Ukrainian Armed Forces start mastering American SMAW Mk 153 grenade launchers (video)
Ukrainian military personnel have begun training with the SMAW Mk 153. A video of the training was posted on Telegram.
Small quantities of SMAW Mk 153s were supplied to Ukraine before the invasion. Despite this, no footage of their combat use has been published to date. In February, it became known that the Pentagon leadership decided to include the grenade launchers in the next defense support package.
The development of the SMAW rocket-propelled grenade launcher was completed in the early 80s. It entered service with the U.S. Army in 1984. The grenade launcher is designed to strike field fortifications, destroy lightly armored vehicles, make passages in the walls of buildings, etc. The effective firing range is 500 meters.
SMAW Mk 153 has a classic design for grenade launchers. The reusable tube has a special extension at the rear designed to vent grenade engine gases. The pipe has a caliber of 83 mm. The MK 3 HEDP thermobaric ammunition is used to engage targets, with a warhead weight of 1.1 kg.
