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Jane's Defence Weekly
Mobile mortar systems: More to mortars
Greatly enhanced new-generation mortars are being adopted around the world. Christopher F Foss reports on the latest trends
In most developed armed forces the mortar has become a system that includes not only the mortar, but also the ammunition (mortar bomb, fuze and propellant) and fire-control system.
For many years mortars were under the control of the infantry, normally deployed at battalion level in the support company that typically had six or eight mortars.
As the calibre and range of mortars has increased, a number of countries are moving their mortar assets from the infantry to the artillery arm as the latter has access to a much wider range of surveillance and target acquisition systems. As a result mortars are increasingly being referred to as one of the numerous indirect-fire assets available to the force commander.
For many years mortar systems were normally carried inside the vehicle and when required for action were dismounted and assembled. This is a time-consuming process and when deployed on soft ground the mortar can take even longer to assemble, making the weapon and its crew vulnerable to counter-battery fire.
In mechanised units the mortar is often installed on a turntable mounted at the rear of the vehicle, enabling it to be rapidly brought into action and laid onto a target. The mortar is normally fired through open roof hatches, which exposes the crew to small-arms fire, shell splinters and nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) attack.
There is now a clear trend towards the development and fielding of turret-mounted mortars that not only allow the mortar to be aimed and fired with the crew under complete protection but also have a useful direct-fire capability. This is of particular use in urban operations as well as giving the platform a self-defence capability.
Some of these mortars also have an automatic or semi-automatic loading system, which increases rate of fire but also reduces the size of crew required to operate the system. In addition, a semi-automatic loading system reduces crew fatigue.
China North Industries Corporation ( NORINCO) developed a 120 mm self-propelled (SP) mortar system based on the WZ-551 6 x 6 amphibious armoured personnel carrier (APC), which is used by the People's Liberation Army for a wide range of roles.
The 120 mm mortar turret has traverse through a full 360 degrees with elevation up to more than 80 degrees. The types of rifled ammunition fired include high explosive (HE), high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT), cargo (with 30 bomblets) and rocket-assisted projectile (RAP).
The HEAT projectile is designed for direct-fire engagements and is claimed by the company to have a maximum range of 1,200 m while the RAP has a maximum range of 13,500 m. A maximum of 36 x 120 mm mortar bombs are carried and a semi-automatic loading system is fitted to reduce crew fatigue.
In mid-2006, Patria Weapon Systems rolled out its turret-mounted 120 mm NEw MOrtar (NEMO), which the company has developed as a private venture. This has already been ordered by Slovenia, which will install the system on some of its recently acquired Patria Vehicles 8 x 8 Armoured Modular Vehicles (AMVs).
The NEMO 120 mm turret mortar system only weighs 1,500 kg, which allows it to be installed on a wide range of platforms, tracked and wheeled. The 120 mm breech-loaded mortar has the same ballistics as the ordnance used in the twin 120 mm Advanced MOrtar System (AMOS).
Loading is semi-automatic once the mortar bombs have been put on the loading tray. The NEMO currently has the same type of fire-control system as the one installed in the twin 120 mm AMOS system, which is used by the Finnish Defence Force (FDF). According to Patria Weapon Systems, first rounds can be fired within 30 seconds of the system coming to a halt. The system can fire three rounds in 12 seconds and it is capable of conducting six multiple-round simultaneous impact (MRSI) fire missions.
To meet the potential requirements of Finland and Sweden, the AMOS has been developed by the now BAE Systems Hägglunds and Patria Weapon Systems.
The FDF has taken delivery of the first four systems integrated onto a Patria Vehicles AMV chassis. These are being used for extensive trials and will soon be followed by a further 20 production vehicles.
Semi-automatic loading
The FDF's AMOS is fitted with a semi-automatic loading system, which will enable a cyclic rate of fire of up to 16 rpm to be achieved as well as MRSI fire missions.
Sweden has so far ordered two AMOS systems to be installed on a CV9040 infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) chassis, of which 40 have already been built and stored. The Swedish AMOS will have a higher level of ballistic protection and a more advanced computerised fire-control system.
The 120 mm Armoured Mortar System (AMS) was originally developed as a private venture by the then Delco Systems and RO Defence and is now in service with the Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG) on 73 of its Piranha 8 x 8 light armoured vehicles. Mecar of Belgium has supplied a complete family of ammunition for these systems.
Huta Stalowa Wola (HSW) of Poland is developing a new turret-mounted 120 mm breech-loaded mortar called Yak for installation on tracked and wheeled chassis. The latter includes the locally manufactured Armoured Modular Vehicle. The mortar will have a direct- and indirect-fire capability and also have a new suite of ammunition developed in Poland.
For use with its air assault divisions, Russia has developed a complete family of 120 mm gun/mortar systems. The first of these is the 2S9 Anona, which entered service in 1981.
The system is essentially a BMD-1 air assault vehicle fitted with a new turret armed with a breech-loaded 2A51 ordnance, which has a maximum elevation of +80 degrees with turret traverse of 35 degrees left and right.
The types of ammunition fired include HE-fragmentation (HE-F) (with a maximum range of 8.85 km) and a RAP with a maximum range of 12.8 km. There is also a HEAT round for direct-fire engagements.
In the late 1980s Russia developed the NONA-SVK 2S23 120 mm SP gun-mortar system, which is based on the BTR-80 8 x 8 amphibious APC chassis. The chassis has greater strategic mobility than the full-tracked 2S9.
The turret of the 2S23 is similar to that installed on the older 2S9 but has a 120 mm 2A60 rifled ordnance. This fires the same family of ammunition as the 2S9 with similar range capabilities. This ordnance is also being proposed for installation in the 122 mm 2S1 SP howitzer as part of an upgrade package.
The latest system is the 120 mm 2S31 Vena SP gun/mortar system, which consists of a modified BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicle chassis fitted with a brand new turret armed with a 2A80 ordnance. This can fire the same family of ammunition as the older 2S9 and 2S23 as well as a new generation of ammunition.
This includes an HE projectile with a maximum range of 18 km and a cargo projectile that contains 35 submunitions each of which will penetrate about 100 mm of conventional steel armour.
The system has a computerised fire-control system fitted as standard. The commander's cupola has an advanced day/night sensor pod so that the platform can conduct autonomous fire missions.
It has also been proposed that the complete 120 mm 2A60 rifled ordnance could be installed in the existing turret of the 122 mm 2S1 SP howitzer as part of an upgrade.
In mid-1975 the Russian army fielded the huge 240 mm 2S4 SPM, which weighs 27.5 tonnes and is armed with a 120 mm breech-loaded mortar. A total of 40 mortar bombs are normally carried, which are loaded using a semi-automatic loading system. In addition to firing a family of conventional mortar bombs, the 2S4 could also fire the accurate Smel'chak laser-guided projectile to a maximum range of 9.2 km.
The now BAE Systems Land Systems continues to market the 120 mm Turreted Mortar System (TMS), which has already been successfully demonstrated integrated on a Mowag Piranha 8 x 8 chassis.
The US Army deploys a number of SP mortar systems, including the M1064A3 120 mm system, which is a member of the widely deployed M113 family of tracked vehicles.
The Brigade Combat Teams (BCT) use a member of the General Dynamics Land Systems - Canada Stryker family of 8 x 8 armoured vehicle called the M1129, which is armed with a Soltam Systems 120 mm Computerised Autonomous Recoil rapid Deployed Outrange Mortar (CARDOM).
Within the US Army's Future Combat Systems (FCSs) are a number of manned ground vehicles (MGVs), which include the Non-line-Of-Sight - Gun (NLOS-G) and NLOS - Mortar (NLOS-M) for which the prime contractor is BAE Systems, Armament Systems.
The first example of the NLOS-M has begun firing trials but will enter service after the NLOS - Cannon. It will have a breech-loaded 120 mm smoothbore mortar tube and a semi-automatic loading system.
Turntable-mounted
For many years most countries have used mortars that are mounted at the rear of the vehicle and fire through open roof hatches. Some of these mortars have limited traverse over the rear arc. Others are mounted on a turntable to give traverse through a full 360 degrees.
These types of mortar system continue to be deployed and marketed but there is an increasing number of more advanced turntable-mounted mortar systems available.
These systems are often fitted with a load-assist device, powered elevation and traverse and are laid onto the target using a computerised fire-control system.
TDA's (previously Thomson Brandt Armements') 120 mm MO 120 RT rifled trailer-mounted mortar is used by many countries and forms the heart of the US Marine Corps Expeditionary Fire Support System (EFSS), which has recently completed development.
For the export market the company has developed the 120 mm 120R 2SM recoiling rifled mortar system, which has been successfully tested in many vehicles, including the M113, Armoured Combat Vehicle and Piranha.
The system is mounted on a turntable and when not required is retracted inside the chassis, which makes it impossible to distinguish from other vehicles.
It is fitted with a powered elevation and traverse, hydraulic recoiling system and can be laid onto the target using a joystick. It can also be coupled to a computerised fire-control system for rapid and accurate target engagement.
Maximum range depends on projectile/charge combination but using a RAP a maximum range of 13 km is achieved while 8.1 km is obtained using a standard HE projectile. The semi-automatic loading system enables a high rate of fire to be achieved.
The system has been selected by the Italian Army for installation in the Dardo IFV and orders have recently been placed by Malaysia, Oman and Saudi Arabia.
For many years the German Army deployed an M113-series APC fitted with a 120 mm mortar with limited traverse over the rear arc. This is to be replaced by a new networked 120 mm mortar system based on a Rheinmetall Wiesel 2 full-tracked light armoured chassis.
Armour protection
The vehicle is fitted with a 120 mm mortar that is aimed, loaded and fired under complete armour protection. The baseline vehicle carries 25 mortar bombs while additional ammunition is carried in a Krauss-Maffei Wegmann Mungo 4 x 4 protected vehicle.
Other elements of this system include a command and control (C2) vehicle, which can be used either as C2, fire control, platoon leader or as a joint fire co-ordination team (JFST) vehicle. The latter has additional communications, mast-mounted sensor package and provides self-generated target data and imagery to the networked systems via a digital datalink. The maximum range of the HE projectile is 8 km with other types, including infrared illumination and smoke/obscurant. A precision guided mortar munition (PGMM) is expected to be fielded in the future.
Soltam Systems markets a range of not only mortars but also ammunition and fire-control systems. The company's turntable-mounted 120 mm CARDOM system is in quantity production for home and export customers.
The system is used by the Israel Defence Force (IDF) and the US Army. The CARDOM's latest application is on the General Dynamics Land Systems - Canada Stryker 8 x 8 Infantry Carrier Vehicle.
In addition there is a trailer-mounted version and Soltam Systems has also developed a special truck-mounted version for an undisclosed African country. There is also a version integrated into the rear of an AM General Humvee chassis.
CARDOM weighs only 670 kg and a recent weight-reduction programme aims to reduce this figure even further. The system's maximum range using standard ammunition is 7.2 km but this can be extended to 9.5 km using enhanced ammunition.
In IDF service, CARDOM is coupled to a computerised navigation and aiming system, which computes the target co-ordinates and lays the mortar onto the target.
It is understood that more than 400 of these systems have been ordered. Portugal is the latest customer and has integrated the CARDOM 120 mm mortar in 31 of its Steyr-Daimler-Puch Pandur II 8 x 8 APCs.
Singapore Technologies Kinetics has developed and placed in production the 120 mm Super Rapid Advanced Mortar System (SRAMS). The system has been developed for installation not only on armoured vehicles, such as the South African RG-31 4 x 4 mine-protected vehicle, but also for the indigenously developed Bronco All-Terrain Tracked Carrier (ATTC), which is already in service with the Singapore Armed Forces.
More recently SRAMS has been integrated onto a Humvee chassis to meet the requirements of a potential customer in the Middle East.
SRAMS is laid onto the target using a navigation and positioning system, which is based on a ring laser gyro (RLG) and an automatic fire-control system (AFCS). The maximum range using standard ammunition is 9 km, which can be extended to 13 km using assisted ammunition.
Ruag Land Systems of Switzerland has completed development of its Bighorn 120 mm recoiling mortar system, which has been successfully tested on a wide range of chassis, tracked and wheeled.
This 120 mm recoiling mortar system is mounted on a turntable to enable it to be rapidly laid onto a target. It has an automatic muzzle-loading device, integrated laser gyro inertial navigation pointing system and associated controls. When not deployed, it is retracted under full armour protection inside the vehicle.
For many years mortar systems have normally fired HE, smoke and illuminating projectiles but in recent years their capabilities have been further enhanced by the development and fielding of enhanced mortar bombs.
These include RAP projectiles to give enhanced range, although often with a loss of accuracy. Cargo bombs that deploy submunitions over the battlefield have also been developed. These submunitions can be dual-purpose anti-material/anti-personnel or dedicated anti-armour types.
In the eyes of some countries these are regarded as cluster munitions and most countries procuring this type of munition today insist that the submunitions must be fitted with a self-destruct fuze mechanism.
Precision guided
There has also been a trend to develop PGMMs, which have already started to be fielded and give mortars a precision-strike capability.
One of the first PGMMs to be fielded was the now Saab Bofors Dynamics 120 mm Strix that was originally developed to meet the operational requirements of the Swedish Army and was subsequently also purchased by Switzerland.
The 120 mm Strix is a top attack PGMM fitted with a single HEAT warhead that is designed to penetrate the vulnerable upper surfaces of armoured vehicles.
The built-in optimum stand-off is claimed by the company to enable the warhead to penetrate explosive reactive armour with significant behind-armour effect.
Strix has a maximum range of more than 7 km and has a nose-mounted passive infrared imaging seeker.
This searches for the target and once this has been selected by the guidance system, fast response thrusters direct Strix onto the target whether it is stationary or moving.
Production of the Strix was completed in 2001 but Saab Bofors Dynamics is now considering a number of improvements, which could include greater target accuracy by using a GPS, a semi-active laser (SAL) seeker and a warhead that is better suited for urban operations.
The Russia-based KBP Instrument Design Bureau has developed 155 mm, 152 mm and 122 mm laser-guided artillery projectiles (LGAP). More recently a 120 mm laser-guided mortar bomb has been developed called the Gran, which, like the other Russian LGAPs, has been developed to engage stationary and moving targets.
The complete Gran guided-weapon system comprises the 120 mm mortar bomb, which is fitted with a HE-F warhead and an SAL seeker, propellant charge and a tripod-mounted sighting system.
The latter comprises a laser and thermal sighting (LTS) system with a laser designator rangefinder and a thermal imager.
According to the KBP Instrument Design Bureau, maximum illumination range under daylight conditions is between 5 and 7 km, while under night conditions this is reduced to 4 km.
The actual 120 mm Gran mortar bomb is 1.2 m long and is a top-attack type with a quoted maximum firing range between 7.5 and 9 km.
The complete projectile weighs 27 kg with the HE-F warhead weighing 11.2 kg of which 5.3 kg is HE.
Under contract to the US Army, ATK is developing the XM395 120 mm Precision PGMM, which is a bunker buster rather than an anti-tank munition.
This has already been tested-fired and, if deployed, initial versions would have a maximum range of 7.5 km, which would be increased for Increments II and III.
The initial USD80 million system design and development contract was signed in December 2004.
Christopher F Foss is the Jane's Land Consultant and is based in London
Mobile mortar systems: More to mortars
Greatly enhanced new-generation mortars are being adopted around the world. Christopher F Foss reports on the latest trends
In most developed armed forces the mortar has become a system that includes not only the mortar, but also the ammunition (mortar bomb, fuze and propellant) and fire-control system.
For many years mortars were under the control of the infantry, normally deployed at battalion level in the support company that typically had six or eight mortars.
As the calibre and range of mortars has increased, a number of countries are moving their mortar assets from the infantry to the artillery arm as the latter has access to a much wider range of surveillance and target acquisition systems. As a result mortars are increasingly being referred to as one of the numerous indirect-fire assets available to the force commander.
For many years mortar systems were normally carried inside the vehicle and when required for action were dismounted and assembled. This is a time-consuming process and when deployed on soft ground the mortar can take even longer to assemble, making the weapon and its crew vulnerable to counter-battery fire.
In mechanised units the mortar is often installed on a turntable mounted at the rear of the vehicle, enabling it to be rapidly brought into action and laid onto a target. The mortar is normally fired through open roof hatches, which exposes the crew to small-arms fire, shell splinters and nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) attack.
There is now a clear trend towards the development and fielding of turret-mounted mortars that not only allow the mortar to be aimed and fired with the crew under complete protection but also have a useful direct-fire capability. This is of particular use in urban operations as well as giving the platform a self-defence capability.
Some of these mortars also have an automatic or semi-automatic loading system, which increases rate of fire but also reduces the size of crew required to operate the system. In addition, a semi-automatic loading system reduces crew fatigue.
China North Industries Corporation ( NORINCO) developed a 120 mm self-propelled (SP) mortar system based on the WZ-551 6 x 6 amphibious armoured personnel carrier (APC), which is used by the People's Liberation Army for a wide range of roles.
The 120 mm mortar turret has traverse through a full 360 degrees with elevation up to more than 80 degrees. The types of rifled ammunition fired include high explosive (HE), high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT), cargo (with 30 bomblets) and rocket-assisted projectile (RAP).
The HEAT projectile is designed for direct-fire engagements and is claimed by the company to have a maximum range of 1,200 m while the RAP has a maximum range of 13,500 m. A maximum of 36 x 120 mm mortar bombs are carried and a semi-automatic loading system is fitted to reduce crew fatigue.
In mid-2006, Patria Weapon Systems rolled out its turret-mounted 120 mm NEw MOrtar (NEMO), which the company has developed as a private venture. This has already been ordered by Slovenia, which will install the system on some of its recently acquired Patria Vehicles 8 x 8 Armoured Modular Vehicles (AMVs).
The NEMO 120 mm turret mortar system only weighs 1,500 kg, which allows it to be installed on a wide range of platforms, tracked and wheeled. The 120 mm breech-loaded mortar has the same ballistics as the ordnance used in the twin 120 mm Advanced MOrtar System (AMOS).
Loading is semi-automatic once the mortar bombs have been put on the loading tray. The NEMO currently has the same type of fire-control system as the one installed in the twin 120 mm AMOS system, which is used by the Finnish Defence Force (FDF). According to Patria Weapon Systems, first rounds can be fired within 30 seconds of the system coming to a halt. The system can fire three rounds in 12 seconds and it is capable of conducting six multiple-round simultaneous impact (MRSI) fire missions.
To meet the potential requirements of Finland and Sweden, the AMOS has been developed by the now BAE Systems Hägglunds and Patria Weapon Systems.
The FDF has taken delivery of the first four systems integrated onto a Patria Vehicles AMV chassis. These are being used for extensive trials and will soon be followed by a further 20 production vehicles.
Semi-automatic loading
The FDF's AMOS is fitted with a semi-automatic loading system, which will enable a cyclic rate of fire of up to 16 rpm to be achieved as well as MRSI fire missions.
Sweden has so far ordered two AMOS systems to be installed on a CV9040 infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) chassis, of which 40 have already been built and stored. The Swedish AMOS will have a higher level of ballistic protection and a more advanced computerised fire-control system.
The 120 mm Armoured Mortar System (AMS) was originally developed as a private venture by the then Delco Systems and RO Defence and is now in service with the Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG) on 73 of its Piranha 8 x 8 light armoured vehicles. Mecar of Belgium has supplied a complete family of ammunition for these systems.
Huta Stalowa Wola (HSW) of Poland is developing a new turret-mounted 120 mm breech-loaded mortar called Yak for installation on tracked and wheeled chassis. The latter includes the locally manufactured Armoured Modular Vehicle. The mortar will have a direct- and indirect-fire capability and also have a new suite of ammunition developed in Poland.
For use with its air assault divisions, Russia has developed a complete family of 120 mm gun/mortar systems. The first of these is the 2S9 Anona, which entered service in 1981.
The system is essentially a BMD-1 air assault vehicle fitted with a new turret armed with a breech-loaded 2A51 ordnance, which has a maximum elevation of +80 degrees with turret traverse of 35 degrees left and right.
The types of ammunition fired include HE-fragmentation (HE-F) (with a maximum range of 8.85 km) and a RAP with a maximum range of 12.8 km. There is also a HEAT round for direct-fire engagements.
In the late 1980s Russia developed the NONA-SVK 2S23 120 mm SP gun-mortar system, which is based on the BTR-80 8 x 8 amphibious APC chassis. The chassis has greater strategic mobility than the full-tracked 2S9.
The turret of the 2S23 is similar to that installed on the older 2S9 but has a 120 mm 2A60 rifled ordnance. This fires the same family of ammunition as the 2S9 with similar range capabilities. This ordnance is also being proposed for installation in the 122 mm 2S1 SP howitzer as part of an upgrade package.
The latest system is the 120 mm 2S31 Vena SP gun/mortar system, which consists of a modified BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicle chassis fitted with a brand new turret armed with a 2A80 ordnance. This can fire the same family of ammunition as the older 2S9 and 2S23 as well as a new generation of ammunition.
This includes an HE projectile with a maximum range of 18 km and a cargo projectile that contains 35 submunitions each of which will penetrate about 100 mm of conventional steel armour.
The system has a computerised fire-control system fitted as standard. The commander's cupola has an advanced day/night sensor pod so that the platform can conduct autonomous fire missions.
It has also been proposed that the complete 120 mm 2A60 rifled ordnance could be installed in the existing turret of the 122 mm 2S1 SP howitzer as part of an upgrade.
In mid-1975 the Russian army fielded the huge 240 mm 2S4 SPM, which weighs 27.5 tonnes and is armed with a 120 mm breech-loaded mortar. A total of 40 mortar bombs are normally carried, which are loaded using a semi-automatic loading system. In addition to firing a family of conventional mortar bombs, the 2S4 could also fire the accurate Smel'chak laser-guided projectile to a maximum range of 9.2 km.
The now BAE Systems Land Systems continues to market the 120 mm Turreted Mortar System (TMS), which has already been successfully demonstrated integrated on a Mowag Piranha 8 x 8 chassis.
The US Army deploys a number of SP mortar systems, including the M1064A3 120 mm system, which is a member of the widely deployed M113 family of tracked vehicles.
The Brigade Combat Teams (BCT) use a member of the General Dynamics Land Systems - Canada Stryker family of 8 x 8 armoured vehicle called the M1129, which is armed with a Soltam Systems 120 mm Computerised Autonomous Recoil rapid Deployed Outrange Mortar (CARDOM).
Within the US Army's Future Combat Systems (FCSs) are a number of manned ground vehicles (MGVs), which include the Non-line-Of-Sight - Gun (NLOS-G) and NLOS - Mortar (NLOS-M) for which the prime contractor is BAE Systems, Armament Systems.
The first example of the NLOS-M has begun firing trials but will enter service after the NLOS - Cannon. It will have a breech-loaded 120 mm smoothbore mortar tube and a semi-automatic loading system.
Turntable-mounted
For many years most countries have used mortars that are mounted at the rear of the vehicle and fire through open roof hatches. Some of these mortars have limited traverse over the rear arc. Others are mounted on a turntable to give traverse through a full 360 degrees.
These types of mortar system continue to be deployed and marketed but there is an increasing number of more advanced turntable-mounted mortar systems available.
These systems are often fitted with a load-assist device, powered elevation and traverse and are laid onto the target using a computerised fire-control system.
TDA's (previously Thomson Brandt Armements') 120 mm MO 120 RT rifled trailer-mounted mortar is used by many countries and forms the heart of the US Marine Corps Expeditionary Fire Support System (EFSS), which has recently completed development.
For the export market the company has developed the 120 mm 120R 2SM recoiling rifled mortar system, which has been successfully tested in many vehicles, including the M113, Armoured Combat Vehicle and Piranha.
The system is mounted on a turntable and when not required is retracted inside the chassis, which makes it impossible to distinguish from other vehicles.
It is fitted with a powered elevation and traverse, hydraulic recoiling system and can be laid onto the target using a joystick. It can also be coupled to a computerised fire-control system for rapid and accurate target engagement.
Maximum range depends on projectile/charge combination but using a RAP a maximum range of 13 km is achieved while 8.1 km is obtained using a standard HE projectile. The semi-automatic loading system enables a high rate of fire to be achieved.
The system has been selected by the Italian Army for installation in the Dardo IFV and orders have recently been placed by Malaysia, Oman and Saudi Arabia.
For many years the German Army deployed an M113-series APC fitted with a 120 mm mortar with limited traverse over the rear arc. This is to be replaced by a new networked 120 mm mortar system based on a Rheinmetall Wiesel 2 full-tracked light armoured chassis.
Armour protection
The vehicle is fitted with a 120 mm mortar that is aimed, loaded and fired under complete armour protection. The baseline vehicle carries 25 mortar bombs while additional ammunition is carried in a Krauss-Maffei Wegmann Mungo 4 x 4 protected vehicle.
Other elements of this system include a command and control (C2) vehicle, which can be used either as C2, fire control, platoon leader or as a joint fire co-ordination team (JFST) vehicle. The latter has additional communications, mast-mounted sensor package and provides self-generated target data and imagery to the networked systems via a digital datalink. The maximum range of the HE projectile is 8 km with other types, including infrared illumination and smoke/obscurant. A precision guided mortar munition (PGMM) is expected to be fielded in the future.
Soltam Systems markets a range of not only mortars but also ammunition and fire-control systems. The company's turntable-mounted 120 mm CARDOM system is in quantity production for home and export customers.
The system is used by the Israel Defence Force (IDF) and the US Army. The CARDOM's latest application is on the General Dynamics Land Systems - Canada Stryker 8 x 8 Infantry Carrier Vehicle.
In addition there is a trailer-mounted version and Soltam Systems has also developed a special truck-mounted version for an undisclosed African country. There is also a version integrated into the rear of an AM General Humvee chassis.
CARDOM weighs only 670 kg and a recent weight-reduction programme aims to reduce this figure even further. The system's maximum range using standard ammunition is 7.2 km but this can be extended to 9.5 km using enhanced ammunition.
In IDF service, CARDOM is coupled to a computerised navigation and aiming system, which computes the target co-ordinates and lays the mortar onto the target.
It is understood that more than 400 of these systems have been ordered. Portugal is the latest customer and has integrated the CARDOM 120 mm mortar in 31 of its Steyr-Daimler-Puch Pandur II 8 x 8 APCs.
Singapore Technologies Kinetics has developed and placed in production the 120 mm Super Rapid Advanced Mortar System (SRAMS). The system has been developed for installation not only on armoured vehicles, such as the South African RG-31 4 x 4 mine-protected vehicle, but also for the indigenously developed Bronco All-Terrain Tracked Carrier (ATTC), which is already in service with the Singapore Armed Forces.
More recently SRAMS has been integrated onto a Humvee chassis to meet the requirements of a potential customer in the Middle East.
SRAMS is laid onto the target using a navigation and positioning system, which is based on a ring laser gyro (RLG) and an automatic fire-control system (AFCS). The maximum range using standard ammunition is 9 km, which can be extended to 13 km using assisted ammunition.
Ruag Land Systems of Switzerland has completed development of its Bighorn 120 mm recoiling mortar system, which has been successfully tested on a wide range of chassis, tracked and wheeled.
This 120 mm recoiling mortar system is mounted on a turntable to enable it to be rapidly laid onto a target. It has an automatic muzzle-loading device, integrated laser gyro inertial navigation pointing system and associated controls. When not deployed, it is retracted under full armour protection inside the vehicle.
For many years mortar systems have normally fired HE, smoke and illuminating projectiles but in recent years their capabilities have been further enhanced by the development and fielding of enhanced mortar bombs.
These include RAP projectiles to give enhanced range, although often with a loss of accuracy. Cargo bombs that deploy submunitions over the battlefield have also been developed. These submunitions can be dual-purpose anti-material/anti-personnel or dedicated anti-armour types.
In the eyes of some countries these are regarded as cluster munitions and most countries procuring this type of munition today insist that the submunitions must be fitted with a self-destruct fuze mechanism.
Precision guided
There has also been a trend to develop PGMMs, which have already started to be fielded and give mortars a precision-strike capability.
One of the first PGMMs to be fielded was the now Saab Bofors Dynamics 120 mm Strix that was originally developed to meet the operational requirements of the Swedish Army and was subsequently also purchased by Switzerland.
The 120 mm Strix is a top attack PGMM fitted with a single HEAT warhead that is designed to penetrate the vulnerable upper surfaces of armoured vehicles.
The built-in optimum stand-off is claimed by the company to enable the warhead to penetrate explosive reactive armour with significant behind-armour effect.
Strix has a maximum range of more than 7 km and has a nose-mounted passive infrared imaging seeker.
This searches for the target and once this has been selected by the guidance system, fast response thrusters direct Strix onto the target whether it is stationary or moving.
Production of the Strix was completed in 2001 but Saab Bofors Dynamics is now considering a number of improvements, which could include greater target accuracy by using a GPS, a semi-active laser (SAL) seeker and a warhead that is better suited for urban operations.
The Russia-based KBP Instrument Design Bureau has developed 155 mm, 152 mm and 122 mm laser-guided artillery projectiles (LGAP). More recently a 120 mm laser-guided mortar bomb has been developed called the Gran, which, like the other Russian LGAPs, has been developed to engage stationary and moving targets.
The complete Gran guided-weapon system comprises the 120 mm mortar bomb, which is fitted with a HE-F warhead and an SAL seeker, propellant charge and a tripod-mounted sighting system.
The latter comprises a laser and thermal sighting (LTS) system with a laser designator rangefinder and a thermal imager.
According to the KBP Instrument Design Bureau, maximum illumination range under daylight conditions is between 5 and 7 km, while under night conditions this is reduced to 4 km.
The actual 120 mm Gran mortar bomb is 1.2 m long and is a top-attack type with a quoted maximum firing range between 7.5 and 9 km.
The complete projectile weighs 27 kg with the HE-F warhead weighing 11.2 kg of which 5.3 kg is HE.
Under contract to the US Army, ATK is developing the XM395 120 mm Precision PGMM, which is a bunker buster rather than an anti-tank munition.
This has already been tested-fired and, if deployed, initial versions would have a maximum range of 7.5 km, which would be increased for Increments II and III.
The initial USD80 million system design and development contract was signed in December 2004.
Christopher F Foss is the Jane's Land Consultant and is based in London
