Feasibility Study for Replacing the MK19 Automatic Grenade Launching System

Abstract

The Army's MK-19 weapon system is an automatic grenade launcher capable of destroying thin-skinned vehicles and dismounted targets at ranges up to 2200 meters. Since its first use in the 1960s, the MK-19 has remained largely unchanged while technology has improved. This research will determine if an alternative weapon system provides a significant improvement in lethality over the MK-19. The Joint Combat and Tactical Simulation (JCATS) is used to test weapon variants against a variety of enemies in terrain similar to current operating environments. The results of these tests- along with the weapon's mobility, user interface and logistics footprint- are analyzed, weighted, and scored through the use of the Systems Decision Process (SDP) developed by the U.S. Military Academy's Department of Systems Engineering. Ultimately, this report provides a recommendation to the Army's Program Manager of Advanced Crew Served Weapons on which weapon provides the greatest value to our troops in theater.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 2008
Accession Number
ADA594067

Entities

People

  • Kyle Hurst
  • Mario Feliciano
  • Nathan Klein
  • Scott Crino
  • Steven Warner

Organizations

  • United States Military Academy

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Ammunition
  • Automatic Grenade Launchers
  • Control Systems
  • Engineering
  • Explosives
  • Fire Control Systems
  • Firing Rate
  • Grenade Launchers
  • High Explosive Ammunition
  • Launchers
  • Launching
  • Simulations
  • Systems Engineering
  • United States Military Academy
  • Warfare
  • Weapon Systems
  • Weapons

Readers

  • Munitions and Ordnance Engineering
  • Naval Mine Countermeasure Systems Development.
  • Systems Analysis and Design