Automatic grenade launchers are no longer unusual in today’s arsenals as they pack a heavy-caliber punch, combine fire adaptability, and fast engagement. Two of the most well-known examples – the old-fashioned Mk 19 and its recent follower – the Mk 47 Striker, demonstrate how changing combat requirements affect weapon design.
M119 was originally designed during the last part of the Vietnam War era when the U.S. forces needed a weapon capable of covering with rapid fire the small rivers navigations and the vehicles mounted on patrol. Developed by Saco Defense Industries and launched in 1968, the Mk 19 has been termed a long-lasting, belt-fed, blowback-operated, and air-cooled beast of burden. It is capable of both single shots and continuous automatic 40 mm grenade bursts; due to its open-bolt action and strong construction, it can also be employed in boats, Humvees, Strykers, and ships.
Still, the Mk 19 is significantly spread, even after several decades since its launch. The grenade thrower is approximately 77.6 pounds heavy and usually crew- or vehicle-mounted because of that. The cyclic rate of the 40×53 mm high-velocity round is roughly 325–375 rounds per minute, while the practical sustained rates are more around 40–60 rounds per minute.
The Mk 19 can select point targets at a range of about 1,500 meters and can also apply area suppression at a further distance, i.e., up to almost 2,200 meters. Its unarmored M430 dual-purpose high-explosive round is fatal within a 5-meter radius and can penetrate light armor of rolled homogeneous steel of up to about 50 mm thick, thus making it effective against fortified positions and lightly armored vehicles.
The ammo is loaded in 32- or 48-round disintegrating-link belts; the cans carrying the rounds weigh 42–60 pounds, approximately. The weapon’s low recoil and elastic mounting options contributed to its popularity among the US and allied armed forces; several thousand were made and utilized in the wars from Vietnam through Iraq and Afghanistan. Moreover, its achievement led to the birth of systems similar to it that were developed in different locations, e.g., AGS-17 and H&K GMG.
Inert practice rounds, such as the XM922 High-Velocity Dummy Round, which are quite similar to the live ones both in terms of weight and dimensions, help with training and drill practice. They allow crews to do practice maneuvers involving loading, execution of drills, and malfunction clearing in a completely safe manner without the use of live explosives.
The Mk 19 was getting outdated with its fundamental design by the beginning of the 2000s. The situation on the battlefield was calling for more lightweight and accurate launchers that could be used together with advanced optics and smart ammo. The Striker Mk 47 met those requirements. The Striker, which carried a modern fire control system and new features, was brought on board after the General Dynamics project in the middle of the 2000s and was manufactured in Saco, Maine.
The Mk 47 alone or just with the launcher weighs around 39.6 pounds; thus, it is easier to transport and mount, by about half the Mk 19’s weight. Its closed-bolt system makes firing of programmable munitions precise and integrated fire control, such as the AN/PVG-1 Lightweight Video Sight, which includes a ballistic calculator, laser range finder, and magnification, enables hitting of targets at a long distance with much more steadiness and accuracy by the crew.
One of the significant jumps in the field of capability is the potential of the use he programmable prefragmented high-explosive rounds with airburst fuzing. This forces operators, who otherwise would have had to set grenades to detonate only behind cover, to change the manual by turning a cover into a vulnerable target by the detonation of fragments there. The effective range of the Striker is approximately 1,700 meters, and it accurately delivers measured rates of fire, about 60 rounds per minute in practical use. Besides, the various holding of ammo is supported from the training rounds to the most advanced, like the Mk 285 ones.
The Mk 47 was first off the battlefield of special operations but has since been deployed in more theatres and among allies who are modernizing their inventories. Its design focuses on automatic grenade launchers remaining relevant as the battlefield needs keep changing by emphasizing precision, flexibility, and future-proofing.
The move towards the Mk 47 from the Mk 19 isn’t just a change of weapons, er, it is a re-conceptualization of the military’s idea of power. The present focus on accuracy, modularity, and smart munitions is proof that automatic grenade launchers are still evolving to give decisive effects on the battlefield.