China Lake NATIC
Encyclopedia
The China Lake Model is a pump-action grenade launcher that was developed by the Special Projects Division of the China Lake Naval Weapons Center
, which provided equipment to Navy SEALs
.
and XM148 grenade launchers, and the repeating T148E1 grenade launcher were unreliable, so a request was made to China Lake engineers. SEAL Teams were pleased with the resultant pump-action grenade launcher, since the tubular magazine held three 40x46mm grenades
, and so with one grenade in the chamber, four grenades could rapidly be fired before reloading. In fact, a skilled operator could fire four aimed shots before the first one landed. The grenade launcher was extremely light for its size, since a significant portion of it was made of aluminum. The weapon actually weighs 1½ pounds less empty than an empty M79. Loaded with 4 of the 8 ounce rounds, the 4 shot weapon weighs only 1/2 pound more than the single shot M79. Despite this advantage in firepower, it did have limitations as it could not reliably feed the more oddly-shaped 40mm grenades.
The pump-action grenade launcher featured leaf iron sights
similar to the M79. The front sight is a fixed square notch. Depending on if the leaf is folded or not, the rear square notch is either fixed or adjustable from 75 to 400 m in 25 m increments.
Though meant for the SEAL Teams, a handful were used by Marine Force Recon
and Army 5th Special Forces Group.
Sources differ as to how many weapons were produced. One claims that between 20 and 30 were made. However, according to another source, only 16 were made. The highest original receiver number found is 50, but it may never have been made into a functional weapon. Noted SEAL historian, Kevin Dockery has confirmed 22 completed guns being carried on Navy records. Currently, only 3 originals remain under US Navy control.
It is sometimes mistakenly referred to as the EX-41 or as the "China Lake NATIC". The EX-41 was a design concept created in the mid-1980s based upon the earlier China Lake Model Pump 40mm. The EX-41 was produced in prototype form a full 2 decades after the China Lake Model was produced. The China Lake NATIC designation is also erroneous as the weapon was never known by that designation. Since it was made on an ad hoc basis for special operations forces, it was not formally adopted and has no official designation.
All 4 remaining original China Lake Model grenade launchers are on display in museums. One, serial number 4, is at the UDT/ SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce, Florida
while serial number 13, is found in the War Remnants Museum (Ho Chi Minh City)
in Vietnam.. Two additional launchers are on limited display in highly restricted US Navy facilities. Neither facility is open to the public.
In June 2007, a taping of an episode of the popular military technology program, Weaponology
was filmed which announced that Trident had been approached by a U.S. company seeking to license their intellectual property in exchange for a royalty on each weapon produced.
In October 2009, the U.S. company had cancelled its contract to manufacture any variation of the launchers.
Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake
- About : is part of under Commander, Navy Installation Command and is located in the Western Mojave Desert region of California, approximately north of Los Angeles. Occupying three counties – Kern, San Bernardino and Inyo – the installation’s closest neighbors are the cities of Ridgecrest,...
, which provided equipment to Navy SEALs
United States Navy SEALs
The United States Navy's Sea, Air and Land Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's principal special operations force and a part of the Naval Special Warfare Command as well as the maritime component of the United States Special Operations Command.The acronym is derived from their...
.
History
The M79M79 grenade launcher
The M79 grenade launcher is a single-shot, shoulder-fired, break-action grenade launcher that fires a 40x46mm grenade which used what the US Army called the High-Low Propulsion System to keep recoil forces low, and first appeared during the Vietnam War...
and XM148 grenade launchers, and the repeating T148E1 grenade launcher were unreliable, so a request was made to China Lake engineers. SEAL Teams were pleased with the resultant pump-action grenade launcher, since the tubular magazine held three 40x46mm grenades
40 mm grenade
The 40mm grenade is a military grenade caliber for grenade launchers in service with many armed forces. There are two main types in service: the 40×46mm, which is a low-velocity round used in hand-held grenade launchers; and the high-velocity 40×53mm, used in mounted and crew-served weapons. The...
, and so with one grenade in the chamber, four grenades could rapidly be fired before reloading. In fact, a skilled operator could fire four aimed shots before the first one landed. The grenade launcher was extremely light for its size, since a significant portion of it was made of aluminum. The weapon actually weighs 1½ pounds less empty than an empty M79. Loaded with 4 of the 8 ounce rounds, the 4 shot weapon weighs only 1/2 pound more than the single shot M79. Despite this advantage in firepower, it did have limitations as it could not reliably feed the more oddly-shaped 40mm grenades.
The pump-action grenade launcher featured leaf iron sights
Iron sights
Iron sights are a system of shaped alignment markers used as a sighting device to assist in the aiming of a device such as a firearm, crossbow, or telescope, and exclude the use of optics as in telescopic sights or reflector sights...
similar to the M79. The front sight is a fixed square notch. Depending on if the leaf is folded or not, the rear square notch is either fixed or adjustable from 75 to 400 m in 25 m increments.
Though meant for the SEAL Teams, a handful were used by Marine Force Recon
United States Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance
The Force Reconnaissance Companies , are one of the United States Marine Corps's special operations "capable" forces that provide essential elements of military intelligence to the command element of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force ; supporting the landing or joint task force commanders, and...
and Army 5th Special Forces Group.
Sources differ as to how many weapons were produced. One claims that between 20 and 30 were made. However, according to another source, only 16 were made. The highest original receiver number found is 50, but it may never have been made into a functional weapon. Noted SEAL historian, Kevin Dockery has confirmed 22 completed guns being carried on Navy records. Currently, only 3 originals remain under US Navy control.
It is sometimes mistakenly referred to as the EX-41 or as the "China Lake NATIC". The EX-41 was a design concept created in the mid-1980s based upon the earlier China Lake Model Pump 40mm. The EX-41 was produced in prototype form a full 2 decades after the China Lake Model was produced. The China Lake NATIC designation is also erroneous as the weapon was never known by that designation. Since it was made on an ad hoc basis for special operations forces, it was not formally adopted and has no official designation.
All 4 remaining original China Lake Model grenade launchers are on display in museums. One, serial number 4, is at the UDT/ SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce, Florida
Fort Pierce, Florida
Fort Pierce, also spelled Ft. Pierce, is a city in St. Lucie County, Florida, USA. It is known as The Sunrise City. The population was 37,959 at the 2004 census. As of 2008, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 41,000. It is the county seat of St. Lucie County.Fort Pierce is part...
while serial number 13, is found in the War Remnants Museum (Ho Chi Minh City)
War Remnants Museum (Ho Chi Minh City)
The War Remnants Museum is a war museum at 28 Vo Van Tan, in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It primarily contains exhibits relating to the American phase of the Vietnam War....
in Vietnam.. Two additional launchers are on limited display in highly restricted US Navy facilities. Neither facility is open to the public.
Improvements
An effort to produce an improved version of the weapon began in 1992 when Samuel "Dutch" Hillenburg, a firearms writer specializing in military weapons, teamed up with master machinist Brian Fauci. In 2003, they achieved a breakthrough and were able to convince fellow writer and firearms enthusiast Captain Monty Mendenhall to finance their research effort. By 2004, they had a functional prototype and had formed Trident Enterprises Ltd. to continue their work on the project.In June 2007, a taping of an episode of the popular military technology program, Weaponology
Weaponology
Weaponology is a documentary television series that premiered on November 6, 2007 on the Discovery Channel. The program also airs on the Military Channel.- Episode list :...
was filmed which announced that Trident had been approached by a U.S. company seeking to license their intellectual property in exchange for a royalty on each weapon produced.
In October 2009, the U.S. company had cancelled its contract to manufacture any variation of the launchers.
Users
-
- Navy SEALsUnited States Navy SEALsThe United States Navy's Sea, Air and Land Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's principal special operations force and a part of the Naval Special Warfare Command as well as the maritime component of the United States Special Operations Command.The acronym is derived from their...
- United States Marine Corps Force ReconnaissanceUnited States Marine Corps Force ReconnaissanceThe Force Reconnaissance Companies , are one of the United States Marine Corps's special operations "capable" forces that provide essential elements of military intelligence to the command element of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force ; supporting the landing or joint task force commanders, and...
- 5th Special Forces Group
- Navy SEALs
See also
- EX 41 grenade launcherEX 41 grenade launcherThe EX 41 grenade launcher, also called the Shoulder-Fired Weapon , was a prototype multi-shot grenade launcher that was never adopted by the United States military. Most of its development was at Naval Ordnance Station, Louisville for the US Marine Corps in order to replace the single-shot M203...
- M79 grenade launcherM79 grenade launcherThe M79 grenade launcher is a single-shot, shoulder-fired, break-action grenade launcher that fires a 40x46mm grenade which used what the US Army called the High-Low Propulsion System to keep recoil forces low, and first appeared during the Vietnam War...
- M203 grenade launcherM203 grenade launcherThe M203 is a single shot 40 mm grenade launcher designed to attach to a rifle. It uses the same rounds as the older M79 break-action grenade launcher, which utilize the High-Low Propulsion System to keep recoil forces low. Though versatile, and compatible with many rifle models, the M203 was...
- M32 grenade LauncherMilkor MGLThe MGL is a lightweight 40 mm semi-automatic, 6-shot grenade launcher developed and manufactured in South Africa by Milkor Ltd. The MGL was demonstrated as a concept to the South African Defence Force in 1981. The operating principle was immediately accepted and subjected to a stringent...
- M320 grenade launcherXM320M320 Grenade Launcher Module is the U.S. Military's designation for a new single-shot 40 mm grenade launcher system to replace the M203.for the US Army, while other services use older M203...
- Mk 19 grenade launcherMk 19 grenade launcherThe Mk 19 Grenade Launcher is a 40 mm belt-fed automatic grenade launcher or grenade machine gun that entered U.S. military service during the Cold War, first seeing action during the Vietnam War and remaining in service today.-Overview:...