Greeting ATS'ers. This has apparently been around for a while. I thought perhaps we would have a refresher for those who don't know it personally.

Chances are, if you come across this little gal, you've already felt it, but in case you haven't, you should try to avoid it. :p


Here's a picture, so you can pin it up in your locker.

Ain't she purty? It's hard to believe she can penetrate 40 mm of steel. for those of us that don't speak metric, that's 1.575 inches

Description

The M2 selectable lightweight attack munition (SLAM) is a multipurpose munition with an anti-tamper feature. The SLAM is compact and weighs only 1 kilogram, so it is easily portable. The SLAM is intended for use against APCs, parked aircraft, wheeled or tracked vehicles, stationary targets (such as electrical transformers), small fuel-storage tanks (less than 10,000-gallon), and ammunition storage facilities. The explosive formed projectile (EFP) warhead can penetrate 40 millimeters of homogeneous steel.

This is an illustration of how the Explosive Formed Projectile (EFP) is brought to life. It needs about 6-8 inches (roughly) to come out of it's cocoon.

The SLAM is produced in three versions:
M2 - Solid green, with no labels, which silently self-neutralizes at the end of its active period (either 4, 10 or 24 hours)
M3 - Can only be used in the command detonated mode.
M4 - Green with a black painted warhead face, which self destructs at the end of its active period (either 4, 10 or 24 hours)

The SLAM will detonate when an attempt is made to change the selector switch's position after arming.

(In case you need someone to tell you....if you haven't blown up already when you see one, don't jack with the selector switch!)

An excerpt from a .mil

B. SUMMARY OF PROBLEM: TWO ACCIDENTS RECENTLY OCCURRED DURING M2 SLAM TRAINING EXERCISES RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY. THE INCIDENTS INVOLVE SOLDIERS APPROACHING AN UNDETONATED SLAM. BECAUSE OF THE FIRST INCIDENT, USASOC SUSPENDED ALL USE OF THE SLAM (REF 1) PENDING THE RESULTS OF THE ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION. SUBSEQUENTLY, USASOC AUTHORIZED THE SLAM FOR CONTINGENCY/OPERATIONAL USE (REF 2). THIS AUTHORIZATION EMPHASIZED THAT OPERATORS SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS MUNITION, ESPECIALLY THE ANTITAMPERING AND MAGNETIC SENSING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MUNITION WHEN IN THE MINE MODE (THESE CHARACTERISTICS ALSO APPLY TO THE SIDE ATTACK MODE), AND THEY SHOULD ALSO BE AWARE THAT ONCE THE MUNITION IS ACTIVATED, THE MODE ORIGINALLY SET CANNOT BE CHANGED. IN RESPONSE TO THE SECOND ACCIDENT, USASOC AGAIN SUSPENDED USE OF THE SLAM (REF 3). PROCEDURAL ERRORS WERE FACTORS IN BOTH ACCIDENTS; NO SPECIFIC MATERIAL FAILURE ISSUES WERE VALIDATED; HOWEVER, IT IS UNCLEAR IF MATERIEL FAILURE ISSUES WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

Bottom Attack

The SLAM has a built-in magnetic sensor, so it can be used as a magnetic- influenced munition against trucks and light armored vehicles. It can be concealed along trails and roads where target vehicles operate and can be camouflaged with dry leaves, grass, and so forth without affecting EFP performance. Mud, gravel, water, and other debris that fill the EFP cup have minimal impact on EFP formation and effectiveness as long as the debris does not extend beyond the depth of the EFP cup. The magnetic sensor is designed to trigger detonation when it senses a vehicle's overpass. For the EFP to form properly, it needs a minimum of 13 centimeters from the point of emplacement to the target. The bottom-attack mode is active when the selector switch is set to 4, 10, or 24 HOURS and the passive infrared sensor (PIRS) cover is in place. The SLAM will self-destruct (M4) or self-neutralize (M2) if the selected time expires before the SLAM is detonated by a vehicle.


Side Attack

The SLAM is equipped with a PIRS that was specifically developed for the side-attack mode. The PIRS detects trucks and light armored vehicles by sensing the change in background temperature when vehicles cross in front of the PIRS port. The PIRS is directional and aligned with the EFP when the device is aimed. The side-attack mode is active when the SLAM selector switch is set to 4, 10, or 24 HOURS and the PIRS cover is removed to expose the PIRS. The SLAM will self-destruct (M4) or self-neutralize (M2) if the selected time expires before it is detonated by a vehicle.


Timed Demolition

The SLAM's built-in timer will trigger detonation at the end of a selected time. The timed-demolition mode is active when the SLAM selector switch is set to 15, 30, 45, or 60 MINUTES. In this mode, the magnetic sensor and the PIRS are inoperable, and the SLAM will detonate after the selected time has expired.


Command Detonation

This mode provides manual warhead initiation using standard military blasting caps and a priming adapter. The command-detonation capability bypasses the SLAM's fuse and safing and arming (S&A) assembly.

Originally posted by Retikx
Some IED's used on troops in Afghanistan and Iraq employ this exacts same concept but on a much larger scale, they are termed EFP's (explosively formed penetrator) and are said to be able to penetrate anything we have. Scary



www.sri.com...

www.defensetech.org...

[edit on 26-9-2009 by Retikx]