New, lighter mortar system for U.S. Army

PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J., Dec. 16 (UPI) -- A new lightweight 81mm mortar system from the U.S. Army's Picatinny Arsenal is being fielded by U.S. troops.

The Arsenal reports the new M252A1 81mm system is 12 pounds -- or 14 percent -- lighter than its predecessor, the legacy M252 mortar system.

"The new lightweight system reduces the load for dismounted battalion mortar platoons, while retaining the same durability, rates of fire, and range of the legacy system," said Lt. Col. Will McDonough, product manager Guided Precision Munitions and Mortar Systems, with the arsenal's Program Executive Office for Ammunition.

Ted Greiner, assistant product manager for 60 and 81mm mortar systems at Picatinny Arsenal, said weight reduction was achieved through the use of new materials.

"We used lighter materials, such as aluminum and titanium in the elevation and traverse mechanism that lower and lift the bipod, and traverse it left and right, and nylon Kevlar for some of the internal gear parts," he said.

The M252A1 consists of a M253 cannon, or tube, a M177A1 bipod, M3A2 baseplate, and the M67A1 sight unit.

The bipod now weighs 22.5 pounds, compared to 27 pounds. The baseplate has been reduced in weight by six pounds and now weighs 23 pounds, while the cannon weighs 30.5 pounds.

The first systems were delivered earlier this month to soldiers at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. All former 81mm systems used by the Army will be replaced in 2016.

Engineers at the arsenal partnered with the Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center, Benet Labs, Army Contracting Center New Jersey, Watervliet Arsenal, and MaTech to develop the technology for the lighter mortar system.