{"id":41159,"date":"2018-09-13T20:15:48","date_gmt":"2018-09-13T20:15:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/09\/13\/incoming-mortars-are-getting-some-serious-upgrades-with-renewed-army-interest\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T03:31:24","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T03:31:24","slug":"incoming-mortars-are-getting-some-serious-upgrades-with-renewed-army-interest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2018\/09\/13\/incoming-mortars-are-getting-some-serious-upgrades-with-renewed-army-interest\/","title":{"rendered":"Incoming: Mortars are getting some serious upgrades with renewed Army interest"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As the Army pushes the distance of its artillery and missiles to never-before-seen ranges, it\u2019s also aiming to lob mortars farther and faster<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A posting last month on the government notice website fbo.gov<\/a> wants to see what industry has for three programs aiming to increase 120mm mortar capabilities \u2014 an extended range mortar system<\/a>, an indirect fire turret and an automated remote capability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The extended range<\/a> system is expected to replace the existing M120A1 system by 2026. It can be nearly 100 pounds heavier than the current variant, but it must fire nearly 2,000 meters farther, or a maximum distance of 9 kilometers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Future Indirect Fire Turret is picking up steam a little sooner, with the Army expecting industry to produce the new turret by 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It will provide protection from enemy counter battery systems and from noise and blast overpressures. The turret will need to fire farther than the current Battalion Mortar System and the Recoil Mortar System.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And it must mass fires from a single platform, hit targets with both direct fire and use in progress weaponry such as the Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile System or Single Multi-missile Attack Munition, according to the posting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The turret will be automated and able to mount on the Stryker, Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle and Next Generation Combat Vehicle. The turret will have to reach much farther than is now the norm, pushing rounds out to max ranges of 20 kilometers, or more than 12 miles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system will speed up targeting, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Computing targeting will need to run at least semi-autonomously, with a goal of autonomous targeting, being able to fire and move within 90 seconds of identifying an enemy. The goal will be to \u201cshoot on the move.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t