It isn’t uncommon for Navy vessels to be harassed by speedboats operated by various militant groups. However, footage of what the Navy could do to handle these encounters suggest the nation’s military forces have been showing restraint. While many of these speedboats are well-equipped, they aren’t prepared to deal with the Mk 38 Bushmaster.
Iranian speedboats owned by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, which is not officially affiliated with the actual Iranian Navy, have harassed US Navy vessels numerous times. The watercrafts, previously referred to as “Boghammars” as a nod to the Swedish company that produced them, are typically equipped with a variety of weapons including heavy machine guns and rockets.
These Iranian speedboats originally crafted a reputation after they were seen attacking merchant ships during the Iran-Iraq War, though their primary threat to US Navy warships is usually based on them being used as a suicide craft.
However, US Navy vessels do have options for managing these encounters, including the M2 heavy machine gun and the Mk 38 Mod 2 Bushmaster.
The M2 has a solid reputation, but the Mk38 Bushmaster isn’t as well known, even though it is regularly used. It is the main armament on Cyclone-class patrol crafts and has its place on various other Navy ships. It was also previously used on the M2/M3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle, where the Army refers to it as the M242.
While the Mk 38 Bushmaster isn’t necessarily designed to destroy a take (though it could, with a little luck), it is a strong weapon against a range of military-style vehicles, trucks, helicopters, and aircraft. It is also a method for managing large groups of opposing military ground troops or militants.
A video was posted that showed precisely what a Mk 38 Mod 2 Bushmaster, in conjunction with an M2, can do to an Iranian speedboat or similar craft.
The footage is of a live-fire exercise. The targeted watercraft was unmanned, allowing for a full demonstration of the Mk38 Bushmaster’s capabilities.
The results are impressive, with the target vessel ultimately bursting into flames after being critically damaged.
