M74 light mortar

Light mortar 120 mm M74
TypeMortar
Place of originYugoslavia
Service history
In service1981–present
Used bysee operators
WarsSalvadoran Civil War
Yugoslav Wars
Production history
DesignerMilitary Technical Institute
ManufacturerPPT Namenska
Specifications
Mass105 kg in firing position 219 kg in transport
Crew5
Caliber120 millimetres (4.7 in)
Rate of fire12 rpm for M74
Effective firing range6400m for M74
Feed systemmanual

The M74 mortar is designed by Military Technical Institute in Yugoslavia. It is smooth bore, muzzle-loading, high-angle-of-fire weapon used for long-range indirect fire support.[1] Today they are produced by Serbian company PPT Namenska and BNT[2] from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Description

This mortar can be deployed as infantry support for destruction of personnel and enemy firing positions, for opening routes through barbed wire obstacles and mine fields, for demolition of fortified objects, for destructing infrastructure elements, illumination and deploying smoke screen. The M74 model when disassembled could be carried by 3 soldiers thus having unique capabilities regarding transport in area with obstacles or in urban area compared with more heavier mortars. M74 provides 12 rds per minute rate of fire and it is intended to be used to deliver 15-20 mines before moving to another position. Since it is very light regarding its caliber it can be easily airdropped and parachuted to firing position. It uses NSB-4B sight for firing.[3] Base-plate of M74 mortar is triangle shaped.

Specifications

Maximum range: 6,400 metres (21,000 ft)
Minimum range: 250 metres (820 ft)
Weight: 105.0 kilograms (231.5 lb) without ammunition
207.0 kilograms (456.4 lb) when mounted on trailer
Rate of fire: 12 rounds/min
Crew: 4+1

Operators

Map with M74 operators in blue with former operators in red

Current operators

Former operators

See also

References

  1. ^ "Yugoslavian mortars - List of mortars developed in Yugoslavia".
  2. ^ "BNT - BNT military production". Archived from the original on 2014-02-27. Retrieved 2014-02-09.
  3. ^ http://www.vti.mod.gov.rs/index.php?view=actuality&type=reference&category=1&id=97 [bare URL]
  4. ^ "POTD: The M74 Mortar -". The Firearm Blog. 2019-11-09. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
  5. ^ Mitzer, Stijn; Oliemans, Joost (23 March 2021). "Tracking Arms Transfers By The UAE, Russia, Jordan And Egypt To The Libyan National Army Since 2014". Oryx Blog.
  6. ^ International Institute for Strategic Studies (February 2016). The Military Balance 2016. Vol. 116. Routlegde. p. 134. ISBN 9781857438352.
  7. ^ The Military Balance 2016, p. 138.
  8. ^ Mitzer, Stijin; Oliemans, Joost. "Documenting Equipment Losses During The September 2023 Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict". Oryx. Retrieved 7 October 2023.