A mortar is a muzzle-loading indirect fire weapon that fires shells at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. The Mortier 120mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1 (MO-120-RT-61 "120mm rifled towed mortar model F1" is a heavy mortar used by the French Army. The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. A muzzleloader is any Firearm into which the projectile and usually the Propellant charge is loaded from the muzzle of the Gun (i In the context of warfare direct fire means aiming through a Sight directly at the target A shell is a payload-carrying Projectile, which as opposed to shot, contains an explosive or other filling though modern usage includes large solid projectiles Ballistics ( gr βάλλειν ('ba'llein' "throw" is the science of Mechanics that deals with the motion behavior and effects of Projectiles It typically has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber. The term caliber or calibre designates the interior Diameter of a tube or the exterior diameter of a wire or rod
Contents |
Function
A mortar is relatively simple and easy to operate. A modern mortar consists of a tube which gunners drop a shell into. A firing pin at the base of the tube detonates the propellant and fires the shell. A firing pin or striker is part of the firing mechanism used in a Firearm or explosive device e
These attributes contrast with the mortar's larger siblings, howitzers and field guns, which fire at higher velocities, longer ranges, flatter arcs, and sometimes, direct fire. A howitzer is a type of Artillery piece that is characterized by a relatively short barrel and the use of comparatively small explosive charges to propel projectiles A field gun is an Artillery piece Originally the term referred to smaller Guns that could accompany a field army on the march and when in combat could be
In the 19th and early 20th centuries very heavy immobile siege mortars were used, of up to one metre calibre. The term caliber or calibre designates the interior Diameter of a tube or the exterior diameter of a wire or rod
A mortar can also be a launcher for fireworks, a hand-held or vehicle-mounted projector for smoke shells or flares, or a large grenade launcher. A firework is classified as a low explosive pyrotechnic device used primarily for aesthetic and entertainment purposes A grenade launcher is a Weapon that launches a Grenade with more accuracy higher velocity and to greater distances than a soldier could throw it by hand
Light and medium mortars are portable, and usually used by infantry units. The Infantry is the oldest and most numerous of the Combat Arms in the Armed forces, and consists A military organization is a way of structuring the armed forces of a State as a need to offer Military capability required by the National defence policy The chief advantage a mortar section has over an artillery battery is its small numbers, mobility and the ability to engage targets in the defilade with plunging fires. Artillery (from French artillerie) is a military Combat Arm which employs any apparātus machine Enfilade and defilade are concepts in Military tactics used to describe a military formation's exposure to enemy fire It is able to fire from the protection of a trench or defilade. A trench is a type of excavation or depression in the ground Trenches are generally defined by being deeper than they are wide (as opposed to a wider Gully or Ditch Enfilade and defilade are concepts in Military tactics used to describe a military formation's exposure to enemy fire In these aspects the mortar is an excellent infantry support weapon, as it can be transported over any terrain and is not burdened by the logistical support needed for artillery. Logistics is the management of the flow of Goods, Information and other resources including Energy and people between the point of origin and the point
There are also heavy mortars of 120mm to 300mm caliber[1]. These weapons are usually towed or vehicle-mounted, sometimes breech-loaded, and normally employed by infantry units attached to battalion through division level. Even at this size, mortars are simpler and less expensive than comparable howitzers or field guns.
A mortar can be carried by one or more men (larger mortars can usually be broken down into components), or transported in a vehicle. An infantry mortar can usually also be mounted and fired from a mortar-carrier, a purpose-built or modified armoured vehicle with a large roof hatch. Self-propelled Artillery (also called mobile artillery or locomotive artillery) vehicles are a way of giving mobility to Artillery. An armoured fighting vehicle ( AFV) is a military Vehicle, protected by armour and armed with Weapons Most AFVs are equipped for driving in rugged
A heavy mortar can be mounted on a towed carriage, or permanently vehicle-mounted as a self-propelled mortar. Twin-barreled self-loading mortars — such as the Patria AMOS PT1 — are the latest evolution of these heavy mortars and are mounted on platforms such as armored personnel carriers, tank chassis, and coastal patrol boats. For other uses see Amos; for the programming language see AMOS (programming language. [2]
Design
Most modern mortar systems consist of three main components: a barrel, a base plate, and a bipod.
Modern mortars normally range in caliber from 60mm (2. The term caliber or calibre designates the interior Diameter of a tube or the exterior diameter of a wire or rod 36 in) to 120mm (4. 72 in). However, mortars both larger and smaller than these specifications have been produced. An example of the smaller scale is the British 51 mm Light Mortar which is carried by an individual and consists of only a tube and a base plate. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The L9A1 51 mm Light Mortar is a man-portable mortar system used by the British Army. Conversely, a large example is the Soviet 2S4 M1975 "Tyulpan" (tulip tree) 240mm self-propelled mortar. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991
Smaller mortars (up to 81mm) are commonly used and transported by infantry based mortar sections as a substitute for, or in addition to, artillery. The Infantry is the oldest and most numerous of the Combat Arms in the Armed forces, and consists Artillery (from French artillerie) is a military Combat Arm which employs any apparātus machine
Ammunition for mortars generally come in two main varieties: fin-stabilised and spin-stabilised. The former have short fins on their posterior portion which control the path of the shell in flight. Spin-stabilized mortars rotate as they travel along and leave the mortar tube. This action stabilizes them in much the same way that a rifle bullet is, or that the American football is stabilized when thrown in a "spiral. American football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, is a competitive Team sport known for mixing strategy with " Both types of rounds can be either illumination (infrared or visible illumination), smoke, or high explosive. A shell is a payload-carrying Projectile, which as opposed to shot, contains an explosive or other filling though modern usage includes large solid projectiles A shell is a payload-carrying Projectile, which as opposed to shot, contains an explosive or other filling though modern usage includes large solid projectiles A shell is a payload-carrying Projectile, which as opposed to shot, contains an explosive or other filling though modern usage includes large solid projectiles
Spin-stabilised rounds require a rifled barrel. Since mortars generally are muzzle loaded, the mortar shell has a pre-engraved band, called an obturator, that engages with the rifling of the barrel. The increase in accuracy is at a cost in loading time and having to account for drift, a peculiarity of rifled systems that causes the round to "drift" perpendicular to the spin axis; this Magnus effect is common to any spinning projectile, and is, for example, what makes it possible for pitchers to throw curve balls. The Magnus effect is the phenomenon whereby a spinning object flying in a Fluid creates a Whirlpool of fluid around itself and experiences a force perpendicular In Baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the Pitcher's mound toward the Catcher to begin each play with the goal of
Mortars come in a variety of calibers. The French 81mm mortar became standard for many countries. The Soviets took tactical advantage of this. They standardised an 82mm mortar for their armies. Hence, troops using Soviet mortars could use mortar ammunition of other countries found on the battlefield, albeit with less accuracy, while their own would be too large for their opponents. This advantage was used during the Vietnam War and at other times.
Spigot mortar
Spigot mortars are a particular type of mortar consisting of a mostly solid rod or spigot, and a hollow tube in the projectile into which the spigot fits, inverting the normal tube mortar arrangement. At the top of the tube in the projectile is a cavity containing propellant such as cordite. A propellant is a material that is used to move ("propel" an object Cordite is a family of smokeless propellants developed and produced in the United Kingdom from 1889 to replace Gunpowder as a military propellant There is usually a trigger mechanism built into the base of the spigot, with a long firing pin running up the length of the spigot activating a primer inside the projectile and firing the propellant charge. The percussion cap, introduced around 1830, was the crucial invention that enabled muzzle-loading firearms to fire reliably in any weather
The advantage of a spigot mortar is that the firing unit (baseplate and spigot) is smaller and lighter than a conventional mortar of equivalent payload and range. It is also somewhat simpler to manufacture.
The disadvantage is that the mortar projectile requires additional material to contain the propellant gases during firing. While most mortar shells have a streamlined shape towards the back that naturally fits a spigot mortar application well, using that space for the spigot mortar tube takes volume and mass away from the explosive warhead payload and fragmentation mass of the projectile. If a soldier is carrying only a few projectiles, the projectile weight disadvantage is not significant. However, the weight of a large quantity of the heavier and more complex spigot projectiles offsets the weight saved due to the spigot mortar being lighter than a conventional mortar.
A near silent mortar can be made using the spigot principle. Each round has a closely fit but moveable plug in the tube that fits over the spigot. When the round is fired, the projectile is pushed off the spigot, but before the plug clears the spigot, the plug is caught by a narrowing at the base of the tube. This traps the gases from the propelling charge and hence the sound of the firing. Post World War II the silent Belgium Fly-K spigot mortar was accepted into French service as the TN-8111. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including
Spigot mortars are generally out of favor in modern usage, replaced by small conventional mortars.
Military applications of spigot mortars include
- Anti-tank launchers
- The Blacker Bombard and PIAT anti-tank launcher used by Britain in WWII utilised a spigot mortar type of launcher. The Blacker Bombard was a cheap Anti-tank weapon devised by Lieutenant-Colonel Stewart Blacker in the early years of the Second World War The Projector Infantry Anti Tank ( PIAT) was one of the earlier Anti-tank weapons using a high explosive anti-tank projectile
- Anti-submarine launchers
- The Hedgehog launcher, used from the deck of a ship, fired a circular pattern of anti-submarine projectiles into the sea ahead of the ship. For the area denial weapon see Czech hedgehog. The Hedgehog was an Anti-submarine weapon developed by the Royal Navy A sinking projectile detonated if it struck a submarine, and the pattern was such that any submarine partly in the landing zone of the projectiles would be struck one or more times.
Nonmilitary applications include use of small-caliber spigot mortars to launch lightweight, low-velocity foam dummy targets used for training retriever dogs for bird hunting. A retriever is a type of Gun dog that retrieves game for a Hunter. Extremely simple launchers use a separate small primer cap as the sole propellant (similar or identical to the cartridges used in industrial nailguns). A nail gun, nailgun or nailer is a type of Tool used to drive nails into Wood or some other kind of material
Other advantages
An additional advantage of the mortar is its ability to drop shells on targets close to the mortar, due to the "lobbing" nature of the ballistics. This feature also makes it possible to launch attacks from positions lower than the target of the attack. For example, conventional long-range artillery could not shell a city centre 1km away and at an elevation disadvantage of 30 metres (100 feet), but shelling the city by mortar would be easy.
History
Mortars have existed for hundreds of years, first seeing use in siege warfare. However, the early incarnations of these weapons were large and heavy, and could not be easily transported. Simply made, these weapons were no more than iron bowls reminiscent of the kitchen and apothecary mortars from where they drew their name. A pestle and mortar is a Tool used to crush grind and mix substances
An early transportable mortar was invented by Baron Menno van Coehoorn (Siege of Grave, 1673[3]). Menno baron van Coehoorn (1641 &ndash March 17, 1704) was a Dutch soldier and Military engineer of Swedish extraction Coehorn-type mortars of approximately 180 pounds (82 kg) weight were used by both sides during the American Civil War. Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South
During the Russo-Japanese War, Leonid Gobyato for the first time applied deflection from closed firing positions in the field and with General Roman Kondratenko designed the first mortar that fired navy shells. The Russo-Japanese War (日露戦争 Romaji: Nichi-Ro Sensō Русско-японская война Russko-Yaponskaya Voyna;, 10 February 1904 – 5 September Leonid Nikolaevich Gobyato (Леонид Николаевич Гобято ( 6 February 1875 &ndash 21 May 1915) was a Russian However, it was not until the Stokes trench mortar devised by Sir Wilfred Stokes in 1915, that the modern mortar transportable by one person was born. Sir Frederick Wilfred Scott Stokes KBE (1860 - 1927 was the inventor in 1915 of the Stokes Mortar, which saw extensive use in the latter half of the First World The Germans also developed a series of trench mortars or Minenwerfer in calibers from 7. Minenwerfer ("mine launcher" is the German name for a class of short range mortars used extensively during the First World War by the German 58cm to 25cm during World War I, though these were rifled. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Rifling refers to the Helix -shaped pattern in the barrel of a Firearm, which imparts a spin to a Projectile around its long axis
Extremely useful in the muddy trenches of the Western Front, mortars were praised because of the shell's high angle of flight; a mortar round could be aimed to fall directly into trenches where artillery shells, due to their low angle of flight, could not possibly go. See Western Front (disambiguation for other meanings Western Front was a term used during the First and Second World A trench is a type of excavation or depression in the ground Trenches are generally defined by being deeper than they are wide (as opposed to a wider Gully or Ditch Modern mortars have improved upon these designs, offering a weapon that is light, adaptable, easy to operate, and yet possesses enough accuracy and firepower to provide the infantry with quality close fire support against soft and hard targets more quickly than any other means. The Infantry is the oldest and most numerous of the Combat Arms in the Armed forces, and consists
Largest mortars
The largest mortars ever developed were the French "Monster Mortar" (developed by Henri-Joseph Paixhans in 1832), "Mallet's mortar" (developed at the Woolwich Arsenal, London, in 1857) and the "Little David" (developed in the United States for use in World War II). Henri-Joseph Paixhans (* January 22, 1783, Metz; † August 22, 1854, Jouy-aux-Arches) was a French artillery officer of Robert Mallet FRS ( June 3 1810 &ndash November 5, 1881) Irish Geologist, Civil engineer, and inventor who distinguished Click here for Indian Rebellion of 1857 Year 1857 ( MDCCCLVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the Little David was the nickname of an American 36 inch (914 mm Caliber mortar used for test firing bombs during World War II. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including All three mortars had a caliber of 36 inches (910 mm), but only the "Monster Mortar" was used in action (at the Battle of Antwerp in 1832). The term caliber or calibre designates the interior Diameter of a tube or the exterior diameter of a wire or rod Year 1832 ( MDCCCXXXII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian [4]
Improvised mortars
Improvised, or "homemade", mortars have been used by insurgent groups, usually to attack fortified military installations. An insurgency is a violent internal uprising against a sovereign government that lacks the organization of a revolution Some of the best examples were those used by the Provisional Irish Republican Army during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. The Provisional Irish Republican Army (Óglaigh na hÉireann ( IRA; also referred to as the PIRA, the Provos, or by some of its supporters as the These were known as "barracks busters" and were usually constructed from heavy steel piping of 3-4 inches in diameter mounted on a steel frame. Barrack buster is the colloquial name given to several improvised mortars, developed in the 1990s by the engineering group of the Provisional Irish Republican Army This could be constructed easily inside a van such as the MK 1 Ford Transit. The Ford Transit is a range of Panel vans minibuses and pickup trucks produced by the Ford Motor Company in Europe. Bombs were also home-made and had simple propellant fuses.
The mortars were usually deployed as a battery of four or six welded onto the same steel frame. The idea was that the improvised propellant fuses could be set once the mortar carrier was aimed roughly at the target and the mortars would automatically fire after a short delay. This allowed the mortar gunner to escape even before the mortar is fired.
The most famous use of this weapon was on February 7 1991 when an attack was made on 10 Downing Street as a Cabinet meeting was in session. Events 457 - Leo I becomes emperor of the Byzantine Empire. 1074 - Battle of Montesarchio in which the Prince The bomb landed in the back garden of No. 10 but succeeded only in shattering the back windows. Prime Minister of the United Kingdom John Major was forced to move to Admiralty House while repairs were effected. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom Sir John Major KG CH ACIB (born 29 March 1943 is a British Politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Admiralty House in London was designed by Sir Robert Taylor and his protege Samuel Pepys Cockerell and opened in 1786 [5]
Currently, mortars are being used by Palestinian militias in the Gaza Strip against Israeli targets. Palestinian people or Palestinians ( الشعب الفلسطيني, ash-sha`b al-filasTīni; الفلسطينيون, al-filasTīnīyyūn The Gaza Strip (قطاع غزة, רצועת עזה Retzu'at 'Azza) is a coastal strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea, bordering Egypt on the south-west For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics.
See also
- List of artillery#Mortars
- Carcass (projectile), the type of shell used in mortars before the modern age
- Category:Mortars
- Military technology and equipment
- Chemical mortar battalions of the United States Army
- Strix mortar round
- Hedgehog World War II anti-submarine weapons
- Barrack buster
- M2 4.2 Inch Mortar
References
FM 3-22. A list of artillery catalogues types of Weapons found in batteries of national Armed forces ' Artillery Units. A carcass was an early form of Incendiary Bomb or shell, intended to set targets on fire This article lists military technology items devices and methods The United States chemical mortar battalions were army units attached to U The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. The Saab Bofors Dynamics STRIX is a Swedish guided projectile fired from a 120 mm mortar. For the area denial weapon see Czech hedgehog. The Hedgehog was an Anti-submarine weapon developed by the Royal Navy Barrack buster is the colloquial name given to several improvised mortars, developed in the 1990s by the engineering group of the Provisional Irish Republican Army The M2 42 Inch Mortar was a US Rifled 42-Inch (107-mm mortar used during the Second World War and the Korean War. 90 Mortar Gunnery
FM 3-22. 91 Mortars
- ^ Vesa Toivonen, 2003, From Tampella to Patria, 70 Years of Finnish Heavy Weapons Production, Tampere, ISBN 952-5026-26-4
- ^ Toivonen, 2003
- ^ BARON VAN MENNO COEHOO... - Online Information article about BARON VAN MENNO COEHOO
- ^ Largest Mortar. Guinness World Records. Retrieved on 2006-04-04. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1581 - Francis Drake completes a circumnavigation of the world and is knighted by Elizabeth I.
- ^ http://www.keesings.com/search?kssp_a_id=38019n03uki&kssp_selected_tab=article Mortar attack on 10 Downing Street
External links
- Mallet's Mortar, the largest British mortar ever made.
- Defense Update: Modern Mobile 120mm Mortars
- Defense Update: Advanced Mortar Munitions
- Mortars during World War I
- The Karl Morser, WW II-era German 60cm self-propelled mortar. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including
- Video (streaming wmv)
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic