• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

2/3 will test new Predator

Marine Corps News

Release Date: 7/11/2003

Story by Cpl. Jessica M. Mills

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii(July 11. 2003) -- Never in the Marine Corps has a single infantryman had the capability to take out a main battle tank with a weapons system that was less than 22 pounds.

But now that opportunity has come to the Corps, and 16 Marines from 2nd Bn., 3rd Marine Regiment, who completed a three-day course at the 3rd Marine Regiment Indoor Simulated Marksmanship Trainer (ISMT) instructing them in the operation of the new short-range assault weapon aptly named the Predator.

The Predator Short Range Assault Weapon MK40 is a man-portable, fire-and-forget assault weapon designed to defeat advanced armor threats. It was specifically designed to engage and defeat current and future main battle tanks with explosive reactive armor and only weighs a total of 21.6 pounds.

The missile within the predator attacks the vulnerable top of its target by over flying and detonating an explosively formed penetrator warhead down head into the target.

"It uses laser and magnetic fields to find the center of the target," said Joel Snively, an instructor for the course contracted by the Marine Corps. "It's not going into the side of the tank that is protected by armor. It hits the top of the tank; the most vulnerable part."

The Predator will not be operational until the final tests are complete. The final stage of first-article testing of the production weapons will be performed July 21 - 31at the Naval Air Warfare Center, China Lake, Calif., by the 16 Marines of 2/3.

The Marines prepared for this opportunity by enduring an entire day in the ISMT classroom, learning and memorizing all the weapon's characteristics and operational requirements. Practical application consumed the last two days, as the leathernecks fired computerized scenarios and practiced on the tracking and firing systems in an outdoor trainer.

"We want to build up their knowledge of the Predator so when it comes time to deploy to China Lake, and future deployments, they can engage their enemy effectively without any hesitation," said Snively. "It's truly a simple system to employ, but these Marines will obviously need their basic Marine skills and the knowledge we give them to understand it."

This final phase of testing will consist of an operational test with 30 weapons that will be fired by the Marines. The 2/3 Marines will conduct a series of tactical scenarios to lead up to the firing itself.

They will fire three times per day, for a total of 30 firings.

The Marine Corps Systems Command will be running the second series of testing.

"Even though these weapons are not operational, yet, the production line has already started," said Mike Woodson, project officer for Marine Corps Systems Command. "If this test comes out successful, then the Marine Corps will begin taking deliveries of the Predator and accept it into its inventory."

The Predator has been in the developing stages for about 10 years, but there is no real unique technology.

According to Woodson, what makes the Predator different is the integration of existing technology into a weapons system that weighs less than 22 pounds and can still defeat a tank.

"There's no other weapon in the world that does what this does," said Woodson. "There are other antitank weapons out there, but they are crew-served and significantly heavier.

"This is a big opportunity for these guys, not many Marines have had a chance to operate this weapon. They will be only a handful of Marines that have actually fired this weapon," Woodson explained.