The world's best mortar. I bet USMC's jealous

[The Beard]

Just flicking through the satelite channels and came across: "SAS Survival Secrets". The narrator has just said, ".....the 81mm mortar is the best of its kind in the world, it's accurate to a range of 5 kilometres....." No wonder we can't sort out the Taliban. Surely we need something better than that. 2 kilometres would be more like it surely.

[LaoSexMachine]

USMC have 81s. They are with weapon's company Don't believe everything you hear and see on TV.

[Infanteer Two Seven]

Just flicking through the satelite channels and came across: "SAS Survival Secrets". The narrator has just said, ".....the 81mm mortar is the best of its kind in the world, it's accurate to a range of 5 kilometres....." No wonder we can't sort out the Taliban. Surely we need something better than that. 2 kilometres would be more like it surely.

i don't understand what you're trying to say.

i think what narrator meant is that it can hit any target in 5km radius accurately.

[Zoomie]

What is it with noobs and these "I heard/saw this. . ." threads as of late?

[Hollis]

USMC have 81s. They are with weapon's company Don't believe everything you hear and see on TV.


We even had 4 deuces (forgot what they were replaced by)

[StuRat]

Just flicking through the satelite channels and came across: "SAS Survival Secrets". The narrator has just said, ".....the 81mm mortar is the best of its kind in the world, it's accurate to a range of 5 kilometres....." No wonder we can't sort out the Taliban. Surely we need something better than that. 2 kilometres would be more like it surely.

It would be accurate to a few meters once the forward observers walked it onto target, the range is 5km, not the accuracy.:roll:

[LineDoggie]

Just flicking through the satelite channels and came across: "SAS Survival Secrets". The narrator has just said, ".....the 81mm mortar is the best of its kind in the world, it's accurate to a range of 5 kilometres....." No wonder we can't sort out the Taliban. Surely we need something better than that. 2 kilometres would be more like it surely.


You do of course know that the US uses the Royal Ordnance Developed L16 (US M252/AUS F2) Mortar?

Max Effective Range is 5,675Meters

[LineDoggie]

We even had 4 deuces (forgot what they were replaced by)


M120 Soltam 120mm Mortars

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/m120.htm

[Hollis]

M120 Soltam 120mm Mortars

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/m120.htm


Interesting the article says for motorized infantry. I only saw them at fixed based.

[James]

Just flicking through the satelite channels and came across: "SAS Survival Secrets". The narrator has just said, ".....the 81mm mortar is the best of its kind in the world, it's accurate to a range of 5 kilometres....." No wonder we can't sort out the Taliban. Surely we need something better than that. 2 kilometres would be more like it surely.

Are you trying to say that the USMC should be jealous that the SAS also uses 81mm mortars? Or did you think that the USMC didn't have them? Your post makes no sense.

[Sloppy Joe2]

Beard you make my head hurt

[Hippo]

Just flicking through the satelite channels and came across: "SAS Survival Secrets". The narrator has just said, ".....the 81mm mortar is the best of its kind in the world, it's accurate to a range of 5 kilometres....." No wonder we can't sort out the Taliban. Surely we need something better than that. 2 kilometres would be more like it surely.

please remove your head from your ass

kthxbai

[ARGAR FORKBEARD]

oh dear beard you seem to have upset the old gaurd! lol

[KoTeMoRe]

I was thinking about the Vasilek when I saw the title...then
http://www.codeodor.com/images/oh-my-its-linus.jpg

[Connaught Ranger]

If you think that by using a mortar you will eliminate the Taliban then your head is way up your ar*e, no matter how good the mortar crew is, if you cant give then a precise fix on a target they cant hit it.

Thats why mortars come under the classification of "Support weapons" and the foot soldier will have to go in anyway to make sure the threat is taken care off.:roll:

[oldsoak]

FWIW, US and UK 81mm's are the same UK design - although the US version has slight differences.


as Connaught says - mortar all you like - some poor sod still has to go out there with a fixed bayonet to make sure the target is clear of oppo. Dont get me wrong - a good mortar crew are your best mates when they are giving you accurate fire support, but they are not everything.

[Walker-69]

Forward observers are one of the guys who don't last too long in wartime. At least that's how it was in Finland back in the 1940's.

However, the mortar is very simple and a very effective weapon.

Hey, a question for y'all - is it true that the Brits made Semtex mortar bombs some time in the eighties or nineties? I checked up Wikipedia some time, it said that UK bought a large amount of Semtex at one point. Semtex mortar rounds should have been more effective than plain old HE, even though I am no chemist.

[LineDoggie]

I was thinking about the Vasilek when I saw the title...then
http://www.codeodor.com/images/oh-my-its-linus.jpg
Hey why did the 2B9 get pulled from most units? it seems like a great idea to be able to have Indirect or Direct fire capability

[p2pPower]

Well wouldnt AMOS and NEMO be the best mortar systems out there at this point?

[KoTeMoRe]

Hey why did the 2B9 get pulled from most units? it seems like a great idea to be able to have Indirect or Direct fire capability

In Soviet Russia you can't have great ideas...you either have ideas either don't! Overly complicated and crew dependent...needless to say more!

[Hutz]

This thread makes baby Jesus cry.

[ZoneOne]

Just flicking through the satelite channels and came across: "SAS Survival Secrets". The narrator has just said, ".....the 81mm mortar is the best of its kind in the world, it's accurate to a range of 5 kilometres....." No wonder we can't sort out the Taliban. Surely we need something better than that. 2 kilometres would be more like it surely.

A quick search revealed...

The M252 81 mm medium weight Mortar is an American smooth bore, muzzle-loading, high-angle-of-fire weapon used for long-range indirect fire support to light infantry, air assault, and airborne units across the entire front of a battalion zone of influence. In the US Army and US Marine Corps, it is normally deployed in the mortar platoon of an infantry battalion.

The M252 is an adaptation of the standard British 81 mm mortar, the L16 81mm Mortar developed in the 1970s.

[HollywoodMarine]

If you had asked me, I would of told you what Ezekiel had written. We have a platoon of 81's in our Weapons Company. 81's are considered the Battalion Commanders hip-pocket artillery. Their slogan is "You order... we motar!"

[Erik2a4]

Most units in A-stan use both 81 and 120mm mortars as a part of in-theater equipping, even if the 120 isn't a part of the unit's MTOE.

[SpartanWarrior198]

So why should the Marine Corps be jealous of a piece of hardware they already have?

[The Beard]

i don't understand what you're trying to say.

i think what narrator meant is that it can hit any target in 5km radius accurately.


It would be accurate to a few meters once the forward observers walked it onto target, the range is 5km, not the accuracy.:roll:


You do of course know that the US uses the Royal Ordnance Developed L16 (US M252/AUS F2) Mortar?

Max Effective Range is 5,675Meters
Thank you all gents. At least those of you that noticed. Perhaps you had to watch the programme. It seems even to me that with a range of 5km, it wouldn't be a lot of use. In fact it would probably be difficult to hit even a small town with it. It was obvious that whoever wrote the script made a mistake. A bit like the WWI story about communications. "Send 3 and 4pence, we're going to attack." The reason I mentioned the USMC is because of something my father once said. He was in the RAF from 1946 until 1955. When he was in Singapore in a Sunderland flying boat Air Sea Rescue squadron they picked up a U.S.M.C. (I think) pilot and because of the fuel reserves they had to land at a U.S.N. depot. The crew were entertained while the aircraft was being refuelled and managed to stay overnight. He commentated afterwards that the British had some men dressed as women to entertain them while they sat on some folding chairs. The bloody Yanks had a purpose built theatre with Bob Hope and Jayne Mansfield. I don't think he's ever forgiven them.

[DPM_Sheep]

So the title was supposed to be sarcasm?

You need to work on that, mate. :)

[Erik2a4]

Thank you all gents. At least those of you that noticed. Perhaps you had to watch the programme. It seems even to me that with a range of 5km, it wouldn't be a lot of use. In fact it would probably be difficult to hit even a small town with it. It was obvious that whoever wrote the script made a mistake. A bit like the WWI story about communications. "Send 3 and 4pence, we're going to attack." The reason I mentioned the USMC is because of something my father once said. He was in the RAF from 1946 until 1955. When he was in Singapore in a Sunderland flying boat Air Sea Rescue squadron they picked up a U.S.M.C. (I think) pilot and because of the fuel reserves they had to land at a U.S.N. depot. The crew were entertained while the aircraft was being refuelled and managed to stay overnight. He commentated afterwards that the British had some men dressed as women to entertain them while they sat on some folding chairs. The bloody Yanks had a purpose built theatre with Bob Hope and Jayne Mansfield. I don't think he's ever forgiven them.

Amazing. I have never before seen WWI, 81mm mortars, Singapore, the USMC, and cross-dressing British soldiers mixed in the same context.

I'm confused: why would it be hard to hit a small town with an 81mm mortar with a range of 5km?

[martinexsquaddie]

the Usmc might have our mortars but there never take 3 Para mortar platoon:)
which is a shame really as they scare every body else:(

[The Beard]

Amazing. I have never before seen WWI, 81mm mortars, Singapore, the USMC, and cross-dressing British soldiers mixed in the same context.

I'm confused: why would it be hard to hit a small town with an 81mm mortar with a range of 5km?
Variety is the spice of life. Anyway, you've never seen me try to hit a small town with a mortar. I can't even hit a small town in my car. Even with Sat Nav.

[The Beard]

Thank you all gents. At least those of you that noticed. Perhaps you had to watch the programme. It seems even to me that with a range of 5km, it wouldn't be a lot of use. In fact it would probably be difficult to hit even a small town with it. It was obvious that whoever wrote the script made a mistake.
Ahem, speaking of mistakes; on re-reading this, I've made the same error as the script writer.

[The Beard]

oh dear beard you seem to have upset the old gaurd! lol
You got it.....


What is it with noobs and these "I heard/saw this. . ." threads as of late?
you didn't.....


please remove your head from your ass

kthxbai
.....neither did you.

[Jippo]

I'm confused: why would it be hard to hit a small town with an 81mm mortar with a range of 5km?

It must be 1mm too small, because 82mm's have error margin of about 100m at max range here. :)

[Erik2a4]

It must be 1mm too small, because 82mm's have error margin of about 100m at max range here. :)

Definitely a small town.

[Johnnyringo]

Not to derail this highly entertaining thread.....

It's gotta be really tough using mortars in the mountainous terrain of Afghanistan... not to say they aren't the greatest hip pocket arty grunts have, but the steep changes in elevation have to play hell with the FO's bracketing...

[Ngati Tumatauenga]

It seems even to me that with a range of 5km, it wouldn't be a lot of use. In fact it would probably be difficult to hit even a small town with it.

By jove you've cracked it old boy!!!

A complete and utter waste of time. Totally worthless. Worst piece of kit ever invented.

Inexplicable why so many of the worlds militaries employ it...

[Erik2a4]

Not to derail this highly entertaining thread.....

It's gotta be really tough using mortars in the mountainous terrain of Afghanistan... not to say they aren't the greatest hip pocket arty grunts have, but the steep changes in elevation have to play hell with the FO's bracketing...

After 7 years in country, many areas are already TRP'ed.

But yes, it is an up/down versus add/drop correction.

[ZoneOne]

Not to derail this highly entertaining thread.....

It's gotta be really tough using mortars in the mountainous terrain of Afghanistan... not to say they aren't the greatest hip pocket arty grunts have, but the steep changes in elevation have to play hell with the FO's bracketing...

That's why a good experienced FO is priceless.

[Hippo]

.....neither did you.

please remove your head from your ass

kthxbai

[The Beard]

please remove your head from your ass

kthxbai
Head removed. Gordon Bennett it's bright out here. Think I'll put it back in.