M75 light mortar

120 mm M75 Mortar
TypeMortar
Place of originYugoslavia
Service history
In service1981–present
Used bysee operators
WarsYugoslav Wars
Syrian Civil War
Production history
DesignerMilitary Technical Institute
ManufacturerPPT-Namenska AD
Specifications
Mass177 kg for M75 in firing position 261kg in transport
Crew5
Caliber120 millimetres (4.7 in)
Rate of fire15 rpm
Effective firing range9056 m for M75 with rocket-assisted ammunition
Feed systemmanual

The M75 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 AD and BNT[2] from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Description

M75 mortar is 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 destruction of infrastructure elements, illumination and deploying smoke screens. The M75 model is used to provide fire support in infantry battalions. M75 provides 15 rds rate of fire and has possibility of longer firing period when it is deployed for sustained bombardments. Mortars are considered to be very important arms as they are very effective and simple to use weapons deployed in a fire support role. It requires only 30 seconds to be transferred from transport to firing position. Since it is light regarding its caliber, it can be easily airdropped and parachuted to firing position. It uses the NSB-4B sight for firing.[3]

Specifications

Maximum range: 9,500 metres (31,200 ft)
Minimum range: 297 metres (974 ft)
Weight: 178.0 kilograms (392.4 lb) without ammunition
261.0 kilograms (575.4 lb) when mounted on trailer
Rate of fire: 15 rounds/min first minute, 9 rounds/min sustained
Crew: 4+1

Ammunition

HE Mortar Shell[4]

  • 120 mm HE Mortar Shell Mk12P1-L
  • 120 mm HE Mortar Shell M62P8

Smoke Mortar Shell[5]

  • 120 mm High-Smoke Mortar Shell M89
  • 120 mm Smoke Mortar Shell M64P2
  • 120 mm Smoke Mortar Shell M64P3
  • 120 mm Smoke Mortar Shell Mk12
  • 120 mm Smoke Mortar Shell Mk12-L

Illuminating Mortar Shell[6]

  • 120 mm Illuminating Mortar Shell M91
  • 120 mm Illuminating Mortar Shell M87P1

Operators

Current operators

Former operators

See also

References

  1. ^ "Yugoslavian Mortars". www.pmulcahy.com.
  2. ^ "BNT - BNT military production". Archived from the original on 2014-02-27. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  3. ^ "M75 Mortar Technical Information Guide".
  4. ^ "Krusik HE - HE mortar shell". Archived from the original on 2014-02-22.
  5. ^ "Krusik Smoke - Smoke mortar shell". Archived from the original on 2014-02-22.
  6. ^ "Krusik Illuminating - Illuminating mortar shell". Archived from the original on 2014-02-22.
  7. ^ International Institute for Strategic Studies (2020). The Military Balance. Vol. 120. Routlegde. p. 186. ISBN 978-0-367-46639-8.
  8. ^ The Military Balance 2020, p. 90.
  9. ^ The Military Balance 2020, p. 93.
  10. ^ The Military Balance 2020, p. 189.
  11. ^ The Military Balance 2020, p. 141.
  12. ^ Fisk, Robert (19 July 2018). "A Bosnian signs off weapons he says are going to Saudi Arabia – but how did his signature turn up in Aleppo?". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2022-06-14.