In early 1970-th British SRN6 hovercraft was tested as close support with four variants of armament installation. They were 2 type of 40mm US grenade launchers, ATGM “Swingfire” and 81mm mortar.
I have an idea about how were mounted Gls and ATGM. But nothing about mortar mount. Have anybody any idea about it?
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If you saw the damage the recoil from the 81mm mortar did to the suspension of an AFV 432 (M113?) I'd be suprised........ No, I'd be dumbstruck if one were ever fired from a hovercraft. And even more so if it were fired twice! They were seated on special bags in the 432's (called RASCHEN bags) but the fact remains that the recoil still has to go downwards. And if it is buffered by bags of foam or springs or rubberised blocks etc etc it then generates.................. Anyway, the suspension was soon destroyed. I could be proved wrong but.
There was a joint Navy Army Hovercraft trials unit operating in Malaya where they might be useful in the tidal mangrove swamps. I saw them doing a beach trial once at a place called Tanjong Balai. One of the blokes on the trial told us that on open beaches, the sun dried the beaches within an hour and any landings just caused a huge sand storm
If you saw the damage the recoil from the 81mm mortar did to the suspension of an AFV 432 (M113?)
There were two types for the M113s and one was the 81mm. The other was the 4.2" called the M106 I think. The 81mm mount was directly in a rotational bed and used to crack the body of the M113s so they stopped it. They were only on issue in CFEurope I think. We never even saw them over here. High mobility as was the doctrine in Germany...here we motorized them.
I wouldn't even want to try a MAG from a hovercraft. Let alone something with destructive recoil like a high angle weapon. The swingfire would be a joke as it would have a launch excursion at once because the platform would never be stable.
Yes, I believe they tested them...usually the brainstorm of a less than savvy, non field type general offr...with no actual field experience.
The US Navy operates hovercraft for ship to shore Marine landing transports. Having seen them in operation on one occasion I can tell you that they are fast, but the spray plum they generate while off shore makes them visible for miles. It goes without saying that they would be easily targeted and probably knocked out by ATGMs during an opposed landing. As Peter said above, they create their own sandstorm once they come ashore.
SRN6 hovercraft was tested as close support with four variants of armament installation. They were 2 type of 40mm US grenade launchers, ATGM “Swingfire” and 81mm mortar.
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