When the Army introduced its whiz-bang XM-25 smart grenade launcher recently, that raised the question of why they were introducing a whole new launcher instead of adding brains to their old Mk 19 40 mm launcher. Now the Mk 19 is getting its own high-tech sight:
Combining a GPS, laser rangefinder and computer, the new Mk19 FCS (Fire Control System) enables gunners to put the first round on the target, at extreme ranges (over 2,000 meters). The FCS can also fire an accurate pattern of 40mm grenades at those same ranges. Moreover, the GPS enables a FCS equipped Mk19 to accurately fire on a target the gunner can’t see.
The FCS also has a camera, which can mark targets, out to 5,000 meters, on a photo, which can be then transmitted to other troops or headquarters. The FCS is also very easy to use for anyone with Mk19 experience. You laze the target, and then use the aiming dot in the sight to mark where the rounds will go.
Getting the first rounds on the target is very important, because once those 40mm rounds start going off, the enemy will dive for cover.
Wonder what the cost delta is between these two.
According to the article, the Mk 19 itself costs $20,000, and its newer replacement, the Mk 47, which already has electronic sighting, costs 50 percent more ($30,000). The XM-25 apparently costs roughly $35,000 — although we might expect that to come down if it enters large-scale production.
If we ignore pecuniary costs, the trade-offs between a large shell and a smaller one come down to lethality per near-hit (larger shells have a larger effective blast radius) versus number of shells that can be carried. The more accurate the fire-control system, the more you’d prefer to have multiple smaller shells. Also, the smaller shells can be launched at higher velocity with a flatter trajectory without overwhelming recoil.