Marines Try Out New Explosives

[unhappycamper]

Marines Try Out New Explosives
November 26, 2008
Marine Corps News|by LCpl. Brian M. Woodruff

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Marines with 2nd Combat Engineers Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, fired the M58 A3 line charge from the Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV) for the first time since the ABV hit the fleet.

The line charge, a 350 foot long string of C4 explosives, is launched by an MK 22 Mod 4 rocket mounted on the ABV. The rocket’s purpose is to stretch the charge to its full length. Once the charge is stretched out, Marines detonate it, creating a lane eight meters wide and 100 meters long.

After the charge is detonated, the lane is free of any mines, improvised explosive devices, or other hazards the Marines may face.

“This equipment is vital to us because clearing obstacle fields is one of the four tenants of combat engineering,” said 2nd Lt. Michael D. Barry, ABV platoon commander.

The line charge is packed with 1,750 pounds of C4, and with that much explosive, combat engineers have the ability to breach bigger lanes. This allows Marines to get through with heavy equipment, and bring more fight to the enemy.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/news/article/marine-corps-news/marines-try-out-new-explosives.html?col=1186032366495

[winter999]

1. Awsome.... got to have me some.