN/PEQ-16 AN/PVS-17C (4.5x) AN/PAS-13G Light Weapon Thermal Sight (LWTS)
Warhead weight	HEDM: 2.4 lb (1.1 kg) Aluminized Comp A-3 HEAA: 1.89 lb (0.86 kg) Sedimentation Cast Octol SMAW-NE: 4 lb (1.8 kg) PBXN-113

The Mk 153 Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon (SMAW) is a smoothbore shoulder-fired rocket launcher. It is a portable assault weapon (i.e., bunker buster) and has a secondary anti-armor ability. Developed from the B-300, it was introduced to the United States Armed Forces in 1984. Compared to the Israel Military Industries' (IMI Systems) B-300 weapon that it was developed from, the SMAW has slower projectile velocities, it and its ammunition are both heavier, and it takes a second crew member to keep up with the B-300's rate-of-fire, but some of its projectile options have longer ranges than the B-300.

The SMAW's main purpose is to destroy bunkers, buildings, and light armored vehicles, during assault operations, using high-explosive dual mode (HEDM) rockets. The SMAW can also engage armored vehicles using high-explosive anti-armor (HEAA) rockets, which has a maximum effective range of 500 m (550 yards) against a tank-sized target. Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan also saw use of a thermobaric rocket, called the SMAW-NE (Novel Explosive), which can be used to collapse buildings or cave openings.

Service history

U.S. Marine testing a SMAW prototype in 1982

The SMAW system (launcher, ammunition and logistics support) was fielded in 1984 as a United States Marine Corps–unique system. The SMAW has since seen service in conflicts such as Operation Just Cause, the Gulf War, the War in Afghanistan, the Iraq War, and the Russo-Ukrainian War.

The Mod 0 demonstrated several shortcomings, resulting in a series of modifications in the mid-2000s. These modifications included a re-sleeving process for bubbled launch tubes, rewriting and 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 high-explosive anti-armor (HEAA) rocket to be used effectively against moving armor targets. The U.S. Armed Forces fielded boresight bracket kits which 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 by the United States Army. Initially the Army showed interest in the system but ultimately returned the launchers and any unused rockets to the Marine Corps. Later, the U.S. Army developed the SMAW-D ("disposable"), designated by the Army as the M141 Bunker Defeat Munition.

In 2023, Ukrainian forces, including the 68th Jager Brigade, used the Mk 153 SMAW in operations and training to combat Russian forces. Documented deployments showed the weapon's role in urban combat and targeting fortified positions.

Improvement Programs

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 Martin and Israel Military Industries (IMI); this resulted in the enhanced FGM-172 SRAW. In combat operations, it was ultimately used to augment, rather than replace, the SMAW system.

SMAW II program

In 2008, a replacement program was again initiated and titled the SMAW II. It was developed in tandem with a round capable of being fired from an enclosed area without ill effects on the environment and personnel. Its combined weight is 13.5 kilograms (29.7 lb) — 5.3 kg (11.7 lb) for the launcher, 8.2 kg (18 lb) for the rocket. The contract was worth up to US$51.7 million.

SMAW II Serpent

In 2012, Raytheon Missile Systems developed a SMAW II launcher named Serpent, and Nammo Talley developed new rounds for the Serpent. The Serpent is similar in many respects to the first SMAW launcher, except that it replaces the standard SMAW launcher's spotting gun with more sophisticated fire control electronics. The sighting unit on the launcher is enclosed in a unique protective cage, which is also a carry handle. The development reduced the over-all weight by four and a half pounds (2.0 kg) from the older SMAW launcher. The Serpent fires the same rounds as the standard SMAW and supports new and improved/enhanced rounds. But, the Serpent was never adopted for service, instead the USMC eventually adopted the Mk 153 Mod 2 to replace the service's SMAW launchers by 2020.

Nammo Tally displaying the Serpent at Modern Day Marine 2010

Variants

Mk 153 Mod 0

The Mk 153 Mod 0 SMAW has an 83.5 mm (3.29-inch) diameter tube and fires 83 mm (3.3-inch) rockets. It is a man-portable weapon system consisting of the Mk 153 launcher, the Mk 3 Mod 0 Encased High-Explosive, Dual Mode (HEDM) Rocket, the Mk 6 Mod 0 Encased High-Explosive, Anti-Armor (HEAA) Rocket, the Mk 7 Mod 0 Common Encased Practice Rocket, the Mk 80 Mod 0 Encased Novel Explosive (NE) Rocket, and the Mk 217 Mod 0 spotting rifle cartridge.

The launcher consists of the launch tube, spotting rifle, electro-mechanical firing mechanism, mounting brackets, open battle sights and a mount for the Mk 42 Mod 0 day sight, RCO, AN/PVS-4 or AN/PVS-17C night sights. The system can also be aimed at night with an infrared aiming laser from the AN/PEQ-15 or AN/PEQ-16 in conjunction with night vision, since the IR laser is attached to the sight mount that can change elevation based on the range it is set to. The launch tube is made of fiberglass-epoxy composite material with a gel coat on the bore.

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  Mk 153 Mod 0 with the Mk 42 Day Sight (3.8x)
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  Mk 153 Mod 0 with an RCO (4x) and AN/PEQ-16
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  HEDM rocket being fired
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  A training round is fired
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  Two SMAW teams

The spotting rifle is mounted on the right side of the launch tube. It functions semi-automatically by primer actuation, meaning that when fired the primer sets back and unlocks the breech of the spotting rifle, ejecting the spent round. The firing mechanism mechanically triggers the spotting rifle and uses electromagnetic induction from a magnet to generate electricity, which ignites 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, which has 6 rounds, in the cap of the encased rocket.

The 9×51mm Mk 217 Mod 0 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 9 mm projectile which contains a tracer compound, crimped into a 7.62×51mm NATO casing with a .22 Hornet primer.

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  Spotting Rifle being fired
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  Mk 217 Mod 0 Spotting Round Cutaway

Mk 153 Mod 1

A Patent Drawing of a SMAW variant with the Spotting Rifle underneath the Launch Tube

The Department of the Navy filed a patent application on October 30, 1995, for a design named "Shoulder-launched multiple-purpose assault weapon" that featured a rearrangement of the spotting rifle underneath the launch tube, with the patent officially granted and published on January 27, 1998. While it is unclear if this patent officially corresponds to the Mk 153 Mod 1, this reference includes a picture of the same design, labeled "Mk 153 Mod 1 Launcher."

The rearranged spotting rifle was intended to make the weapon system more balanced and address accessibility issues found with the Mod 0, where the spotting rifle was mounted on the right side. This redesign aimed to streamline operations by centralizing the weapon's controls and improving the gunner's ability to reload the spotting rifle independently. It was claimed to offer improved reliability while also reducing the number of parts for easier maintenance, as well as reducing weight. There is no evidence the Mk 153 Mod 1 was ever adopted for service.

Mk 153 Mod 2

The Mk 153 Mod 2 is an enhanced variant, featuring an electronic modular ballistic sight (MBS) in place of the 9 mm spotting system. The MBS system consists of the AN/PSQ-23A laser rangefinder and the AN/PAS-13G Light Weapon Thermal Sight (LWTS). To engage a target, the gunner first acquires the target using the thermal sight (AN/PAS-13G), which allows them to see the target in various environmental conditions. Once the target is acquired, the gunner depresses a button on the front grip to activate the laser rangefinder (AN/PSQ-23A). The rangefinder emits a laser pulse to measure the range to the target. This range data is then sent to the thermal sight, which processes the information and adjusts the reticle, displaying a chevron symbol that indicates the correct point of aim based on the range, external temperature, and selected rocket type. The gunner then aligns the chevron with the target and fires. The Mod 2 also has a reduced weight of 13 lb (5.9 kg) with the MBS attached, along with other improvements, like increased pad size on the forward grip and foldable backup iron sights. The Mk 153 Mod 2 reached full operational capability (FOC) across the United States Marine Corps between 2019 and 2020.

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  Mk 153 Mod 2
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  Mk 153 Mod 2 firing a practice rocket

Rockets

• The Mk 3 Mod 0 Encased High-Explosive, Dual Mode (HEDM) rocket is effective against bunkers, masonry, concrete walls and light armor. Initiated by a crush switch in its nose, the HEDM rocket is able to automatically distinguish between hard and soft targets. For hard targets, this results in an immediate detonation, while for soft targets, there is a delayed detonation that allows for greater penetration into the target. This delay ensures that the warhead explodes inside a bunker or building, for example, to increase its damage potential. The HEDM round can penetrate 20 cm (7.9 inches) of concrete, 30 cm (12 inches) of brick, up to 20 mm (0.79 inches) of rolled homogenous armor, or up to 210 cm (6.9 feet) of wood-reinforced sandbags. It is sometimes referred to as "High-Explosive Dual Purpose (HEDP)", instead of HEDM, in some manuals, but in those manuals it still describes it as having 2 modes, a "fast" and "slow" mode, and it clearly states "Dual Mode" on the rocket encasement and the rocket itself (as seen in the picture below).
• The Mk 7 Mod 0 Encased, Common Practice rocket is used in training. The warhead consists of a blue plastic projectile attached to a rocket motor similar to the HEDM rocket. The rocket contains no explosive. It does not damage a target except by kinetic energy. On impact, the plastic warhead ruptures, dispensing an inert white spotting powder.
• The Mk 6 Mod 0 Encased High-Explosive, Anti-Armor (HEAA) rocket is effective against current tanks without added armor, and uses a standoff rod on the detonator, allowing the explosive force to be focused on a small point and for maximum damage against targets. The HEAA round can penetrate up to the equivalent of 600 mm (24 in) of rolled homogeneous armor. The unit cost of the Mk 6 HEAA round is $25,000.
• The Mk 80 Mod 0 Encased Novel Explosive (SMAW-NE) rocket is effective against caves and bunkers. The SMAW-NE has an enhanced-blast warhead with a 4 lb (1.8 kilograms) charge of PBXN-113 and the same dual mode fuze as the HEDM rocket. The Indian Head Naval Surface Warfare Center teamed with Marine Corps Systems Command and Talley Defense Systems to respond 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, in 2004.

High-Explosive, Dual Mode (HEDM) rocket (Top), High-Explosive, Anti-Armor (HEAA) rocket (Middle), and Novel Explosive (SMAW-NE) rocket (Bottom)

Backblast Area

As with all of these types of recoilless rocket weapons, the backblast that is created when it is fired is a primary safety concern. When the rocket is fired, the rocket propellant is expended entirely within the rocket encasement. This is the cause of the extremely loud and violent backblast. This backblast extends in a 90-meter, 60° cone to the rear of the weapon. The backblast is lethal out to 30 metres (98 ft) and still extremely dangerous to 90 metres (300 ft). An assistant gunner is often used during employment of the weapon system to monitor the backblast area and clear it of fellow troops, or to notify the gunner of obstructions that could reflect the force of the backblast back at the gun team. The gunner is only cleared to launch a rocket when he hears the command "Backblast area secure" from his assistant gunner.

Users

Map with SMAW operators in blue

Current operators

• Ukraine: Armed Forces of Ukraine
• United States:
  • United States Army: Borrowed from and returned to the Marine Corps
  • United States Marine Corps

See also

• List of rocket launchers
• List of anti-tank missiles
• B-300
• Carl Gustaf 8.4cm recoilless rifle
• Breda Folgore
• LRAC F1
• M141 Bunker Defeat Munition (SMAW-D)
• M79 Osa
• Kestrel (rocket launcher)

External links

• SMAW – Global Security
• SMAW at FAS
• United States Marine Corps Introduction to Crew Served Weapons
• U.S. Marine Corps Technical Manual Operator's Manual TM 08673A-10-1B - 83mm SMAW MK | PDF | Projectile Weapons | Firearms