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Michael Yon has a new one.

By The Armorer on February 22, 2007 | | Comments (19)

Fox News Story here.

And, of course, I can't open Yon's website, thanks to Fox readers swarming it.

So, as of now, nothing to go with but this picture.

Michael Yon's Mystery Weapon #2.


First thing that pops to mind is the XM47 US riot control grenade - which are roughly that size. They're made out of rubber, and have a blow-out hole in them. When you throw them (don't hold on too long!) the plug blows out and the gas expels in a jet, causing the grenade to skitter around, building your CS cloud faster than the standard grenade. I used them a lot on the HHB 35th DIVARTY when evaluating their annual training in the mid-late 80's.

You can see an excellent example of them here at InertOrd.net.

Whattaya you guys think?

Update: Another weapon that comes to mind is the warhead for a RAW (Rifleman's Assault Weapon) -type weapon.

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19 Comments

By marvin on February 22, 2007 1:58 PM
Darn, we haven't had the chance to send you guys 3 dozen emails about this.
 
By KCSteve on February 22, 2007 2:46 PM
I remember the posting where this was found. The title was something like "The Devil's Foyer". At that time the EOD tech said it was a cluster munition and got very excited when he saw the soldier carrying it - the "drop that and we all die" kind of excited. Based on my memory of that entry it's about grapefruit sized, just in case that aids in any way. You might be able to Google up Yon's original entry and do an end run around the swarm. Oh, and I repeat: he's now a verb: Yon'd - to inflict a DDOS attack on yourself by asking a question a significant portion of the net finds interesting.
 
By John of Argghhh! on February 22, 2007 2:55 PM
Cluster munition, eh? Hmmmm.
 
By John of Argghhh! on February 22, 2007 2:59 PM
I found that post, Steve. Good call. That said - this thing doesn't look like any cluster munition I'm familiar with - it's too large for those. Not saying it *isn't* a sub-munition for something, it just doesn't look like the ones I know or have references for. But then, my references for China, India, and others aren't all that complete, either.
 
By Trias on February 22, 2007 4:14 PM
It looks to me like something that's been pulled apart and put back together.
 
By MajMike on February 22, 2007 4:45 PM
i'm one of the guilties who was slamming on the Yon site this morning from FOX, and i came away with the impression that this puppy is a wee bit bigger than the riot control grenades you pointed to. i was then thinking along the lines of that RAW thingie, but couldn't put my finger on the picture i had in my head. i'm definitely leaning towards that Brunswick since you posted that pic.
 
By ry on February 22, 2007 4:46 PM
Gawd. Look at the real complicated assembly for launching that thing. I can see why they moved to the underslung grenade set up. Why'd they move away from the simple system they used with the M-1?
   
By John of Argghhh! on February 22, 2007 5:01 PM
Hence, Ry, one of several reasons why they didn't proceed with the system. That said, the M16 flash suppressor is sized to fit standard NATO rifle grenades, but we choose not to use them (hence no sight for same), preferring the 40mm grenade launchers instead.
 
By Gwedd on February 22, 2007 5:53 PM
Comrades, Except for the color, I'd say it was a 12lb spherical case, missing the borman fuse. If the color is actually vertigris, then I'd set it down real gentle and not let anyone use it for a sad iron. Could also be the top of a flag pole..... Just sayin....... Respects,
 
By John of Argghhh! on February 22, 2007 6:32 PM
Spherical case is actually the *first* thing that popped into my head, too, AW1 Tim. Flagpole topper, though. That one didn't make it!
 
By Old Fat Sailor on February 22, 2007 7:22 PM
Guys, that fuse looks like a Borman variation I saw when I found a live CSA spherical case round in the museum where my wife was director. Did they find a 12 pounder Napoleon about as well? (BTW the AF EOD types that "disarmed" it didn't believe the bursting charge would still work...heh watching them trying to stomp out the fire in the hay meadow was quite amusing, I assumed a Gunner's Mate's smirk of superiority you might know)
 
By Gwedd on February 22, 2007 8:29 PM
John, et al, Lookit hereL http://www.iglou.com/btreasure/blown1.jpg This is a blown borman fuse. Note the square hole in the center, and the outer ring, then compare to the image of the whatziss. That site also has some similar images of bormans, case and shell, etc. makes ya go hmmmmmm....... Respects,
 
By Justthisguy on February 22, 2007 9:53 PM
That green-glowing thing in the first pic? PRECIOUSSSS, MY PRECIOUUSSS!!!
 
By Eagle1 on February 23, 2007 9:35 AM
Sorta looks like one of the APERS balls pictured in the middle of this page: here. Or as my EOD friends told me - you should not be playing with that...
 
By John of Argghhh! on February 23, 2007 9:49 AM
No, Eagle, those are all too small, and have vanes to make them spin, etc. I'm leaning towards something South African, but I'm having trouble finding good sources. Off to the Combat Arms Research Library at the Fort to see what their Jane's collection might have to offer.
 
By lucasm on February 23, 2007 11:58 AM
Not being in a combat arms branch (ANC Officer), I don't know a lot about weaponry, but it seems to be to be too big to throw easily as it seems to be made of metal. This leads to the line of thought that it either needs to be placed or launched. If it is to be launched, where's the launcher? And also it doesn't seem too aerodynamic, I have a feeling it wouldn't be to accurate or fly too far. If it's to be placed (like a claymore, or an antitank mine) why isn't it flat? Aren't most of those things directional? It looks like something that Boris Baddenoff would light and throw at Rocky and Bullwinkle. Do you suppose it's just a mock up to confuse the US troops, or even more subtly, to undermine pulbic morale in the US by giving the impression that they (Ali Baba) have weapons that we haven't even seen before? VEry interesting.
 
By lucasm on February 23, 2007 11:58 AM
Not being in a combat arms branch (ANC Officer), I don't know a lot about weaponry, but it seems to be to be too big to throw easily as it seems to be made of metal. This leads to the line of thought that it either needs to be placed or launched. If it is to be launched, where's the launcher? And also it doesn't seem too aerodynamic, I have a feeling it wouldn't be to accurate or fly too far. If it's to be placed (like a claymore, or an antitank mine) why isn't it flat? Aren't most of those things directional? It looks like something that Boris Baddenoff would light and throw at Rocky and Bullwinkle. Do you suppose it's just a mock up to confuse the US troops, or even more subtly, to undermine pulbic morale in the US by giving the impression that they (Ali Baba) have weapons that we haven't even seen before? VEry interesting.
 
By IllTemperedCur on February 23, 2007 2:35 PM
It's pretty obvious that it's a Jedi Training Remote...