Marines Quiet About Brutal New Weapon

Defense Tech ^ | 11/14/05 | David Hambling

[baystaterebel]

War is hell. But it’s worse when the Marines bring out their new urban combat weapon, the SMAW-NE. Which may be why they’re not talking about it, much.

This is a version of the standard USMC Shoulder Mounted Assault Weapon but with a new warhead. Described as NE - "Novel Explosive"- it is a thermobaric mixture which ignites the air, producing a shockwave of unparalleled destructive power, especially against buildings.

A post-action report from Iraq describes the effect of the new weapon: "One unit disintegrated a large one-storey masonry type building with one round from 100 meters. They were extremely impressed." Elsewhere it is described by one Marine as "an awesome piece of ordnance."

[manwiththehands]

You pix look like AT4 rounds. Not this.

[grey_whiskers]

Sometimes when I pass by my ex-girlfriends house I wish I had something like that.

Is the feeling mutual? Watch out for "mutually assured destruction".

[Darksheare]

I want one.
Got some mighty bad woodchucks..

[USNBandit]

I think you're right. It doesn't ignite the air, it just maximizes the use of the available air. In essence it is an ordnance overachiever.

Better than FAE because it is easier to handle, plus I would imagine the burn temp is hotter than most petrochemicals as well.

[manwiththehands]

"Sometimes when I pass by my ex-girlfriends house I wish I had something like that"

LOL! I have a better idea: let her live. You'll have the satisfaction of knowing that she will make someone else's life miserable.

[MNJohnnie]

How you like your Jihad now bitch?

[185JHP]

A building-busting bazooka. That'sa nice...

[MNJohnnie]

I want one.

Only One?? I live in a Blue state. Get me as many as you can make! I can probably use up a year supply just taking out people who STILL have Wellstone signs in their yards!

[Darksheare]

Wellstone signs in the yards still?
Yikes, means they're zombies who are also dead!

[SauronOfMordor]

This class of weapon should not receive a great amount of publicity unless we are willing to have them duplicated and shot back at us by our enemies.

Considering that the manufactorer put the specs online, (a href="http://www.talleyds.com/products/brochures_videos.htm"> complete with videos it's kinda late for that

[Sensei Ern]

That looks like the Fredricks of Hollywood marital aid collection.

[TeleStraightShooter]

The Russians have a slimmed down version for the RPG-7.
They call it the Satan Stick

Your right, SMAW-SS looks better.

[Conservative Firster]

Link:Talley Defense systems SMAW products

AT4

SMAW

"This is a version of the standard USMC Shoulder Mounted Assault Weapon but with a new warhead. Described as NE - "Novel Explosive"

NE round far right

[MNJohnnie]

Yikes, means they're zombies who are also dead!

Yep Dawn of the Politically Dead, that dear old Minn for you.

[GSlob]

The trouble is that if the enemy [mid-to-high tech - say, at the level of the Chinese] would provide the ignition [say, in the form of small burning fire] at the moment the fuel mixture starts dispersing from the warhead [but before the air-fuel mixture cloud forms and the warhead provides the ignition], - would there be any thermobaric explosion? It could still suck the oxygen out and suffocate them, though.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

[ishootskeet]

War is cruelty. There's no use trying to reform it, the crueler it is the sooner it will be over.
William T. Sherman

[adorno]

With something this rad, they had better come up with a cooler name than "Novel Explosive, or SMAW=NE

How 'bout: NYSINYD!

Now You See It, Now You Dont!

[Darksheare]

Eeep!
Shambling nightmares from the nether realm.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

I want one!

I want ten!