Using mortars part rules, part strategy panzer second. The mortar is the infantrys own artillery, ready to go at a moments notice at the order of the unit commander. It consists of an alloysteel projectile body, a multioption fuze, a fin. Army m2 60mm mortar consisted of three main components. A picture last week from the mod shows one in action during a training exercise.
In 20 janes reported that the hirtenberger 60mm mortar purchased under an urgent operational requirement would only be retained for rmpara use and the rest would be withdrawn. However, both larger and smaller mortars have been produced. Choose from 52 different sets of ranger handbook flashcards on quizlet. It was deployed extensively in the war in afghanistan by the united states. May 15, 2011 the 60mm mortar isnt very lethal when firing using an area target fire mission and isnt too lethal with linear, although its better. The term danger close is included in the call for fire when there are. The m224 provides air assault, airborne, ranger, and light infantry rifle companies with an effective, efficient, and flexible weapon. When determining risk with indirect fires, leaders use a combination of minimum safe distances msds, and risk estimated distances reds. The m224 60mm mortar replaced the older wwii era m2 and m19, 60mm mortars. Aug 12, 2018 the m224 is the current portable mortar system in service with the united states army and marine corps. M6 mortar 60mm famos fast mortar support vehicle ammunition hirtenberger austria eurosatory 2016 duration. The m224 60 mm lightweight mortar is a smooth bore, muzzleloading, highangleoffire weapon used for close in support of ground troops. In the 1968 battle of firebase coral, the 1rar australian battalion had its mortar platoon overrun on the first night, causing the majority of the casualties of that battle. The story about a 60mm mortar ending up in the side of a south vietnamese soldier.
The m2 design, the standard for the army and marine corps, was based on a french design from the brandt company. Mortars, artillery, air defense artillery, combat engineers, and aviation assets provide cs for the platoon. This aluminum and abs plastic brackets that hold the mortar bipod and or tube onto the frame. Eight decades of realpolitik herman j cohens latest book.
The m224 can be drop fired conventional mode or trigger fired conventional or handheld mode. Mortars are typically used as indirect fire weapons for close fire support with a variety. The m766 uses an m779 pd fuze, which produces a visible flash, a cloud of smoke, and an audible sound on impact for spotting purposes. Technical data length of shell with fuze 301 mm mass of mortar shell with fuze 50 g. Suppression could be useful if the enemy has a qrf or relief force, then by using suppressing mortar fire, you can keep them out of the fight, but not against an enemy.
Other things to notice while if does have to roll for fire response, once you get that response you can keep hitting the same target without needing to roll for it again, as long as the target hex is the same. Cpt nathan held 431 cpt jeff wilson 189 cpt colby sortevick 214. About 10 years ago a friend showed up at a machine gun shoot in st. However, the point target makes it absolutely lethal to whatever happens to be at that point since you will end up with 1020 rounds falling in quick succession in a single area. The m2 60mm light mortar served us army and marine forces in world war 2 and through the korean and the vietnam wars, becoming the standard light company mortar beginning in 1940. M2 60mm mortar easily carried by two men, effective range about 1,000 yards, he fragment rounds killing radius 17 yards, usually deployed one per rifle platoon, very efficient in weight compared to destructiveness, the m2 60mm mortar was the infantrymans artillery. The barrel made from highstrength special steel has a smooth bore and muzzle loading system. The story appears in his book to the danger close and was featured some years ago in this magazine.
The fire support system enables artillery and mortars to rapidly get rounds on target. The term danger close is included in the call for fire when there are friendly. When alerted that the target is danger close, the fdc will take added. Lighter 60 mm mortar shells could be thrown effectively by hand, but as the potential fatality radius was quite large, 1530 yards larger than a normal hand grenade, 5 yards. The longer range shells, and the availability of miniuavs at the company level, make the 60mm mortar a much more potent weapon. The brandt 60mm pneumatic mortar was invented by edgar william brandt, apparently in 1915. The m224 provides air assault, airborne, ranger, and light infantry rifle companies with. These weapons only possessed 2,200 yards of effective range. I do not see suppression as a primary role of mortars since systems effective in the mortar danger close range are even more effective employed in mass at minimum range. The m224 60 mm lightweight mortar is a smooth bore, muzzleloading, highangleoffire weapon used for closein support of ground troops. The system provides a highangle attack weapon that can be used in close proximity to friendly troops.
There were two scratch marks on the mortar just behind the fuse area. Mortars are designed as close support weapons for infantryman. They do use them, in more or less the same numbers they did in previous wars. A novel technique employed by some artillery guns and mortars is the use of.
The weapon was a licenseproduction copy of the 60mm mortar system designed by talented french weapons engineer edgar william brandt 18801960 and developed for. A recommended techniques is to initiate fires at msds and to then creep fires onto the target. Jul 26, 2011 modern 60mm mortar shells, which weigh about 1. Although the vehicles are identical and all carry the same 120mm system, which cannot be dismounted from its mounting, the american mortar company takes the arms locker or armoury, or golf bag approach the 4 battalion level vehicles carry an 81mm mortar for dismounted ops, and the 6 company level vehicles carry the m224 60mm. The prototype sight, called a fire control unit fcu, attaches by hand near the muzzle of a 60mm mortar, and provides users with a dramatic increase in target accuracy, most notably at night. Naval gunfiredangerclose target is within 750 meters when using 5inch or smaller guns 1,000 meters for larger.
Most modern mortar systems consist of four main components. The high explosive shell authorized to be used with the 60 mm m2 mortar weighed 2. The m224 60mm mortar is a muzzleloaded, smoothbore, highangleoffire weapon. The m2 attempted to bridge the gap between the 81 mm mortar and the hand grenade. They are close support weapons and mortar platoon has its own organic defence teams, including machine guns etc a lot like the grunt infantry. I asked him why he had brought a historical display item to a live shoot. The mortar is a mechanically simple devicenot much more than a tube with a firing pinand the design is little changed from the 81mm mortars of. Holding korporacija 60 mm he mortar shell m73 p5 a. But i would argue that the british 2inch mortar in ww2 was employed in a subtly different role to the japanese 50mm the japanese 50mm was very much a lineofsight, closein weapons system, whereas the 2inch had a degree of flexibility afforded by range, accuracy and truly indirect capability. The mortar had come down hitting the hatch of the apc the guy was riding in and then glanced off the side of his helmet.
M224 60mm lightweight company mortar system lwcms the m224 60mm lwcms is ideally suited to support airborne, air assault, mountain, ranger, special operations forces and light infantry units. Dec 16, 2014 in 20 janes reported that the hirtenberger 60mm mortar purchased under an urgent operational requirement would only be retained for rmpara use and the rest would be withdrawn. Mortar, 60mm m2 light infantry mortar military factory. While other weapons systems, especially precision weapons, have given the grunt more reach than he used to have, the indirect fire capability of the mort. The modern mortar is a muzzleloaded weapon and relatively simple and easy to operate. I think this is the older version, but the latest setup is breechloaded, which means you can put a round into the mortar. Learn ranger handbook with free interactive flashcards. The cartridge is blue with white markings and one brown band. The warning danger close is given by the requester to indicate friendly troops are within danger close distances to the target.
Cpt seth barrow 1lt tyler robertson 1lt marc mcmenamin bn fsos. However, the point target makes it absolutely lethal to whatever happens to be at that point since you will end up with 1020. The 60mm mortar traditionally requires three to four marines to operate but it is common during training for others to observe nearby. Us 60mm mortars effectiveness combat mission battle for. The marines trusty mortar is getting a major upgrade. Modern mortars normally range in calibre from 60 mm 2. The msd risk is designed for training and ensures that friendly soldiers are far enough away from the effects of munitions so the risk to them is negligible. Deaths of marines in nevada prompt pentagon to ban 60mm. Call for indirect fire b2c2497 student handout training. The mortar can be fired in the conventional mode or handheld mode.
Jan 06, 2012 although the vehicles are identical and all carry the same 120mm system, which cannot be dismounted from its mounting, the american mortar company takes the arms locker or armoury, or golf bag approach the 4 battalion level vehicles carry an 81mm mortar for dismounted ops, and the 6 company level vehicles carry the m224 60mm. M2 60mm mortar saving private ryan online encyclopedia. Cpt david fritz 1lt randy mills 28 september 2016 bde fse. The m224 60mm mortar was designed to fire all types of the. I do not see suppression as a primary role of mortars since systems effective in the mortar dangerclose range are even more effective employed in mass at minimum range. M2 60 mm mortar was developed from the heavier 81 mm m1 mortar to provide a lighterweight alternative to companylevel fire support. Its indirect fire support and relative light weight.
The 60mm mortar isnt very lethal when firing using an area target fire mission and isnt too lethal with linear, although its better. Video demonstration on the setup and firing of the m2 60mm mortar duration. Danger close definition of danger close by the free. It was somewhat complex and heavy 42lb or 19kg compared with the light mortars of other armies. Why doesnt the us army use more 60mm and 81mm mortars. Jun 02, 2016 the mortar is a mechanically simple devicenot much more than a tube with a firing pinand the design is little changed from the 81mm mortars of wwii. British army the infantry 51mm mortar, 60mm mortar and. The 51 mm light mortar is a weapon that can be carried and fired by one man, and is found in the hq of an infantry platoon. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The m224 replaced the world war 2era m2 and m19 mortars in service with us ground forces.
Nov 06, 20 the prototype sight, called a fire control unit fcu, attaches by hand near the muzzle of a 60mm mortar, and provides users with a dramatic increase in target accuracy, most notably at night. They launch explosive shells technically called bombs in higharcing ballistic trajectories. If the enemy threatens to get close enough to see the mortar, you can skulk out of sight and shift to spotted indirect fire. A mortar is usually a simple, lightweight, manportable, muzzleloaded weapon, consisting of a smoothbore metal tube fixed to a base plate to spread out the recoil with a lightweight bipod mount and a sight. Is being a mortar man in the infantry army dangerous. The brandt 60mm pneumatic mortar the brandt 60mm pneumatic mortar was invented by edgar william brandt, apparently in 1915. For many decades, the max range of 60mm mortars was more like 2,000 meters. Fa and mortarsdangerclose target is within 600 meters of friendly troops. In 1916, the french army placed an order for 3,000 of these mortars, plus 3 million shells, with brandts company. The mortar is used to fire smoke, illuminating and he rounds out to a range of approximately 750 m. The firing tube is a shell some 355mm 14 ins in length.