Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1193118
Towed Mortar Systems Initially the mortars were portable or towed only. The high firepower was only one of the advantages, coupled with low price and high porta- bility stemming from the possibility of dismantling the mortars into three main components (base plate, barrel and bipod with the aiming system). They could be easily carried by soldiers or animals. 120 mm designs have been created in a towed form in the very beginning, being tailored for use with horse carriages or light wheeled vehicles. Development of mor- tar designs of this caliber is still going on. However, their firepower is becoming greater now essentially solely because of widespread use of portable fire control systems and modern mortar rounds. Out of dozens of designs manufactured worldwide, HSW's smooth-bore 120 mm towed mortar may be considered to be prime example. 120RT French design is a model design, operated by 24 nations. HSW mortars, despite the suc- cessful factory tests back in 2005, have not been acquired by the Polish military, as they were considered to be obsolete. Instead of the above, a self-propelled mortar system is to be introduced at the battalion level. M-120, along with its transport cart, weighs 414 kilograms. The weapon alone, meanwhile, weighs 257 kilograms. With 1600 mm long barrel, the mortar can lay down fire in azimuthal range between of +/- 5° while pos- sible elevations are placed in the range between +45 to +80°. Minimum range is defined as 480 m, maximum range is 7,100 m (normal rounds) and 9 km (rocket-assisted). Maximum rate of fire is defined as 15 rounds T he RAK system, that is unique, cannot really be described without a detailed analysis of the context, namely the genesis of the mor- tars, types of mortars, firepower, capabilities that they offer and the development path of the self-propelled mortar systems. However, evolution of the battlefield that has been taking place over the last three decades is the most important matter here. This applies, primarily, to the automated artillery fire control systems, and to the issue of the count- er-battery fires. Lack of the aforesaid background may lead to erroneous and hasty assessment of some solutions or designs as a whole. M ortars are defined as heavy tube artillery assets designed for the purpose of laying down indirect fire, using fin- or rotation-stabi- lized rounds (or mortar bombs). The contemporary history of mortars is rooted in World War I, and to tell it in full we need to go back to 1915, when Stokes 81 mm mortars were introduced. The solutions created back then were quite successful and thus, most of the succes- sors utilized identical design solutions, with base plate to absorb recoil, necked-down end of the barrel, bipod and elevation, horizontal, direc- tional and triggering mechanism. Additionally, the mortars also includ- ed simple iron or optical sights. For quite some time mortars were the primary weapon system of the infantry, not the artillery units. They were cheap, could have been manufactured in mass quantity and they also of- fered high rate of fire. The main advantage of the mortars, however, was their ability to lay down fire in high-arcing ballistic trajectories. Thanks to the characteristics above, a very short minimum range of fire could have been achieved in indirect settings, while mortar bombs turned out to be quite useful in trench, forest, mountain and urban warfare. Furthermore, low price and simplicity of use, coupled with low weight, made mortars a dream weapon for the infantry units. And in this role, the mortars went into a dynamic development in 1915-1945. 60, 80/81/82 and 120 mm became the most popular calibers. One should remember that artillery is being referred to as the Queen of Battle for a specific reason. During the World War II 50-60% of losses could have been associated with oper- ational employment of artillery. This statistic has gone up, not down – in case of the Ukrainian conflict of the recent years 80% of losses were caused by the artillery. Surprising mortar attacks that were usually ac- curate (since forward observers coordinated the development of firing solutions) have become one of the scariest prospects for the infantry. If the simplicity and low cost of the weapon are put into equation, it shall not be a surprise that it is difficult to indicate a conflict during which the mortars are left in the stock, instead of being used in field. The mor- tars have become an indispensable support asset. Two types of mortars: towed and self-propelled systems; can be differentiated with the use of three features: firepower, mobility and survivability on a modern battle- field. In the Polish military mortars are employed as organic means of direct support. They are usually placed in the hands of the commanders of motorized and mechanized battalions. The main role of the mortars is to act against infantry, enemy mortars and ATGMs, and, with the use of cargo and guided rounds, against armored assets. www.fragoutmag.com