The Dragon Fire 120 mm heavy mortar

02/10/09 1819 hours

The Dragon Fire 120 mm heavy mortar is a program under development (as of 2006) for the US Marine Corps. It is a fully automated mortar capable of using rifled or smoothbore 120 mm ammunition. Like all mortars it is a high-angle-of-fire weapon used for indirect fire support. Dragon Fire is also expected to be effective in a counter-battery role.

History

The Dragon Fire program began in 1997 as a concept demonstrator, intended to experiment with automating medium-caliber, medium range artillery. The Dragon Fire combines digital fire control, power-operated traverse, elevation, and loading, and an advanced aiming system with a 120mm rifled mortar system to give much faster and more precise direct support. Program lead is the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory with design by Army Armament Research, Development, and Engineering Command (ARDEC), and fabrication by Rock Island Arsenal IL, and General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS).

The first prototype was constructed partly from components of a French 120 mm rifled mortar and was completed in 1998. The system was successfully tested and then used in operational experiments from 1998 to 2002, including firings from a modified Light Armored Vehicle.

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The AGM-124 Wasp

02/09/09 1205 hours

The AGM-124 Wasp is a missile developed by the United States of America. The Wasp grew out of the 1975 WAAM (Wide-Area Anti-Armour Munitions) program initiated by the US Air Force in order to develop a series of new air-to-ground anti-armour weapons for close-support aircraft. The three-pronged program led to the CBU-92/B ERAM (Extended Range Anti-Armour Munition), the CBU-90/B ACM (Anti-Armour Cluster Munition), and the Wasp anti-armour missile. The Wasp is regarded as the most advanced of these weapons.

Development began in 1979, with Boeing and Hughes Aircraft as the primary contractors. The specification called for a small missile which could be carried in large numbers by attack aircraft in multiple dispensers - the A-10 was able to carry several 12 round launcher pods. The Boeing design was unsuccessful, and the USAF selected the Hughes Wasp missile.

The AGM-124A was a small weapon with folding wings and fins to reduce storage space within the launcher. It was intended to be launched in large numbers - 10 or more missiles launched nearly simultaneously was envisaged for a typical attack; indeed the name Wasp derived from this “swarm” tactic. The missiles would follow a pre-programmed path to the target area before activating a millimetric-wave radar to identify and home on a specific target. This high resolution radar was able to distinguish targets even against enemy jamming and high background clutter from the ground.

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Assault Weapons List

02/05/09 1317 hours

AK Series Weapons

American Arms

AK-Y 39

AK-F 39

AK-C 47

AK-F 47

Arsenal

SLR (all)

SLG (all)

B-West

AK-47 (all)

Hesse Arms

Model 47 (all)

Wieger STG 940 Rifle

Inter Ordnance - Monroe, NC

RPK

M-97

AK-47 (all)

Kalashnikov USA

Hunter Rifle / Saiga

MAADI CO

* AK 47

* ARM

MISR (all)

MISTR (all)

Made in China

* 84S

* AKM

* 86S

* AKS

* 56

* AK

* 56S

* AK47

MARS

Pistol

Mitchell Arms, Inc.

M-90

AK-47 (all)

AK-47 Cal .308 (all)

M-76

RPK

Monday, October 02, 2000

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* Specifically named in the Robert-Roos Assault Weapons Control Act of 1989

and required to be registered by March 31, 1992

Norinco

* 86 S

86 (all)

* 84 S

81 S (all)

* 56

RPK Rifle

NHM 90, 90-2, 91 Sport

AK-47 (all)

MAK 90

* 56 S

Hunter Rifle

Ohio Ordnance Works (o.o.w.)

ROMAK 991

AK-74

Poly technologies

* AKS

* AK47

Valmet

Hunter Rifle

76 S

WUM

WUM (all)

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