Military


M3 Multi-Role Anti-Armor Anti-Personnel Weapon System (MAAWS)
84mm Ranger Antitank Weapons System (RAWS)

The Multi-role, anti-armor, anti-personnel weapon system is the primary anti-armor and anti-personnel weapon for US Army Special Operations Command and US Naval Special Warfare Command users within the U.S. Special Operations Command. The MAAWS consists of the M3 recoilless rifle, weighing less than 25 pounds and under 43 inches in length with a family of ammunition consisting of High Explosive Anti-Tank, High Explosive Dual Purpose, High Explosive, Smoke and Illuminating rounds plus a Target Practice round and subcaliber training system. The primary mission is to defeat lightly armored vehicles, soft skinned vehicles, personnel in the open or defilade, and field fortifications. Secondary missions include marking threat targets with smoke for supporting weapons, obscuring threat weapons and illuminating threat targets. It is employed by Army Rangers and Navy SEALS during special operations missions, infiltration, exfiltration, raids, ambushes and defensive operations.
The Multi-Role Anti-Armor Anti-Personnel Weapon System (MAAWS) consists of the M3 Carl Gustaf Recoilless Rifle and a family of 84mm ammunition. Originally fielded to the US Rangers in 1990, the program has grown to include NAVY Seals. The M3 Rifle weighs approximately 25 pounds and is 42 inches in length. There is a Picatinny Fire Control Device (PFCD) developed at Picatinny for the MAAWS. The PFCD is used as a mount for optical/night sights. It is used to address trajectory differences between HEAT, HE, and HEDP rounds. The PFCD contains a dual function knob that can be used to select round type and range. The original FCD from Bofors was a two-cam design (HEAT & HE). A second knob with a third cam for the HEDP firing. Idea of switching knobs was not favorable by the Rangers, therefore Picatinny was tasked to design a three-cam FCD to replace the Bofors' FCD. The M3 rifle and the supporting family of ammunition are manufactured by Bofors of Sweden.

Description A shoulder-fired, air jumpable, and swimmable system. An 84mm non-developmental item (NDI) recoilless rifle system consisting of:

  • M3 Carl Gustav reusable launcher compatible with current standard optical devices.
  • High explosive anti-tank (HEAT) round.
  • High explosive dual purpose (HEDP) round.
  • High explosive (HE) round for anti-personnel use.
  • Smoke round.
  • Illumination round.
  • Full and subcaliber training systems.

Status

  • System fielded with U.S. Army Special Operations Command since 1990.
  • Test and evaluation ongoing to support Naval Special Warfare Command’s fielding.
  • Joint integrated product team managing all efforts.
  • Joint integrated product team managing all efforts.

Contractor Bofors Weapons Systems; Sweden

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