Maxman1
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The War in Ukraine
- Thread starter Bruce Monkhouse
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KevinB
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Because you need a vehicle like a JLTV to do it.Why not mount it on the truck to make it easier to shoot and scoot?
The JLTV dwarfs the Hummer, and it is anything but LIGHT.
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Why not mount it on the truck to make it easier to shoot and scoot?
Transmission and management of recoil forces. The system on the truck bed requires additional hardware that adds mass and volume, both of which cut into the amount of ammunition that can be carried. And the firing platform is still not as stable as the ground mounted one.
Mortars have been fired from the back of trucks at least since 1947.
Back then the Brit Paras in Palestine would take a truck, line its bed with sand bags and fire a 3" mortar from the bed.
After the engagement they would limp out of the area on broken springs and take another truck...from any other unit's vehicle compound.
KevinB
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The JLTV setup that @Maxman1 posted is a beast - the mortar is recoil dampened in the mount, and it is gyro stabilized to allow for a lot more than what a ground mount offers. But it is HUGE, and overkill for any light role, and under armored for what I would want for a Mech/Armor formation.
Rockets and Recoiless Rifles are ideal for that sort of thing...
Plus the truck doesn't need to be constantly replaced by stealing form other units
Maxman1
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At a certain point, I wonder if it's faster to just carry the mortar on the truck and have the crew dismount, set it up on the ground for the fire mission, then pack up and relocate. It would definitely be cheaper than a bespoke system.
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Meet half way?
French MO-120 RT towed, rifled 120mm mortar (Wikipedia link)
A proven system used by dozens of countries. Vehicle agnostic.
Sometimes simple and reliable is a plus but keep in mind the USMC dropped their version in favour of more precision munitions for better range and accuracy per round. That being said, for countries with pockets that aren't as deep as the US it might still be a good choice.
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Any place you can lift that towed 120 you can probably bring the MRZR.
As to the situation where you really, finally have to dismount you could have brought the bipod, sights and baseplate along with you in the MRZR. Heck, for that matter you could have brought along a spare barrel.
And, to complete the set, why not tow along a limber full of rounds and fuzes?
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The JLTV setup that @Maxman1 posted is a beast - the mortar is recoil dampened in the mount, and it is gyro stabilized to allow for a lot more than what a ground mount offers. But it is HUGE, and overkill for any light role, and under armored for what I would want for a Mech/Armor formation.
Rockets and Recoiless Rifles are ideal for that sort of thing...
Plus the truck doesn't need to be constantly replaced by stealing form other units
I believe the popular expression was: "Airborne Initiative".
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You know, I think I just figured out how to make use of the TAPVs, AND that useless passage a the rear beside the engine.
It looks like an ideal place to fold away one of those mortart mounts.
Open the door, unfold the baseplate and mortar assembly, fire, restow, close the door. Move.
Nobody is any the wiser. The vehicle looks like any other vehicle. The IRA couldn't do better.
It looks like an ideal place to fold away one of those mortart mounts.
Open the door, unfold the baseplate and mortar assembly, fire, restow, close the door. Move.
Nobody is any the wiser. The vehicle looks like any other vehicle. The IRA couldn't do better.
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