NAVY NEWS, MARCH 2008 23
Tankspotting
THE .5 Heavy Machine Gun and Javelin missile system are the
two weapons at the heart of the Heavy Weapons (Anti-Tank)
specialisation.
At first glance the sophisticated electronics of Javelin are a
world apart from the traditional action of the HMG.
But although the two weapons tell different stories of weapon
● 40 Cdo fi re the Javelin missile in Denmark last year during Exercise Noble Mariner
development, their allied natures are known from theatre.
The heavier they are,
“They’re always being used together,” said Mne Mike Collins,
under training as a ‘tankie’. “Whenever you see Javelin, there’s a .5
behind backing it up.
“Javelin is a phenomenal bit of kit,” he added. “It’s one of the
easiest weapon systems you can use.”
“Watching your mates fire it for real out in theatre makes you
realise how much it can do,” said Mne Tom Pike.
But it also highlights the risks that come with that easy strength.
the harder they hit
“You don’t want to be shooting blue on blue. It’s that important.
It’s drilled into us,” said Mne Collins.
AFV – armoured fighting vehicle – recognition is a drill that can
only be perfect, no doubts, no questions.
The walls of the somewhat spartan building assigned to Heavy
Weapons are adorned with pictures and silhouettes of the world’s
‘FIRE and forget’. It’s a
armoured-clad vehicles and tanks.
simple phrase for a simple
Heavy Weapons (Anti-Tank) specialists – the ‘tankies’ – the name really doesn’t say
On a desk in one of the teaching rooms sits a miniature carpark,
task. Run forward, drop to
it all... These are the men who on the battlefield can direct destructive fire on every with micromodels of tanks and vehicles, all less than half an inch
the ground, fire Javelin then
known type of armoured vehicle, whether a heavily armoured tank or terrorist 4x4s, in size and with detailed wheels, gun turrets and distinctive shape.
can blast into buildings and bunkers through narrow doorways, and can observe their
The micromodels, many just the size of a 50p piece, must be
move on while the missile
foe’s every move day and night.
identified through a scope at seven metres distance with absolute
hurtles blithely towards its confidence.
target. Fire and forget. The tankies have to be able to recognise each of 83 vehicles and
But the one big problem with know their different capabilities.
fire and forget is that you need to “We train ultimately to fight armour,” explained C/Sgt Lightfoot.
be really sure what you’re firing “We were formed for high-intensity war-fighting against an army
at. As C/Sgt Mark Lightfoot RM, that has a vast amount of armour.
Heavy Weapons (Anti-tank) chief “However the Taleban don’t have heavy armour. But our skills
instructor, says: “Once locked on, are easily adapted to the current situation’s conflicts – bunkers,
there’s no way of stopping it.” buildings, any vehicles.”
That’s why, down in CTCRM
Live firing of both weapons takes place at Lulworth Camp in the
Lympstone, the tankies – or Heavy
midst of the beautiful Dorset countryside.
Weapon (Anti-Tank) specialists to
The hillside basks in the bright winter sunshine and the gentle
give them their full title – spend a
sound of birdsong is broken up by men’s voices chatting about
hefty part of their six-week HW3
last night’s TV.
training course learning how to
Then bbrrrrrt, bbrrrrrt, bbrrrrrrrt – staccato gunfire flashes
identify, with absolute confi-
through the day’s tranquility and the Heavy Machine Guns begin to
dence, a comprehensive range of
heat up the wintry morning.
armoured vehicles.
The .5 or 50-cal Heavy Machine Gun is a sinister shape that
And this is where the talents of
packs a powerful punch. Although the machine gun has a long
the tankies sometimes go unrecog-
history within the military, the Heavy Machine Gun fell out of favour
nised by the wider military popu-
after the Korean War.
lation.
But the harsh effectiveness of the HMG called it back into
Commanders on the ground
service with the Royal Marines some ten years ago, and it has
know to call on their tankies for
been proving its worth on the front line ever since.
more than just long-distance
destruction, but also for surveil-
lance – that these men have the
ability and the kit to scan the hori-
zon and monitor the action.
As they say, forewarned is fore-
armed.
The impressive Javelin is fired
from the equally impressive
Command Launch Unit or CLU
(spoken as ‘clue’).
“It looks like a 1920s camera,
but it’s the brains of the weapon
● The .5 Heavy Machine Gun is fi red at Lulworth Camp during the HW3 course
system,” said C/Sgt Lightfoot.
“To say that we’re anti-tank is their heavy machine gun courses.
In week three of the HW3
Even without the launch tube,
really a disservice to what the lads However the more advanced
course, the marines head out
the CLU gives an astonishing
can do,” said C/Sgt Lightfoot. “We HW2 and 1 courses – once the
to Lulworth Camp in Dorset to
facility to watch the surrounding
can do so much more. important business of training as
begin their live-fire drill.
landscape. On a bracing morning
“We provide a surveillance serv- a RM corporal or sergeant is com-
The men firing the machine
at Lympstone, buildings on the
ice – day and night. plete – takes place at the Army’s
guns rattling at the scattered tar-
far side of the Exe Estuary are
“We can destroy bunkers and camp in Warminster.
gets on the scarred hillside are
brought into sharp focus through
buildings, weapon emplacements. C/Sgt Lightfoot shrugs: “It’s
midway through the six-week
the eye of the CLU.
“Javelin can destroy all known where the armour is.”
anti-tank course, and once they
Blink. You can count the indi-
armour in the battlefield.” But while the Marines, RAF attained their instructors’ high
vidual windows in the conserva-
However all that punch comes Regiment and Army knock shoul- standards they will take on the
tory extension.
at a price, which is why the pon- ders under training it all bodes challenge of Javelin.
Blink. You can see the thermal
derous power of Javelin is backed well for tactics and battle proce- “I’m looking forward to Javelin,”
shadow of the birds moving in
up by the fast rattle of the Heavy dure out in theatre. joked Mne Pike, “I’m fed up with
the trees.
Machine Gun. Marines Tom Pike and Mike getting filthy on the HMG.”
Blink. You can assess the sur-
The Javelin missile, with its tan- Collins have both recently Once the HW3 title is under
rounding area for any incoming
dem warhead and electronic brains returned from Afghanistan and their belt, these men are waiting
vehicles.
that will drop onto armoured vehi- are both now earning the ‘tankie’ the call out to theatre in their
Of course, shifting the grainy
cles, isn’t cheap, and in many title on the Heavy Weapons (Anti- new role. And there are no doubts
green thermal image into the cases its sibling, the old-fashioned tank) 3 course. about the anti-tank life.
familiar shapes of the miniature HMG, can just as effectively take Mne Collins said: “I’ve been “I’ve been waiting 2½ years
tanks that litter the desks is not down a light-armoured vehicle at using the HMG out in Afghanistan for this,” said Mne Pike. “I joined
easy, but that’s what the tankies significantly less cost. already. It’s an essential bit of an anti-tank troop straight from
are trained to do. It’s a simple case of choosing kit.” training. They were a good bunch
Well, in addition to being the right weapon for the job. Mne Pike added: “The .5 looks of lads and I thought ‘this is for
trained to fire the Javelin mis- The Royal Marines have taken so dated, but that’s a battle win- me’.” ● The name says it all – the .5 Heavy Machine Gun weighs in
sile and Heavy Machine Guns the lead in HMG training, with ner, that is. If you’ve got enemy Mne Collins added: “It’s duty at 38kg for the gun alone, add to it the bulk of the tripod and
(HMG) that make up their tradi- members of the Army and RAF advancing at you, when you use at the sharp end. Afghanistan – it’s ammunition and the weapon more than earns its title, not to
tional trade. regularly travelling to CTCRM for the .5, that’s game over.” a heavy weapons war.” mention the power that it fi res
Pictures: LA(Phot) Andy Hibberd
0023_NN_mar08.indd 123_NN_mar08.indd 1 118/2/08 13:30:548/2/08 13:30:54
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