What is the range of a 81mm he mortar?
81 mm HE mortar projectiles generally contain anywhere between 400 g and 680 g of HE and have a maximum range of approximately 6,500 m. 82 mm HE mortar projectiles generally contain anywhere between 392 g and 680 g of HE and have maximum ranges of between 3,000 – 5,500 m.
What is the average weight of mortar ammunition?
81mm mortar ammunition. Model Type Length Weight Fuze M1 Sabot Training 15.618 in (397 mm) 9.6 lb (4.35 kg) M744, M745, M746, M747 M43A1 HE 13.32 in (338 mm) 7.15 lb (3.24 kg) M57A1 WP 22.91 in (582 mm) 12.46 lb (5.65 kg) PD M525 M68 Training N/A 15 more rows ...
What are the dimensions of an 81mm rifle?
Outer diameter 81mm Length 512mm Weight projectile fuzed 4.11kg Min. range 130m Max. range up to 5,500m Muzzle velocity 80 to 292 m/s Max. pressure 820 bar Fuze compatible with all in-service fuzes Weapon Compatible with NATO smoothbore mortars Service temperature -31˚C to +63˚C.
What size mortars are in the Army?
Heavy mortars (100-120 mm+). Light mortars can be carried by a single soldier, and are found at the company level of some infantry units. These mortars can be carried and operated by a single man, with other soldiers typically carrying additional ammunition. This report is concerned with medium and heavy mortars of 81, 82, and 120 mm in calibre.
What is the composition of the M374A1?
What is a M879 practice cartridge?
What is the M524 fuze?
What is the M252 cartridge?
How high does a NSB explode?
How long does it take to walk 90 to 150 meters?
Why are gas absorbent cartridges added to rounds in storage?
See 2 more
How heavy is a mortar shell?
The lightest weighs about 18 pounds; the heaviest weighs about 45 pounds. Each round weighs about 4 pounds.
How much does a 60mm mortar round weigh?
60mm TRAIN (JUMP)Mortar bomb average mass1290 g ± 30 gRange of fire from mortar ANTOS (65° elevation)12 mRange of fire from mortar ANTOS-LR (65° elevation)5 mRejected cartridge (is not part of 60 mm JUMP)9 mm TEMPO 6 ANTOSMass of container incl. 10 mortar bombs20 kg ± 1 kg1 more row
How much does a 81mm round cost?
And to piggyback on that little trivia tidbit, the average price of each 81mm HE round, is about $600.
How much does a 81mm mortar base plate weight?
The baseplate has been reduced from 29 pounds to 23 pounds, and the cannon dropped from 35 pounds down to 30.5 pounds. All former 81mm systems are scheduled to be replaced with the new technology, in 2016.
Can a mortar destroy a tank?
The 6-to-12-millimetre (0.24 to 0.47 in) thick armor generally prevented penetration by small arms fire and shell fragments. However, even a near miss from field artillery or an impact from a mortar could easily disable or destroy the tank: if the fuel tank was ruptured, it could incinerate the tank's crew.
What type of ammunition is used in 81mm mortar?
The 81 mm Mortar High Explosive (HE) round is a fin-stabilized, naturally fragmenting round intended to be fired from muzzle loading smooth bore mortars. The round is provided with point-detonating fuze and it is delivered as a ready to fire in resealable multi-round containers, equipped with fuze and charge system.
What is the blast radius of a 81mm mortar?
High explosive rounds fired by the M252 weigh 10 lb (4.5 kg) and can have an effective kill radius of 35 m (115 ft)....M252 American 81mm Mortar.name"Effective Firing Range"value"HE: 91–5,935 m"Aug 26, 2020
What is danger close for a 81mm mortar?
600 metersFA and mortars—Danger-close target is within 600 meters of friendly troops. Naval gunfire-Danger—close target is within 750 meters when using 5-inch or smaller guns (1,000 meters for larger naval guns)....COMBAT SUPPORT.INITIAL FIRE REQUESTObserverFDCGRID NK180513, OVER.GRID NK180513, OUT.7 more rows
What is the blast radius of an 81 mm mortar?
"81mm rounds have a maximum effective range of 5,608 meters," said Leininger. "120mm rounds can reach 7,200 meters and the kill radius spans 76 meters in diameter."
What is the weight of 81mm mortar with barrel?
It originated as a joint design by the UK and Canada. The version produced and used by Australia is named the F2 81mm Mortar, whilst the version used by the U.S. armed forces is known as the M252....L16 81mm mortarManufacturerRoyal Ordnance (barrel and bipod)Produced1965SpecificationsMasscombat 35.3 kg (78 lb)22 more rows
How much does a 81mm mortar cost?
M252 81mm Medium Mortar Gary's U.S. Infantry Weapons Reference GuideTECHNICAL DATAComplete SystemUnit Replacement Cost$24,717M253 CannonWeight35 lb (16 kg), with blast attenuator device21 more rows•May 10, 2006
How much does a mortar round cost?
In addition to GPS coordinates, they use tail fins to correct in the wind and glide toward the target. That range and accuracy does come with a price tag. Each of the 35-pound GPS-guided rounds costs about $18,000 McPherson said, compared to about $2,000 for the non-precision rounds.
How much does 120mm mortar weigh?
The 120mm М95 Long Range Mortar is a 120 mm (4.75 inch) mortar that was developed by Serbian Military Technical Institute....M95 mortar.Mortar 120mm М95 Long RangeMass212.0 kg (467.4 lb) on field 465.0 kg (1,025.1 lb) with trailer during transportLength2.089 m (6.85 ft)Crew5Caliber120 millimetres (4.7 in)12 more rows
How heavy is a M60 machine gun?
23.15 lbM60 machine gunMachine Gun, Caliber 7.62 mm, M60Produced1957–presentVariantsSee VariantsSpecificationsMass10.5 kg (23.15 lb)22 more rows
What does 100 rounds of 308 weigh?
Breaking Down BulletsCaliberRounds per lblbs per 100 rounds.22 LR138.739 mm362.78.308 Win.293.49.223 Rem.511.94
How much does a 60mm mortar cost?
The M224 60 mm Lightweight Company Mortar System (LWCMS) is a smooth bore, muzzle-loading, high-angle-of-fire mortar used for close-in support of ground troops....M224 mortar.M224Used byUnited States IraqWarsVietnam War (prototype model) Gulf War War in Afghanistan Iraq War War in IraqProduction historyUnit cost$10,65815 more rows
What is a charge in mortar?
A charge is a semi-circular donut of nitrocellulose, which resembles a puffy letter "C.". A round for the M252 mortar comes with four charges attached. Longer-range shots require more propellant than can fit in the tail of the round, hence the necessity of external charges.
Where is the M252 mortar stationed?
Marines fire an M-252 81mm mortar during live-fire training at Udairi Range in Kuwait, 2012. Marine M252 mortar crew deploying on a cliff-side in the Middle Euphrates River Valley in Syria, 11 October 2018.
How much does the M252 weigh?
The M252 system weighs 91 lb (41 kg) completely assembled and is composed of the M253 Cannon (35 lb, 16 kg), M177 Mount (27 lb, 12 kg), M3A1 Baseplate (29 lb, 13 kg), and the M64A1 Sight Unit (2.5 lb, 1.1 kg). The mount consists of a base plate and a bipod, which is provided with screw type elevating and traversing mechanisms to elevate/traverse ...
What is the M224 fuze?
The M224 rounds have two fuze types: the Multioption Fuze ( M734) and the Point-Detonating Fuze (M935) . The M734 is used for the M720 HE round and can be set to function as proximity burst, near-surface burst, impact burst, or delay burst.
What is a smoke cartridge?
Smoke Cartridge: Designations M819 and M375-series. Used as a screening, signaling, or marking munition.
Where is the first ammunition bearer?
The first ammunition bearer stands to the right rear of the mortar. He has the duty of preparing the ammunition (charge settings, fuzes, etc...) and passing it to the assistant gunner. The second ammunition bearer stands to the right rear of the mortar behind the first ammunition bearer.
Who controls the squad in a mortar?
The squad leader stands directly behind the mortar where he can command and control his squad. In addition to having general oversight of all squad activities, he also supervises the emplacement, laying, and firing of the weapon.
Where is the gunner on a mortar?
The gunner stands to the left side of the mortar where he can manipulate the sight, elevating handwheel, and traversing handwheel. He places firing data on the sight and lays the mortar for deflection and elevation. He makes large deflection shifts by shifting the bipod assembly and keeps the bubbles level during firing.
What is a M252 mortar?
The M252 81mm mortar is a smooth-bore, muzzle-loaded, high-angle-of-fire weapon. The components of the mortar consist of a cannon, mount, and baseplate.#N#The M252 medium mortar offers a compromise between the light and heavy mortars. Its range and explosive power is greater than the M224, yet it is still light enough to be man-packed over long distances. The M252 weighs about 93 pounds and can be broken down into several smaller loads for easier carrying. Rounds for this mortar weigh about 15 pounds each.#N#The M252 replaced the M29A1 in U.S. service.
What is a M3A1 baseplate?
The M3A1 baseplate is of one-piece construction, and supports and aligns the mortar for firing. During firing, the breech plug on the barrel is sealed and locked to the rotatable socket in the baseplate.
How many men are in a mortar squad?
The mortar squad consists of five men. Their firing positions and principal duties are as follows: The squad leader stands behind the mortar where he can command and control his squad. In addition to supervising the emplacement, laying, and firing of the mortar, he supervises all other squad activities.
What are the two major components of a rifle?
After the ammunition has been prepared, it is ready to be fired. The two major components are the elbow telescope and sight mount. The elbow telescope has an illuminated cross line. The sight mount has a dovetail, locking knobs, control knobs, scales, cranks, and locking latch.
Where is the first ammunition bearer?
The first ammunition bearer stands to the right rear of the mortar. He has the duty of preparing the ammunition and passing it to the assistant gunner. He is also the squad driver. The second ammunition bearer stands to the right rear of the mortar behind the ammunition bearer.
What is an assistant gunner?
The assistant gunner stands to the right of the mortar, facing the barrel and ready to load. In addition to loading, he swabs the bore after 10 rounds have been fired or after each fire mission. He may assist the gunner in shifting the mortar when the gunner is making large deflection changes.
How much HE is in a 81mm mortar?
81 mm HE mortar projectiles generally contain anywhere between 400 g and 680 g of HE and have a maximum range of approximately 6,500 m.
How many mm is a medium mortar?
Mortars have a number of different designs in various calibres; this report highlights some of the most commonly encountered varieties of conventionally designed medium and heavy mortars – specifically 81 mm and 82 mm medium mortars, and 120 mm heavy mortars. Mortars are generally one of the most responsive of artillery weapons, capable of engaging targets quickly and at shorter ranges than many artillery guns or rocket systems. Generally speaking, medium mortars can fire at ranges of 100 m to 5500 m, while heavy mortars have a range of some 500 m to 7,000 m (Gander & Hogg, 1993; Isby, 1988).
What is the most common heavy mortar?
Whilst 100, 160, and 240 mm mortars are also employed in conflict zones, 120 mm calibre mortars are by far the most common heavy mortars in service globally. Both smoothbore and rifled 120 mm mortars are in common usage. Much like rifled firearms, rifled mortar barrels impart spin to projectiles as they move up the barrel, which can increase accuracy. The most notable rifled 120 mm mortar is the French-designed MO-120 RT-61, which is currently in service with at least 24 different armed forces in the world, including the US Marine Corps (General Dynamics, 2007).
How to adjust the range of a mortar?
The range of any given mortar’s projectiles can be adjusted using two methods. Firstly, altering the angle of the mortar barrel will affect how far the projectile will be able to travel. A higher angle will result in a shorter range, and a lower angle will have the opposite effect. Additionally, many mortar projectiles may be fired with an adjustable propellant load. An increased amount of propellant will result in an increased range. Mortars may be initiated by a fixed or, more commonly, removable ignition cartridge (sometimes referred to as a propelling cartridge), which features a pyrotechnic primer. In addition to this, incremental propellant charges, sometimes known as augmenting, auxiliary, or supplemental charges, can generally be fitted to a mortar projectile.
Where is the mortar projectile?
The typical mortar projectile is widest at the tail, and just behind the shoulder of the body . It is at the shoulder where the shape of the projectile is designed to prevent the gases produced by the propelling charge from escaping past the body of the projectile, and reducing its range. The most common way of stopping the escape of the gases is to use a series of gas check bands. Some mortar projectiles use a hard nylon obturating ring or obturator band, instead of gas check bands.
Why do mortars have a fire control system?
In addition to these three components, modern mortars may also employ a fire-control system (FCS) to help to improve accuracy, set-up times, and speed up the rate of fire. Mortars are relatively simple weapon systems that can be locally manufactured using fairly basic metalworking skills (Jenzen-Jones, 2015). Figure 1.
What type of mortar is used in Syria?
NATO member states, as well as countries supplied by western manufacturers, tend to use the 81 mm calibre medium mortar.
What is a 81mm mortar?
The 81mm mortar is an effective battlefield weapon that allows infantry commanders to employ decisive tactics. It offers a good balance of firepower and mobility. As the 81mm mortar can be employed and fired quickly it can unexpectedly shift the momentum of a battle when used effectively.
Where is 81mm mortar used?
The 81mm mortar has been used in recent conflicts around the world. For example, in my first firebase in Uruzgan, Afghanistan, we had an active mortar pit within the firebase for base defense. We employed both 81mm and 120mm mortars. Mortars are highly effective in environments like Afghanistan.
How much does a M252 mortar weigh?
military today. Each mortar requires a team of five infantrymen to properly field and operate it. The M252 weighs about 91 pounds. Its tube has a length of four feet two inches. The Army and Marines have developed a lighter version of the M252, the M252A1, and the M252A2, respectively. These systems will be fielded in the coming years; older systems will simultaneously still be in service.
Why is artillery called the King of Battle?
” And for good reason. Great generals throughout history have lauded the power and necessity of artillery in battle. Artillery wins battles and therefore could win wars. Mortars are basically the light artillery of the infantry. The U.S. military uses a variety of mortar calibers for infantry support. The 81mm mortar is a portable, mobile, medium mortar at the infantry’s disposal.
How many rounds per minute can a mortar fire?
With a maximum rate of fire of 33 rounds per minute, and 16 rounds per minute over a sustained period of time, these mortars offer a high level of capability. The mortar can unleash a lot of explosive firepower within a target area over a short period of time. Do not discount or underestimate the small and mighty mortar!
How many types of fires can a mortar system provide?
Mortar systems can provide three different types of “fires” — types of rounds and engagement — for the infantry units they are supporting.
What is an obscuration round?
Obscuration rounds, or smoke rounds, create a smokescreen within the target area. This smokescreen can either help conceal the movements and locations of friendly units, or obscure the vision of enemy units.
What is the composition of the M374A1?
They contain about 2.10 pounds (0.95 kg) of composition B explosive. The M374 cartridge is fitted with the M90 propelling charge. The M374A1 and M374A2 cartridges are fitted with the M90A1 propelling charge.
What is a M879 practice cartridge?
The M879 Full Range Practice Cartridge (FRPC) is a US-developed, improved practice round for use in the M252, 81mm Mortar System. The practice cartridge provides realistic training in place of the M821A1/M889A1 High Explosive (HE) Cartridges. The M751 Point Detonating Practice Fuze simulates the M734A1 fuze and can be set, for training purposes, to the required fuze functioning mode for the fire mission. The M751 fuze used on this round detonates upon impact and produces a flash, bang, and smoke signature that gives the forward observer the ability to adjust fire. The M879 Full Range Practice Cartridge consists of a steel body with an inert concrete payload.
What is the M524 fuze?
Cartridges assembled with the M524 (A1, A2, A3, or A4) fuze are for use by the US Marine Corps and US Navy only. This cartridge is ballistically matched to the M374A2, M374A1, and M375 HE cartridges. M375A3 WP. Cartridge is ballistically similar to the M374A3 (HE) cartridge.
What is the M252 cartridge?
M252 only. Cartridge has a cylindrical body that contains an illuminating candle and parachute assembly. It provides illumination for about 60 seconds with 600,000 candlepower illumination. It is assembled with the M772A1 MTSQ. It uses the M219 propelling charge. The round is range-matched to the 81mm high explosive (HE) and smoke cartridges.
How high does a NSB explode?
NSB (near-surface burst) causes the cartridge to explode up to 3 feet above the ground. IM (impact) causes the cartridge to explode on contact.
How long does it take to walk 90 to 150 meters?
90 to 150 by 30 to 40 meters for 2 to 3 minutes
Why are gas absorbent cartridges added to rounds in storage?
Gas Absorbent Modules (GAMS) have been added to rounds in storage to minimize potential exposure to gas.
Overview
An 81 mm mortar is a medium-weight mortar. It is a smooth-bore, muzzle-loading, high-angle-of-fire weapon used for long-range indirect fire support to light infantry, air assault, and airborne units across the entire front of a battalion zone of influence.
Many countries use or used an 81 mm mortar in their armed forces. Examples …
Design
History
Operation
The M252 system weighs 91 lb (41 kg) completely assembled and is composed of the M253 Cannon (35 lb, 16 kg), M177 Mount (27 lb, 12 kg), M3A1 Baseplate (29 lb, 13 kg), and the M64A1 Sight Unit (2.5 lb, 1.1 kg). The mount consists of a base plate and a bipod, which is provided with screw type elevating and traversing mechanisms to elevate/traverse the mortar. The M64A1 sight unit (…
Operators
The M252 is an adaptation of the British 81mm L16A2 mortar developed in the 1950s. It entered service with the U.S. Army and replaced the previous 81 mm M29 mortar in 1987. It was adopted due to the extended range (from 4,500 meters to 5,650 meters) and enhanced lethality. In the U.S. it is produced by Watervliet Arsenal.
A lightweight version, the M252A1 was first fielded in December 2014. By using lightweight mat…
See also
A crew of five enlisted personnel operate the M252: the squad leader, the gunner, the assistant gunner, the first ammunition bearer, and the second ammunition bearer.
1. The squad leader stands directly behind the mortar where they can command and control their squad. In addition to having general oversight of all squad act…
External links
• Estonia
• Iraq
• United States
• Australia (M252A1)