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Mk 153 Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon
The Mk 153 Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon (SMAW) is a smoothbore shoulder-fired rocket launcher. Primarily used as a portable assault weapon, or "bunker buster", it also possesses secondary anti-armor capabilities. Developed from the Israeli B-300, the SMAW was introduced to the United States Armed Forces in 1984. While it retains similar external characteristics to the B-300, the American-redesigned SMAW features a key distinction: the integration of a 9×51mm spotting rifle, which is an evolution of the one developed for the LAW 80. The spotting rifle's purpose is to enhance target acquisition and improve hit probability.
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 also saw use of the SMAW-NE (Novel Explosive) rocket, a thermobaric rocket used to collapse buildings and cave openings. Within the U.S. Marine Corps, the SMAW was typically operated by Assaultmen and Combat Engineers. Each rifle company had an assault section that consisted of 13 Marines and six SMAW rocket launchers. Led by a section leader, the section was divided into three assault squads, each consisting of four Marines. Each squad was further split into two teams of two Marines, with each team equipped with one SMAW rocket launcher.
Serial production of the SMAW began in 1983, with the first units delivered in February 1984. By the completion of the initial contract in 1987, the U.S. manufacturer had supplied 1,828 Mk 153 launchers to the U.S. Marine Corps. The SMAW has since seen service with the U.S. Marine Corps in conflicts such as Operation Just Cause, the Gulf War, the War in Afghanistan, and the Iraq War.
During Operation Just Cause in Panama (1989), the U.S. Army recognized the need for a lightweight weapon capable of defeating bunkers, fortifications, and other fortified defensive structures. Despite this, the Army did not have a suitable weapon at the time. As a result, during Operation Desert Storm (1991), the Army had to borrow 125 Mk 153 Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapons (SMAW) from the U.S. Marine Corps. It became clear that the weapon, while effective, was too heavy and long for use by paratroopers. But, the Army's standard M136 AT4 also proved unsuitable for bunker-busting. In response, the Army initiated the Multi-Purpose Individual Munition (MPIM) program in September 1991. This eventually lead to the adoption of the M141 BDM, a single-shot, disposable version of the Mk 153 SMAW using the same HEDM rocket.
In the early-2000s, the Mk 153 Mod 0 SMAW had a series of modifications to address several of its shortcomings. These modifications included a resleeving process for bubbled launch tubes, rewriting/drafting operator and technical manuals, a kit that reduces environmental intrusion into the trigger mechanism, and an optical sight modification to allow the HEAA rocket to be used effectively against moving armor targets. Boresight bracket kits were also fielded that solved the loss of boresight problem between the launch tube and the spotting rifle.
The Mk 153 SMAW has proven to be a vital asset in urban warfare, particularly during the Iraq War. In Iraq, it was extensively used in the Second Battle of Fallujah, where it demonstrated its effectiveness in destroying enemy-held buildings. Marines employed the SMAW Novel Explosive (SMAW-NE) thermobaric rocket to collapse structures and neutralize fortified positions. For instance, a single Marine reportedly leveled 12 buildings with 14 rockets in one day. The SMAW's destructive capability significantly enhanced small-unit firepower, allowing infantry to engage entrenched enemies without relying solely on larger, less maneuverable systems like tanks. However, the SMAW-NE round lacked the penetrating power needed for certain walls in Fallujah. To overcome this, Marines would first use a High-Explosive Dual-Mode (HEDM) rocket to create a hole, then fire an NE rocket through the opening to collapse the structure. Despite occasional difficulties in wall breaching, the weapon proved to be an indispensable tool in urban assault operations.
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.
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.
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Mk 153 Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon
The Mk 153 Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon (SMAW) is a smoothbore shoulder-fired rocket launcher. Primarily used as a portable assault weapon, or "bunker buster", it also possesses secondary anti-armor capabilities. Developed from the Israeli B-300, the SMAW was introduced to the United States Armed Forces in 1984. While it retains similar external characteristics to the B-300, the American-redesigned SMAW features a key distinction: the integration of a 9×51mm spotting rifle, which is an evolution of the one developed for the LAW 80. The spotting rifle's purpose is to enhance target acquisition and improve hit probability.
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 also saw use of the SMAW-NE (Novel Explosive) rocket, a thermobaric rocket used to collapse buildings and cave openings. Within the U.S. Marine Corps, the SMAW was typically operated by Assaultmen and Combat Engineers. Each rifle company had an assault section that consisted of 13 Marines and six SMAW rocket launchers. Led by a section leader, the section was divided into three assault squads, each consisting of four Marines. Each squad was further split into two teams of two Marines, with each team equipped with one SMAW rocket launcher.
Serial production of the SMAW began in 1983, with the first units delivered in February 1984. By the completion of the initial contract in 1987, the U.S. manufacturer had supplied 1,828 Mk 153 launchers to the U.S. Marine Corps. The SMAW has since seen service with the U.S. Marine Corps in conflicts such as Operation Just Cause, the Gulf War, the War in Afghanistan, and the Iraq War.
During Operation Just Cause in Panama (1989), the U.S. Army recognized the need for a lightweight weapon capable of defeating bunkers, fortifications, and other fortified defensive structures. Despite this, the Army did not have a suitable weapon at the time. As a result, during Operation Desert Storm (1991), the Army had to borrow 125 Mk 153 Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapons (SMAW) from the U.S. Marine Corps. It became clear that the weapon, while effective, was too heavy and long for use by paratroopers. But, the Army's standard M136 AT4 also proved unsuitable for bunker-busting. In response, the Army initiated the Multi-Purpose Individual Munition (MPIM) program in September 1991. This eventually lead to the adoption of the M141 BDM, a single-shot, disposable version of the Mk 153 SMAW using the same HEDM rocket.
In the early-2000s, the Mk 153 Mod 0 SMAW had a series of modifications to address several of its shortcomings. These modifications included a resleeving process for bubbled launch tubes, rewriting/drafting operator and technical manuals, a kit that reduces environmental intrusion into the trigger mechanism, and an optical sight modification to allow the HEAA rocket to be used effectively against moving armor targets. Boresight bracket kits were also fielded that solved the loss of boresight problem between the launch tube and the spotting rifle.
The Mk 153 SMAW has proven to be a vital asset in urban warfare, particularly during the Iraq War. In Iraq, it was extensively used in the Second Battle of Fallujah, where it demonstrated its effectiveness in destroying enemy-held buildings. Marines employed the SMAW Novel Explosive (SMAW-NE) thermobaric rocket to collapse structures and neutralize fortified positions. For instance, a single Marine reportedly leveled 12 buildings with 14 rockets in one day. The SMAW's destructive capability significantly enhanced small-unit firepower, allowing infantry to engage entrenched enemies without relying solely on larger, less maneuverable systems like tanks. However, the SMAW-NE round lacked the penetrating power needed for certain walls in Fallujah. To overcome this, Marines would first use a High-Explosive Dual-Mode (HEDM) rocket to create a hole, then fire an NE rocket through the opening to collapse the structure. Despite occasional difficulties in wall breaching, the weapon proved to be an indispensable tool in urban assault operations.
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.
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.