March 7,2008:
Little things mean a lot. Take the
Mk93 Heavy Machine Gun Mounting System. This thirty pound device fits into a
tripod or vehicle mount for the M2 12.7 (.50 caliber) machine-gun or Mk19
automatic 40mm grenade launcher. The
Mk93 absorbs much of the recoil, making the weapon more stable, and accurate,
while firing. Each Mk93 costs $3,200, and the U.S. Army has recently ordered
another 600 of them. Troops are always eager to get their hands on a Mk93,
because the resulting accuracy can mean the difference between life and death
in combat.