US Marines’ rocket launcher gets new significant improvement

The U.S. Marine Corps will soon receive a significant improvement to a rocket launcher system that soldiers have been using for decades.

Marines are expected to begin fielding an upgraded version of the M72 Light Assault Weapon (LAW) called the M72 LAW Fire from Enclosure (FFE) later this year, according to a press release issued last week by the Marine Corps Systems Command Public Affairs.

Military news outlet Special Operations Forces Report (SOFREP) called the new weapon “a 21st-century upgrade” that “promises to revolutionize how Marines fight” in a report published on Friday, maintaining that the upgrade eliminates a “dangerous vulnerability.”

The FFE system in the updated rocket launcher significantly reduces the “backblast” of the weapon when fired in an enclosed space, allowing it to potentially be fired from inside a room without exposing soldiers or others in the area to explosions or flying debris.

“This isn’t just a new rocket; it’s a paradigm shift,” SOFREP reported. “The M72 FFE allows Marines to launch devastating firepower from within buildings and bunkers, eliminating the dangerous vulnerability they previously faced when firing the LAW from an exposed position.”

Newsweek reached out for comment to the U.S. Marine Corps via email on Friday night.

Backblast created by the FFE-equipped LAW was compared favorably to a handheld M9 pistol in the press release. A similar comparison was made concerning the reduced “flash” created when the weapon is fired, making it harder for enemies to detect from afar.

Scott Adams, the product manager for ammo at the Marine Corps Systems Command, hailed the redesign’s ability to help Marines avoid engaging with enemy fighters in close quarters.

“This new capability removes the Marine from exposure to enemy engagement by introducing the FFE capability,” Adams said in a statement included in the release. “The FFE and the reduced thermal signature provides the Marine with an added layer of protection.”

Systems Command Media Chief Morgan Blackstock told Marine Corps Times that the FFE system means that operators of the weapon no longer have “to aim straight while pushing down, causing a ‘jerk’ or overcorrection of aim.”

The new LAW will come in two variants: one designed to fire rockets capable of piercing armored vehicles and a “multi-purpose” version designed to attack fortified structures in urban environments.

The upgraded rocket launchers will also feature a new trigger mechanism and sling design that could reportedly improve comfort and maneuverability for the soldiers who are operating the weapon.

Marine Corps Systems Command said it worked “closely” with the U.S. Army to acquire the new rocket launchers, which are expected to go into service later this year. The Marines will reportedly be able to “fully” field the weapons sometime in 2027.

The FFE-equipped version of LAW was previously announced by the Marine Corps in 2020, with an initial goal of fielding the weapons by 2022 not being met.