A MK-20 is an "aga" full face mask. A MK-15 is a rebreather. I am sure there a ton more examples, so where does the MK ("mark") come from and is there a rhyme or reason to their numbering scheme?
Why is Navy Diving Gear MK ???
- Thread starter Otter
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daniel f aleman
Contributor
The military letter designation "Mk" or "mark", means make or version, and is used by all services for equipment in production - always seen in combination with a number that indicates the order of adoption. Abbreviated as Mark-4 tank or M-16 rifle, etc.
daniel f aleman
Contributor
Same thing.
OP
Just to be clear, its the order of adoption of the specific 'type' of gear so the MK-20 mask was the 20th model of mask adopted by the Navy...as opposed to the 20th piece of diving gear?
DennisS
Contributor
Then you have the MKx, Mod 1,2..... etc
daniel f aleman
Contributor
That's correct Otter.
1_T_Submariner
Contributor
They also use it for weapons like a MK-48 is a Torpedo (not sure if it is current any more)
Or the big boys use another designation that tell more detail like UGM-73A Undersea (Or Underwater) Guided Missile.
Or the big boys use another designation that tell more detail like UGM-73A Undersea (Or Underwater) Guided Missile.
The uses of the 'M' or 'Mark' or 'Mk' designations are extremely variable, among nations, branches of service, and over time. The designation M16 absolutely does not mean that there were 15 weapons of its type previously adopted. Consider the M1 Rifle. Its predecessor in US Army service was a variant of the 1903 Springfield (A3). The M1 Garand was more or less replaced by the M14. There was an M2 rifle, but it was a limited issue sniper's rifle. The M16 was the military version of the privately developed Armalite AR 15. When the US army accepted the weapon, it simply jumped the number from 15 to 16, and replaced the commercial 'AR' with an 'M'.
Classic British rifle marks are are bit more logical, but not much. Lee-Enfield later became just plain Enfield, and the 'Marks" were in Roman numerals (usually). The SMLE (Short Magazine Lee Enfield) Mark III was succeded by the Mark IV, but there are many variants, usually identified by an Arabic number. Similar Marks were applied to British military aircraft, with variants identified by small case letters: Spitfire Mark V (b).
The US Navy has its own production and adoption codes, but these are also devoid of any obvious clarity. A 'Mark' may be the model actually adopted out of a much longer numerical sequence of tested but not approved versions. Or, the 'Mark" may have a different justification entirely.
Manufacturers like Scubapro use the 'Mk' designation primarily because it sounds sexy and has a military flavor. Actually, all this commercial 'Mark' stuff, whether it's Jaguars or regulators, is just hype. Walter Mitty stuff.
Classic British rifle marks are are bit more logical, but not much. Lee-Enfield later became just plain Enfield, and the 'Marks" were in Roman numerals (usually). The SMLE (Short Magazine Lee Enfield) Mark III was succeded by the Mark IV, but there are many variants, usually identified by an Arabic number. Similar Marks were applied to British military aircraft, with variants identified by small case letters: Spitfire Mark V (b).
The US Navy has its own production and adoption codes, but these are also devoid of any obvious clarity. A 'Mark' may be the model actually adopted out of a much longer numerical sequence of tested but not approved versions. Or, the 'Mark" may have a different justification entirely.
Manufacturers like Scubapro use the 'Mk' designation primarily because it sounds sexy and has a military flavor. Actually, all this commercial 'Mark' stuff, whether it's Jaguars or regulators, is just hype. Walter Mitty stuff.
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