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Indirect Fires Modernization Project - C3/M777 Replacement

I saved this for good reason - perspective is always useful.

I think a lot of people forget that modern medicine is part of what allows most of us to be alive and live comfortably. I was born near sighted, so my option in life 200 years ago would have been; pick up a skill, become a tavern musician, or die.

As a random Canadian alive in 2025, I have better access to health services and lifesaving medicine than the emperors of Rome... Even better than Queen Victoria could have bought, as the ruler of the greatest empire the world has yet known.
 
I think a lot of people forget that modern medicine is part of what allows most of us to be alive and live comfortably. I was born near sighted, so my option in life 200 years ago would have been; pick up a skill, become a tavern musician, or die.

As a random Canadian alive in 2025, I have better access to health services and lifesaving medicine than the emperors of Rome... Even better than Queen Victoria could have bought, as the ruler of the greatest empire the world has yet known.
Not to mention sewage disposal, clean water and electricity at the flip of a switch.
 
I think a lot of people forget that modern medicine is part of what allows most of us to be alive and live comfortably. I was born near sighted, so my option in life 200 years ago would have been; pick up a skill, become a tavern musician, or die.

As a random Canadian alive in 2025, I have better access to health services and lifesaving medicine than the emperors of Rome... Even better than Queen Victoria could have bought, as the ruler of the greatest empire the world has yet known.
Theres a reason were consistently at the top of global QoL surveys. Despite our problems, we live in one of the best countries in human history. Its a blessing.
 
I think a lot of people forget that modern medicine is part of what allows most of us to be alive and live comfortably. I was born near sighted, so my option in life 200 years ago would have been; pick up a skill, become a tavern musician, or die.

As a random Canadian alive in 2025, I have better access to health services and lifesaving medicine than the emperors of Rome... Even better than Queen Victoria could have bought, as the ruler of the greatest empire the world has yet known.

A hot shower is a luxury no one beyond royalty had access too regularly until the 20th century. I don’t think some people understand that.
 
Something air-portable for our Light Battalions...can use both 81mm and 120mm mortars so can be configured as best suits a particular mission.

 
Something air-portable for our Light Battalions...can use both 81mm and 120mm mortars so can be configured as best suits a particular mission.

It still doesn't excite me. I like the Mrzr. Use a wheeled mortar trailer towed behind it and you've got room for twice the ammo and a quarter of the maintenance problem. Keep it simple. You can probably tear down and hook in a wheeled mortar faster than the hydraulics on this thing. I presume there's a second one of these vehicles for the rest of the detachment. Two folks is a bit thin even for something like this.

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It still doesn't excite me. I like the Mrzr. Use a wheeled mortar trailer towed behind it and you've got room for twice the ammo and a quarter of the maintenance problem. Keep it simple. You can probably tear down and hook in a wheeled mortar faster than the hydraulics on this thing. I presume there's a second one of these vehicles for the rest of the detachment. Two folks is a bit thin even for something like this.

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Honestly I am not a fan of towed 120mm Mortars - they are crazy heavy and awkward - and realistically you need a Hummer sized vehicle to tow them. They really don't come into to action or get out of action quickly.

8rds in 2 min including coming out of action isn't shabby - and well under what a towed 120mm would do (albeit I wonder if that is the 81mm they gave times for).

Given the TBI issues 120mm crews are having, I am at the point that I would only be equipping 120mm Mortars in a turreted system with a LAV or Tracked IFV - and leave the 81mm for the light vehicles and dismounts.
 
Honestly I am not a fan of towed 120mm Mortars - they are crazy heavy and awkward - and realistically you need a Hummer sized vehicle to tow them. They really don't come into to action or get out of action quickly.

8rds in 2 min including coming out of action isn't shabby - and well under what a towed 120mm would do (albeit I wonder if that is the 81mm they gave times for).

Given the TBI issues 120mm crews are having, I am at the point that I would only be equipping 120mm Mortars in a turreted system with a LAV or Tracked IFV - and leave the 81mm for the light vehicles and dismounts.
I think my head is where yours is, in part.

If TBI is the prime concern, then no mortar, except something like a NEMO turreted one will do, including the various truck-mounted ones like Scorpion regardless of what vehicle you put it on. The simple fact of life for a dismounted or towed or Scorpion-like mortar are that the rate of fire depends on the crew being close to the tube to load. Otherwise you need a mortar with a trigger; the crew loads, runs away and then fires with a long lanyard. Rate of fire suffers.

I think that the rate of fire and into and out of action of a towed 120 is quite fast. They're designed for that and will not be much slower to take out of action then the amount of time that it takes for a Scorpion to hydraulically suck its mortar back in. Keep the truck close (as it is for a Scorpion) and the ammo on the vehicle and it's merely a matter of snapping some latches and hooking in. What the towed gives is an option to dig it in and easily camouflage it. In a prolonged defensive fight, how long do folks think a vehicle mounted mortar will last running around within a few kilometres of the front doing its shoot and scoot manoeuvres when there is a wide variety of sensors available beyond mere counterfire radars. IMHO, digging in still has value.

The way that I see it is that a Scorpion-like system is an unnecessary technical complication that, to me, is more a shiny bauble than anything else. Their digital fire control system has value, but there are solutions - such as the Safran Sterna - which offer gateways into a digital fire control system for small weapon systems requiring orientation. Otherwise the old tried and true recce party sets up and orients prior to the mortar itself arriving and then receives line will work quite well. It may take a minute or two longer, but coming into action isn't the problem, getting out of action or digging in is what matters.

To me a NEMO-like system - with its turret - is a no brainer for "mech" infantry. 81mm for real light and dismount work.

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