Encyclopaedic reference on infantry support mortars. Public doctrinal information only: role, calibres, variants, distribution. No operational, firing, fire-control, handling, maintenance or modification instruction.
Role
Organic indirect-fire weapon of the infantry, providing immediate and continuous fire support to manoeuvre units. Ranges from 100 m (60 mm commando mortars) to over 7 km (heavy 120 mm). The curved trajectory allows engagement of targets in defilade, in trenches, behind crests and in urban interiors not accessible to direct fire.
General characteristics
- Smoothbore tube or rifled (French 120 mm)
- Main calibres: 60 mm (commando, light), 81 mm (NATO platoon), 82 mm (post-Soviet platoon), 120 mm (heavy battalion)
- Bipod + baseplate + tube — classic man-portable configuration
- Ammunition: HE (high explosive), smoke (WP/HC), illumination, training/practice
- Firing tables and ballistic computation via FDC (Fire Direction Center) or ballistic computer
- Rate of fire: 15-30 rpm (81/82 mm), 4-15 rpm (120 mm)
- Modern systems (NEMO, RAK) automated and self-loading
Main systems
| System | Calibre | Era | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| M224 / L16 | 60 mm / 81 mm | 1978 / 1965 | Mortai leggeri/medi NATO standard. M224 commando, L16A2 plotone/compagnia. |
| 2B14 Podnos | 82 mm | 1983 | Mortaio leggero/medio sovietico/russo a livello plotone, portata ~85-4100 m. |
| 120-PM-43 / 2S12 Sani | 120 mm | 1943 / 1981 | Mortaio pesante sovietico, portata 460-7100 m, livello battaglione. |
| M120 / Mod 63 | 120 mm | 1991 / 1963 | Pesante NATO/Soltam, portata 7200-7700 m con munizioni avanzate. |
| 2S9 Nona | 120 mm su semovente | 1981 | Sistema combinato cannone/mortaio su scafo BTR-D, dotazione VDV russe. |
| MO-120-RT-61 | 120 mm rigato | 1961 | Mortaio rigato francese, precisione superiore, in dotazione UA via aiuti. |
| UK-2-23 | 82 mm | 2014+ | Mortaio ucraino prodotto localmente, derivato da Podnos. |
| Edinaro / Edinà | 60 mm commando | 1980s+ | Mortai leggeri commando per gruppi appiedati, portata 100-1500 m. |
| RAK / NEMO | 120 mm semovente automatizzato | 2010s | Sistemi semoventi moderni a caricamento automatico, alta cadenza. |
Calibre vs tactical level
60 mm: squad/section level, portable by one or two soldiers, range up to ~2 km. 81 mm NATO / 82 mm WP: platoon/company level, range 3-5 km, total weight 35-45 kg. 120 mm: battalion level, frequently towed or self-propelled, range 7+ km, employment weight 200+ kg. Calibre choice depends on required mobility and supported radius.
Distribution in Ukraine
Mortars are ubiquitous on both fronts. Ukrainian forces field 2B14 Podnos 82 mm, French MO-120-RT-61, L16 81 mm, M252, M120, and locally produced UK-2-23. Russia fields Podnos, Sani, 2S9 Nona, 2S31 Vena, and automatic 82 mm vehicle-mounted mortars. The mortar is the principal indirect-fire support of the trench squad, active continuously along the line of contact.
Advantages (doctrinal)
- Curved trajectory — reaches targets in defilade and trench
- Short reaction time: deployable in minutes
- HE, smoke and illumination ammunition from a single platform
- Relatively low cost compared to artillery
- Range sufficient to cover the full company (81/82) or battalion (120) area of responsibility
Limits (doctrinal)
- Exposed to immediate counter-battery via radar (ZOOPARK, COBRA, ARTHUR)
- Vulnerable to ISR and FPV drones while emplaced
- Bulky and heavy ammunition — intensive logistics under sustained employment
- Lower precision than artillery of similar calibre
- Frequent displacement and position change required for survival
Manual limits
This entry is encyclopaedic. It does not describe firing procedures, ballistic computation, FDC, FO/FAC, charge selection, ammunition handling or maintenance. Those skills require specialist military training.