Term
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Definition
M240B Medium Machine Gun
Purpose: The M240 Machinegun provides Marines with a continuous and high rate of fire to engage long-
range targets. It is a heavier automatic weapon than the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) but
provides a faster rate of fire and a longer effective range. Typically, the tripod is employed when the
weapon is to be used for defensive situations, or when precise fire is needed in support of maneuver units.
The bipod is always attached and is suitable for use while patrolling.
Ammunition: 7.62mm
Weight with bipod: 24 pounds
Maximum effective range with tripod: 1800 meters
Maximum range: 3725 meters
Can be mounted on tanks and light armored vehicles
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Term
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Definition
MK19 Mod 3 Automatic Grenade Launcher
Purpose: At the smallest unit level, the lightest weapons often carry the day, as maneuverability is one of
the primary assets of a Marine fireteam. When high-volume, suppressive fire support is required, there are
few weapon systems as effective as the MK19 Mod 3 Automatic Grenade Launcher. Capable of destroying
most light-armored vehicles, protecting supply convoys and even defending against hovering rotary
aircraft, the MK19 provides Marine infantry battalions with the means to deliver massive direct fire or
indirect fire from hidden positions. The MK19 rapidly fires explosive 40mm grenades, making it an ideal
weapon against armored, mechanized and enemy infantry forces.
Ammunition: High-explosive, dual-purpose M430 40x53mm grenades
Weight: 72.5 pounds
Weight with tripod: 120 pounds
Maximum effective range: 1,500 yards
Nearest safe distance to launch: 75 meters in combat/310 meters in training
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Term
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Definition
.50 Caliber Machine Gun
Purpose: The Browning .50 Cal Machine gun provides Marines with automatic weapon suppression fire
for offensive and defensive purposes. This weapon can be used effectively against enemy personnel, lightarmored vehicles and slow, low-flying aircraft.
Ammunition: .50 caliber rounds
Weight: 124 pounds (84 pound gun; 44 pound tripod)
Length: 65.13 inches
Maximum effective range: 1829 meters with tripod mount
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Term
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Definition
FGM-148 JAVELIN
Purpose: The greatest assets to Marines fighting on the ground are maneuverability and firepower, and
perhaps no weaponry provides a better combination of both than the FGM-148 Javelin Anti-tank MissileIn fact, after firing the Javelin, Marines can begin moving to a different area before the missile even
reaches its target, preventing the enemy from discovering their position.
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Term
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Definition
BGM-71 TOW Missile
Purpose: Tube launched, optically tracked wire-guided anti-tank missile capable of penetrating armor 30inches thick at more than 3,000 meters.
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Term
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Definition
60mm Mortar 81 mm Mortar
Purpose: Marines are known for their exceptional ability to work cohesively as a unit, and nowhere is this
more evident than when mortar teams are providing effective, indirect fire on a target. With 60mm and
81mm mortars, Marines work together to provide constant and accurate high-angle suppressive fire on
targets they may not be able to even see. Marine mortar teams locate targets by converting chart data to
firing data, delivering mortar fire in timely response to the ground units they support.
Features: Serving as lightweight, portable artillery, mortars are fired by dropping each round into the
muzzle. The round slides down the base of the barrel where it strikes the firing pin located inside the base
cap. The flame from the exploding cartridge ignites the propelling charge, producing the gas pressure that
drives the round up and out of the barrel, high into the air. After it has reached its apogee, the mortar round
falls to the target.
Types of Mortars: 60mm mortars are organic to the rifle company and have a range of 3500 meters.
81mm mortars are an asset of the infantry battalion and have a range of 5700 meters. Both mortars can fire:
High Explosive (HE) shells (several varieties) – Effective against lightly armored targets, personnel and
fortifications
Smoke rounds – Effective as a screening or signaling round
Illumination rounds – Effective in night missions requiring illumination of an enemy target |
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Term
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Definition
M77 HOWITZER
Purpose: Marines on the ground rely on the Marines by their side, but they also depend on Marine support
from long range. The M777 Lightweight 155mm howitzer provides timely, accurate and continuous
firepower in support of Marine Infantry forces. In 2005, the Marine Corps began fielding the M777, a much
smaller, lighter (9,000 pounds lighter) and more maneuverable towed cannon weapon than its predecessor,
resulting in improved transportability and mobility without impacting range or accuracy. 7-ton trucks are
used to move the M777s, enabling Marine artillery units to move faster between positions. A must for
equipment in an expeditionary force, the howitzer is also highly deployable, able to be lifted externally by
both the MV-22 Osprey and CH-53E Super Stallion. |
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Term
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Definition
High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV)
Purpose: Since the mid-1980s, there hasn't been a Marine vehicle more utilized for a wider variety of
missions than the Marine HMMWV. Operating on every area of the battlefield, Marine HMMWVs are
truly multipurpose vehicles, serving such functions as command and control, troop transport, shelter carrier,
towed weapons mover, armament carrier, TOW missile system carrier and even ambulance. For Marine
units requiring specific vehicle configurations, Marine HMMWVs have several kits that can be easily
installed to meet the requirements of each mission.
Features: 6.2 Litre, V8 diesel engine; 3 speed, automatic transmission; Four-wheel drive, independent rear
suspension; Can be mounted with the M2 .50 cal, M240 or M249 machinegun; Fording capable with deepwater
fording kit installed Armored plating and bullet resistant glass can be mounted.
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Term
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Definition
Light Armored Vehicle (LAV)
Primary function: Marines are known for being adaptable, versatile and reliable. With numerous variants
and a proven track record on the battlefield, the LAV-25 has also earned this reputation. Marine Light
Armored Vehicles combine speed, maneuverability and firepower to perform a variety of functions,
including security, command and control, reconnaissance and assault. Able to operate on land and in water,
carry communications equipment and provide a weapons platform, the LAV isn't just part of a combined
arms force—it is one.
Features: Can drive in 4- or 8-wheel drive; Can reach speeds of 62.5 mph on land; Powerful diesel fuel
engine; 360-degree traversing turret; Armed with 25mm cannon and two M240 machine guns; Operated by
a crew of three Marines; Includes two 4-barrel smoke grenade launchers
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Term
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Definition
Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected (MRAP) Vehicle
Purpose: With V-shaped hulls, raised chassis and armored plating, the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected
Vehicle (MRAP) has proven to be the single most effective counter to Improvised Explosive Devices
(IEDs). Blast-resistant underbodies and layers of thick, armored glass offer unparalleled protection, while
all-terrain suspension and runflat combat tires ensure Marines can operate in complex and highly restricted
rural, mountainous and urban terrains.
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Term
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Definition
Assault Amphibian Vehicle (AAV)-7
Purpose: From ship to shore to objective, no equipment better defines the distinction and purpose of
Marine Corps expeditionary capabilities than the AAV-7 Amphibious Assault Vehicle. Designed to assault
any shoreline from the well decks of Navy assault ships, AAVs are highly mobile, tracked armored
amphibious vehicles that transport Marines and cargo to and through hostile territory.
Features: Typically, the first vehicles to land during beach raids and assaults; All-welded aluminum hull
protects crew from small arms fire; Eight smoke grenade launchers; Turret armed with .50 cal
machinegun and 40mm grenade launcher; Can be outfitted with Mine Clearance Line Charges; Operates at
speeds of 45mph on land; 8-10 knots in water; Can carry 21 combat-loaded Marines and 3 crewmembers;
Can transport 10,000 pounds of cargo; Can fire on land and water; Enough fuel to drive 300 miles inland.
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Term
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Definition
AH-1Z Super Cobra/Viper
Purpose: No aircraft defines the role of close air support better than the Marine AH-1 Super Cobra/Viper.
Whether it's providing cover for advancing ground forces or escorting assault support helicopters en route
to a landing zone, the AH-1Z is called on when Marines need firepower from the air.
Features: Able to project multiple missiles, rockets and 20mm cannon fire on targets otherwise
inaccessible, the AH-1 has played a major role in every U.S. military conflict since Vietnam. Today it
continues to provide the precision, armament and tactical situational awareness to fight in close proximity
with our Marines below. Equipped with enhanced navigation displays that distinguish friends from
enemies, data transfer systems that deliver real-time aerial reconnaissance to Marines on the ground and
composite rotor blades and tail booms that can withstand 23mm cannon fire, the Marine AH-1 is the perfect
example of why Marine Aviation has been called "flying artillery."
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Term
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Definition
UH-1Y Huey/ Venom
Purpose: No single aircraft provides a better blend of all six Marine Aviation functions than the Marine
UH-1. A case study in Offensive Air Support, Assault Support, Command and Control, and Aerial
Reconnaissance, the Marine utility helicopter of choice is truly a microcosm of Marine Aviation. With lowflying
AH-1s
aimed
in
on
the
hostile
street ahead
and
hovering
UH-1s
covering
adjacent
rooftops,
combat
Marines
can
engage
under
the
watchful
eye
of
close
air
support.
Features:
When
outfitted
with
door-mounted
.50 caliber
and
7.62
machine
guns
and teamed
alongside
AH1s,
Marine
UH-1s
arm
MAGTF
commanders
with
unprecedented
response,
situational
awareness
and
a
360-degree
field
of
fire
support
for
advancing
ground
forces.
Currently,
all
Marine
UH-1N
Hueys
are
being
replaced
with
four-bladed
UH-1Y Venoms
featuring
upgraded
glass
cockpit
avionics,
a new
satellite data
link
network,
a
125%
boost
in
payload
and
50%
increase
in
range
and
speed.
Now,
with
the
power
to
keep
up
with the larger
helicopters they escort,
utility
helicopters
will continue to
support
Marines for decades
to
come.
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Term
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Definition
CH-53D/E Sea Stallion/Super Stallion Helicopter
Purpose: The heavy-lift helicopter of the Marine Corps can carry a 26,000-pound Light Armored Vehicle,
16 tons of cargo 50 miles and back, or enough combat-loaded Marines to lead an assault or humanitarian
operation; but perhaps what's most amazing about the largest military helicopter in the U.S. is what it
achieves despite its size. Though powerful enough to lift every aircraft in the Marine inventory except the
KC-130, the CH-53E Super Stallion is compact enough to deploy on amphibious assault ships, and has the
armament, speed and agility to qualify as much more than a heavy lifter.
Features: Armed with window-mounted .50-caliber machine guns, chaff and flare dispensers for anti-air
defense, an in-flight refueling probe for limitless range and a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) imager for
night and all-weather navigation, the Marine CH-53E is commonly called on for assault transport of Marine
ground forces. Though long-range insertion missions are standard protocol for this Marine workhorse, it is
the rapid resupply of Marines at the forefront that makes the Super Stallion one of the most used aircraft in
Marine Aviation.
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Term
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Definition
MV-22 Osprey Tiltrotor
Purpose: With the speed and range of a turboprop, the maneuverability of a helicopter and the ability to
carry 24 Marine combat troops twice as fast and five times farther than previous helicopters, the Osprey
greatly enhances the advantages Marines have over their enemies. The Osprey's impact was felt
immediately upon its arrival in Iraq. Commenting on its advanced expeditionary capabilities and staggeringoperational reach, a top Marine commander went as far as to say it turned his battle space "from the size Texas into the size of Rhode Island."
Features: Designed for expeditionary assault, raid operations,cargo lift and special warfare; Built with
composite materials, fly-by-wire flight controls, digital cockpits; Vertical takeoff and landing, and short
takeoff and landing capabilities; In-flight refueling.
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Term
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Definition
EA-6B Prowler
Purpose: It is the ability of the EA-6B Prowler to neutralize enemy air defenses that enables Marines to
gain the air superiority needed for mission success. Enemy air defenses rely on early warning radar to
indicate an impending air strike. But to acquire a signal, they have to send a signal, and it is the electronic
warfare equipment arming Marine Prowlers that illuminates these electronic footprints. The Marine
Prowler's ability to detect, sort, classify, jam and destroy air defenses leaves the enemy with two options:
leave the radar on, or turn it off. Either way, their defenses are reduced to expensive but useless metal.
Features: Information isn't allowed to return to an enemy's radar because EA-6Bs intercept it first, and the
methods by which these signals can be exploited are numerous. Marine Prowlers are equipped with five
tactical jamming pods, electronic surveillance systems, radar-seeking HARM missiles, non-kinetic fire
systems that leave electronic equipment disabled but intact, and countermeasures that mask the approach of
our nearby ground-attack aircraft.
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Term
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Definition
KC-130J Hercules
Purpose: To achieve the global reach and rapid deployability our nation requires, Marine Aviation must be
able to deliver Marines, fuel and cargo where needed. Answering the call is the Marine KC-130 Hercules.
A tactical tanker/transport aircraft that stretches more than 90 feet in length and 130 feet wing to wing, the
KC-130 Hercules can resupply austere battle zones, provide a Direct Air Support Center, insert ground
troops and perform medevac operations. It is during the mission of tactical aerial refueling, however, that
the Marine KC-130 has earned the reputation for being best in the world.
Features: Able to carry more than 12,000 gallons of fuel and simultaneously refuel two aircraft at 300
gallons a minute, the Hercules has been called the workhorse of Marine Aviation. Recently, the first armed
version of the Marine KC-130 was employed—named the Harvest HAWK (Hercules Airborne Weapons
Kit). With the ability to deliver air-to-ground Hellfire missiles, precision-guided bombs and 30mm autocannon
rounds,
Marines
in
the
air
now
have
another
way
to
support
Marines
on
the
ground.
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Term
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Definition
RQ-7B Shadow
Purpose: The recent development and fielding of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) has delivered evemore capabilities to our Marines. One such aircraft, the RQ-7B Shadow, is deployed in squadrons as anasset of the Marine Expeditionary Force or Marine Expeditionary Brigade. Designed to provide
reconnaissance, relay communications and assist in target acquisition, the RQ-7B Shadow keeps an eye
above the battlefield for extended periods of time, constantly relaying information between Marine air anground controls. The Shadow enhances the capabilities of Marine commanders across the spectrum of
military operations and was first deployed during Operation Iraqi Freedom in September 2007.
Features: Remotely piloted; Conducts reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition, indirect fires
adjustment, battlefield damage assessment and rear area security support; Equipped with electro-optical and
infrared (EO/IR) sensors, communications relay payloads and laser designators; Video and laser targetiis used to locate enemy positions; Launched from a trailer-mounted pneumatic catapult; Fixed, 3-wheellanding gear; Total endurance time up to 6 hours; max speed 135 mph; gross weight 375 lbs; range 68
miles.
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