MARINE CORPS WEAPONS & VEHICLES

Sea Power, Jan 2006

Currently, three types of rockets are used by the SMAW: the Common Practice Round; High-Explosive Dual-Purpose (HEDP) that senses hard or soft targets and is effective against bunkers, masonry and concrete walls and light armor; and High-Explosive Anti-Armor, capable of penetrating 600mm of homogenous steel armor. A rocket being developed is the SMAW Novel Explosive Warhead, a modification to the HEDP that is intended to provide an interim enhanced blast capability to bolster the Marine Corps' ability to fight in an urban environment and enter and clear caves and other subterranean structures.

ARTILLERY SYSTEMS AND MORTARS

HIGH MOBILITY ARTILLERY ROCKET SYSTEM (HIMARS)

The Marine Corps in 2002 arranged with the U.S. Army to acquire HIMARS to help augment organic fire-support capability. HIMARS is a C-130-transportable, wheeled rocket/missile system capable of firing a variety of artillery rockets and munitions. One HIMARS system includes a launcher vehicle, two resupply vehicles, two resupply trailers and nine munitions pods. HIMARS typically will be employed as a battalion or battery asset, depending on a given situation. The system will provide enhanced firepower and range in artillery roles, offering Marine commanders a rocket and missile capability in support of Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) operations ashore. HIMARS in the Marine Corps will be fielded to one active battalion and one reserve battalion. The acquisition objective is for 40 systems. Full-rate production is scheduled to begin in 2006, with initial operational capability (IOC) scheduled for 2008.

M198 155MM TOWED HOWITZER

The Marine Corps employs M198 155mm towed howitzers as the principal artillery fire-support weapon for maneuver units. Weighing approximately 16,000 pounds, the M198 fires conventional ammunition at targets with ranges up to 13 miles and rocket-assisted projectiles almost 19 miles. Average age of Marine Corps M 198s is more than 22 years, which exceeds its intended service life of 20 years. The M198 is to be replaced by the M777 lightweight 155mm towed howitzer.

M777 LIGHTWEIGHT 155MM TOWED HOWITZER

The M777 is a Marine Corps-led joint program with the U.S. Army to replace the M198. M777 will provide increased strategic deployment capability, tactical mobility, responsiveness, accuracy, lethality and survtvability. The M777 fires unassisted projec tiles to a range of 15 miles and assisted projectiles to 19 miles. It is to be transported by aircraft such as the MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor or CH-53D/E helicopters. The M777 is 25 percent smaller and has a 21 percent lower profile than its M198 predecessor. The M777 emplaces in less than three minutes (266 percent faster than the M198), displaces in two minutes (550 percent faster than the M198), traverses 32 percent more terrain worldwide and is 70 percent more survivable than the M198.

The M777 program entered low-rate initial production in 2002, and reached IOC in fiscal 2005. BAE Systems currently is producing the first 94 systems with an optical fire-control system. Joint full-rate production with the Army was approved in fiscal 2005 with a fully integrated digital fire-control system (the M777A1), which will provide Paladin-like digital fire-control capability to towed field artillery units. The Marine Corps requires 356 M777s.