Fast moving 120mm mortars: the 120-mm mortar is the largest indirect fire support weapon integral to infantry battalions in many armies. A new generation of self-propelled weapons is now being fielded.

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Mortars

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Fast moving 120mm mortars: the 120-mm mortar is the largest indirect fire support weapon integral to infantry battalions in many armies. A new generation of self-propelled weapons is now being fielded.

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As the US Army converts to its new modular brigade structure the service plans a 42% increase in the number of M120 towed and M121 self-propelled 120 mm smoothbore mortars in service, from 872 to 1242 weapons. Each mechanised infantry battalion equipped with the M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle has a platoon of six tracked M1064 carriers armed with the Israeli Soltam M121 120-mm mortar. General Dynamics is the prime contractor for supplying the M121 to the army and work continues under a contract awarded in 2006. Fired through an open hatch the muzzle-loading smoothbore mortar can achieve a maximum range of 7240 metres. BAE Systems Land and Armaments is continuing to upgrade several variants of the M113 Family of Vehicles to the ...

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