Profile
- Origin
- Belgium
- Built by
- MECAR
- Type
- 76 mm fixed smoke round
- Service note
- Cold War-era 76 mm tank ammunition family
- Produced
- Qualified by 2016
Munitions
76mm SMK-T M337
Also known as
- 76mm SMK (WP)-T M337
- 76 mm SMK (WP)-T M337
- M337
The 76mm SMK-T M337 is MECAR's 76 mm white-phosphorus smoke round for the L5A1 and L23/23A1 guns used by the Alvis Saladin and FV101 Scorpion. Nexter's 2016 catalog describes it as a qualified fixed SMK (WP)-T cartridge with an M23 tracer, a point-detonating fuze, and the same 2,400 m direct-fire / 6,000 m indirect-fire range class as other rounds in the family.
Profile / Specs
Specifications
- Calibre
- 76 mm
- Round type
- Fixed SMK (WP)-T round
- Projectile type
- Steel-bodied white-phosphorus smoke projectile
- Fuze
- Point detonating
- Tracer
- M23
- Gun compatibility
- L5A1 and L23/23A1
- Mission
- Smoke screening, spotting, and signalling
- Round length
- 535 mm
- Round mass
- 7.7 kg
- Projectile mass
- 5.6 kg
- Projectile filler
- 0.5 kg white phosphorus
- Cartridge case
- Brass
- Primer
- Percussion cap
- Propellant
- 0.7 kg single-base propellant
- Muzzle velocity
- 514 m/s
- Range
- 2,400 m direct fire / 6,000 m indirect fire
- Dispersion
- 0.5 mils
- Containerization
- 2 rounds per twin container, 36 containers per pallet
- Operational temperature
- -32°C to +62°C
- UN classification
- 1.2H, UN 0245
- Catalog status
- Qualified
Variants
M337 sits inside MECAR's 76 mm Saladin and Scorpion ammunition family, alongside service, training, canister, smoke, and blank rounds for the L5 and L23 gun systems.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
 | HESH / HEP service round | Nexter and Chemring list M329 as a related 76 mm service round for the same L5A1 and L23/L23A1 gun family. |
| High-explosive tracer round | Nexter states that M337 is ballistically similar to the HE-T M330 cartridge in the same 76 mm family. Sources: Nexter 2016 Catalog |
| HESH training round | Nexter lists M331 as a live-fire training round for the same Saladin and Scorpion 76 mm gun family. Sources: Nexter 2016 Catalog |
 | Short-range canister round | Nexter lists M333 as the close-quarters personnel round in the same 76 mm ammunition set. Sources: Nexter 2016 Catalog |
| Blank training and saluting cartridge | Nexter lists M335 as a fixed blank cartridge for training sound effects and saluting in the same L5A1 and L23/L23A1 gun family. Sources: Nexter 2016 Catalog |
| 76mm SMK BE M334 | Smoke-family round | Chemring lists M334 alongside M337 in the 76 mm L5 and L23 weapon-system ammunition family. Sources: Chemring Munitions Catalog |
Firing Weapons
Nexter places M337 in the fixed 76 mm ammunition set for the Saladin L5A1 and Scorpion L23/L23A1 gun family.
| Firing weapon | Weapon type | Firing evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | 76 mm rifled tank gun | Nexter lists M337 for the 76 mm L5A1 gun used on Saladin vehicles, and Chemring lists M337 in the 76 mm L5 weapon-system ammunition family. |
 | 76 mm low-velocity tank gun | Nexter lists M337 for the L23 and L23A1 guns used on Scorpion light tanks, and Chemring places M337 in the L23 weapon-system ammunition family. |
Carrier Vehicles
Nexter's catalog places M337 in the 76 mm ammunition set for the Saladin and Scorpion gun family.
| Carrier | Carrier type | Carriage evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | 6x6 armored reconnaissance car | Nexter lists M337 for the Saladin's 76 mm L5A1 gun family as smoke-screening ammunition for screening, spotting, and signalling, and Chemring identifies the Saladin as one of the vehicles that use the L5 weapon system family for which the smoke round is offered. |
 | Tracked light tank | Nexter lists M337 for the Scorpion light tank's 76 mm L23/23A1 gun family as smoke-screening ammunition for screening, spotting, and signalling. Sources: Nexter 2016 Catalog |
Catalog Snapshot
Nexter's 2016 catalog defines M337 through a smoke-screening mission, WP projectile, M23 tracer, and compatibility with the Saladin and Scorpion 76 mm gun family.
Mission
Smoke screening, spotting, and signalling from L5A1 and L23/L23A1 guns.
Projectile
Steel-bodied white-phosphorus projectile with a central burster charge, point-detonating fuze, and M23 tracer.
Handling
Fixed brass-cased round with percussion primer, 0.7 kg single-base propellant, two-round twin containers, and 36 containers per pallet.
Status
Nexter listed the round as qualified in its 2016 ammunition catalog.
Source: Nexter 2016 Catalog.
Timeline
76mm SMK-T M337 Key Events
Chemring acquires MECAR
Chemring says it acquired MECAR SPRL in Nivelles, Belgium, in September 2010.
Sources: Chemring heritage
Nexter catalogs M337 as qualified
Nexter's 2016 catalog lists M337 as a qualified 76 mm smoke cartridge for the Saladin and Scorpion gun family.
Sources: Nexter 2016 Catalog
Media
76mm SMK-T M337 Images
Related Weapon Systems
Sources
Chemring Munitions CatalogPublisher: Yumpu / Chemring Group PLC | Note: Supports the 76mm SMK-T M337 listing and broader 76 mm ammunition family background for the L5 and L23 weapon systems used on Scorpion and Saladin vehicles. | Accessed: 2026-07-05Nexter 2016 CatalogPublisher: Internet Archive / Nexter | Note: Supports the M337 designation, qualified status, white-phosphorus smoke role, M23 tracer, gun compatibility, packaging, ballistics, and UN classification. | Accessed: 2026-07-05Mil-Spec Industries M337 listingPublisher: Mil-Spec Industries | Note: Supports an independent product listing identifying M337 as 76MM SMK-T ammunition. | Accessed: 2026-07-05Chemring heritagePublisher: Chemring Group PLC | Note: Supports MECAR's Belgian base and Chemring's September 2010 acquisition of MECAR. | Accessed: 2026-07-0576mm dummy shellPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for the representative 76 mm cartridge image. | Accessed: 2026-07-0576mmShell.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for the second gallery image, a representative 76 mm shell photograph. | Accessed: 2026-07-05