Mk 19 grenade launcher
Encyclopedia : M : MK : MK1 : Mk 19 grenade launcher
The MK19 (also known as MK-19, M19, Mark 19, or Mk 19) is a belt-fed grenade machine gun capable of firing five grenades per second.
The Mk 19 fires 40mm grenades at a cyclic rate of 300 to 400 rounds per minute, giving a practical rate of fire of 60 rpm (rapid) and 40 rpm (sustained). The weapon operates on the blowback principle, which uses the chamber pressure from each fired round to load and re-cock the weapon. The Mk 19 is able to lob its grenade at a maximum distance of 2.2km, though its effective range is about 1.6km. The nearest safe distance to launch the grenade is 75 meters. In addition, the Mk 19's flash suppressor and its lack of smoke during firing makes it difficult for enemies to spot and counter it. For night operation, an AN/TVS-5 night vision sight can be fitted.
The Mk 19 is a man-portable crew-served weapon that can fire from a tripod mounted position or from a vehicle mount (this being the preferred method as the weapon alone weighs 33 kg). The primary ammunition for Mk 19 is the high explosive dual-purpose M430 grenade. Upon impact, the grenade can kill anyone within the radius of five meters, and wound them within the radius of 15 meters. It can also punch through two inches of armour, which means it can take out most infantry fighting vehicles and armoured personnel carriers. It is especially deadly when used against enemy infantry formations. The ammunition comes in 32 or 48 round cans weighing 42 and 60 lb (20 and 30 kg). Due to its low recoil and comparatively light weight, it has been adapted for use on many different platforms, including small attack boats, fast attack vehicles such as the Humvee (HMMWV) and Stryker, military jeeps and as well as a large variety of naval mounts.
It is made by General Dynamics and Saco Defense Industries.
It was originally fielded by the US Navy in Vietnam for river patrol boats, but was adopted and improved upon by the US Army. The Israeli Defence Forces also adopted the weapon, fielding it in infantry and mechanized units.
The Mk 19 has been used by American forces in Somalia (1993) and in Iraq (1991) by special forces operating behind enemy lines. It is currently (2004-2005) in widespread use in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The Mk 19 automatic grenade launcher replaced the earlier Mk 18 hand-cranked multiple grenade launcher. The 40 mm grenades are newer and higher powered than the grenades that are used in the M203. (The M203 grenades are technically "low-velocity" grenades, and are generally of the standard High Explosive variety, whereas the Mk 19 utilizes "medium-velocity" High Explosive Dual-Purpose (HEDP) variety. M203 and Mk19 ammunition is NOT interchangeable, and will result in destruction of either weapon system and serious injury or death to the firer.)
External links
See also
- The Mk 47 Mod 0 or Stryker is a 40mm grenade machine gun with an integrated fire control system. In addition to being able to fire traditional grenades like the Mk 19 grenade launcher, it can fire smart ones that can be programmed to airburst after a set distance. A computerized sight and computer allow the firer to use the feature.
From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.