M224

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M224


General Information
Military designation: M224
Team: 3
Technical specifications
Overall length: 101.6 cm
Pipe length: 83.8 cm
Caliber :

60 mm

Cadence : maximum 30, practically 20 rounds / min

The 60-mm mortar M224 Lightweight Company Mortar System (LWCMS) (slight Company Mortar System) is a lightweight high-angle fire gun with smooth pipe for Indirect fire for ground troops support . The mortar has been used by the United States Armed Forces at the company level since 1978 . In 2013, the United States equipped the Afghan National Army with this mortar. In the same year the improved and lighter version M224A1 was introduced.

description

Handheld mode (left),
conventional mode (right)

The mortar consists of the main components: the tube , bipod , base plate and aiming device, which can be used in two configurations. The conventional configuration uses the tube, bipod, heavy M7 base plate and aiming device. The handheld configuration consists only of the tube and the lightweight M8 base plate. Depending on the configuration, the mortar has a different weight: hand-held 8.2 or 7.7 kg (M224 / M224A1) and conventional 21 or 15.9 kg (M224 / M224A1).

On the pipe there is a connection piece for the base plate, as well as an assembly with fire selection mode and the trigger . The trigger guard can also be used as a handle . The bipod offers a swivel range of 14 °, in addition it must be moved. The bipod can be attached to two points on the tube and thus cover the elevation ranges 45 ° to 56 ° and 56 ° to 85 °. Two shock absorbers on the bipod absorb the recoil when fired. The lateral and vertical direction is done using two hand cranks . The optical aiming device is attached to the bipod. For night use, it has tritium lighting so that the reticle can be recognized.

The floor plates M7 / M7A1 and M8A1 are round and have an alignment range of 360 °. The rectangular base plate M8 has a limited swivel range of 90 ° and can only be used with limited additional ammunition charges.

The mortar has two types of fire. With the throw-in type of fire, the mortar automatically fires the grenade if it has been thrown in through the muzzle and strikes the fixed firing pin. With the trigger type of fire, the firing pin is retracted and only fires the grenade when the trigger is pulled. A maximum of 30 rounds per minute is possible, with continuous fire it is 8–20 rounds per minute (depending on the type of ammunition). The firing range is between 70 and 3500 m.

The M224 or M224A1 mortar consists of the following components:

  • Tube: length: 1 m
    • M225: Material: steel , weight: 6.5 kg. There are cooling fins on the outside of the tube .
    • M225A1 Material: Inconel 718, weight: 6 kg. No cooling fins, the outside is smooth.
  • Bipod
    • M170: weight 6.9 kg. Material: steel, a plastic-coated wire rope limits the spread of the legs. The legs are fixed for transport by means of a hook on the wire rope.
    • M170A1: Weight: 5 kg, materials: aluminum and titanium . The use of self-lubricating materials and coatings made maintenance of the bipod easier, as the joints no longer need to be lubricated. The legs snap in for the battle position as well as for transport, the wire rope was omitted. In addition, a spirit level was integrated into the bipod to support the horizontal alignment of the mortar.
  • Base plate
    • M7: Material: aluminum 2014-T6, diameter: 48 cm, weight: 6.4 kg
    • M7A1: Material: aluminum 7175-T74, diameter: 46 cm, weight: 3.6 kg
    • M8 material: aluminum 2014-T6, dimensions: 25 cm × 18 cm, weight: 1.7 kg
    • M8A1 Material: aluminum 7175-T74, diameter: 30 cm, weight: 2.3 kg
  • Target device
    • M64 / M64A1: Weight: 1.1 kg, magnification : 1.5 times. Meanwhile replaced by M67.
    • M67: weight: 1.3 kg; Magnification: 3.5 times

The replacement cost in 2001 was $ 10,658.

In addition to the actual weapon, various accessories are carried along by the mortar squad, e.g. B. cleaning utensils, carrying case, carrying strap, measuring rods or the M115 boresighter for calibrating the aiming aid.

The M224 mortar is the most versatile weapon of the rifle company. The destructive power is only greater with an anti-tank hand weapon like the SMAW , the maximum range only with a machine gun like the M240 . It is the only weapon of the rifle company for indirect fire and can also have a supportive effect through lighting, marking and concealment.

history

Afghan soldiers practice with the M224, December 2013
experimental visor

The M224 mortar was introduced in 1978 and replaced the old models from World War II , the M2 mortar and M19 mortar . These weapons had an effective range of just 2,000 meters. The M224 mortar is compatible with the old ammunition, but it is primarily designed for longer ammunition with a higher range of up to 3,500 m. The mortar was introduced to various light ground units of the United States Armed Forces. Users include airmobile infantry , airborne troops , special forces (e.g. United States Army Rangers , United States Army Special Forces ) and light infantry (rifle companies) of the United States Army and the United States Marine Corps . The United States Navy also uses the mortar with the United States Navy SEALs and the Seabees construction troops . In some units, the 60mm M224 mortar replaced the 81mm M29 mortar .

The US Army removed the mortars from infantry companies after the Korean War , but reintroduced them after the experience of the Vietnam War . The United States Armed Forces have 2,000 units.

The mortar was mainly used in Afghanistan and Iraq . These two conflicts were characterized by asymmetrical warfare . The M224 mortar was rated as reliable, effective and quickly ready for use. When fighting in built-up areas, such as B. the fighting in Fallujah , heavy artillery and air strikes could often not be used because of possible collateral damage . The American soldiers used the light mortars M244 (60 mm) and M252 (81 mm). Further experience from the conflicts showed that the M224 mortar in hand-held mode was particularly valuable in warding off ambushes. It was ready for action quickly, had a strong firepower and fought in steep fire targets that could not be reached by other infantry weapons. However, the range (maximum 3,500 m) is not considered sufficient for all situations. Thus patrols and widely distributed units of the company are not always supported. An increase in range would be possible with a longer tube, but is also associated with a higher weight.

The United States Armed Forces recognized the need to improve the M224 mortar. A USMC improvement program suggested reducing the weight of the M224 in order to increase its tactical uses. A joint project between the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and the United States Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) started.

The tube is no longer made of steel , but of Inconel , a nickel-based alloy . It is lighter and has a longer lifespan . The tests with the new material for gun barrels began in 2006. The manufacturing process, cylinder spinning , was also new for gun barrels. The M224A1 version, which is 20% or 4.2 kg lighter, was introduced in 2011 and is intended to gradually replace the M224 version. In addition to the M225A1 gun barrel, the M170A1 bipod and the M7A1 base plate have been completely redesigned. These measures reduced the total weight by 5.4 kg or 27%.

In 2013, the M8A1 base plate was introduced. Although it is a little heavier than the M8 base plate, it can fire ammunition with all additional propellant charges and offers a 360 ° swivel range. In some situations it is therefore an alternative to the heavier M7A1 base plate.

In 2013, the United States supplied the M224 mortar to the Afghan armed forces and trained the operating teams.

On March 18, 2013, a mortar shell exploded during a 2nd Marine Division exercise with the M224A1 at Hawthorne Army Depot . The explosion killed seven and injured eight soldiers. All mortars were initially banned from use, the subsequent investigation found a human error as the cause. Also in 2013, on July 3, an explosion occurred during mortar training for the Afghan army. Four Afghan soldiers and the US Army photographer Hilda Clayton were killed. Although the type of mortar was not disclosed, it is likely that it was the M224. The last picture of Clayton, which she took milliseconds before her death, was published in 2017 and went through the international press.

In 2013 a prototype of an electronic red dot sight was tested. The development was planned by the Office of Naval Research . This visor is attached near the muzzle and improves the accuracy of the hand-held set-up, especially in the dark. At the same time, a sling with heat protection for the pipe was developed. The tests were continued in use in Afghanistan. As a further technical development, fire control with mini drones is being tested at company level.

ammunition

The M888 HE shell is dropped into the hand-held mortar during an exercise

The M224 was designed so that the older ammunition can be used. Since the mortar has a longer barrel than the older M2 and M19 mortars, the range of the older ammunition is greater. Conversely, the ammunition specially developed for the M224 with reduced additional propellant charges can also be used in the older mortars.

The M224 mortar can fire the following types of shell ammunition :

The weight of the ammunition is 1.4 to 1.8 kg, depending on the type.

The ammunition of the M224 uses two types of detonators for high-explosive ammunition: Multi-option detonators M734 optionally as distance detonators (0.3 to 4 m from the surface), near-surface detonators (0 to 0.3 m from the surface), impact detonators or delay detonators (0.5 s after impact) and the simple M935 impact fuse.

The proximity fuse is significantly more complex and therefore more expensive than the simple impact fuse, but the early triggering of the proximity fuse does not cause part of the explosion to fizzle out in the ground. As a result, the 60 mm grenade with proximity fuse has a similar effect to the larger 81 mm grenade with impact fuse.

service

Mortar squad of the 101st Airborne Division during the exercise with M224A1
Calibration with the M115 boresighter
USMC in Afghanistan, 2010

The operating team of the mortar consists of three soldiers:

  1. Gunner: His position is on the left side of the mortar. He is responsible for targeting. He operates the target optics and makes fine adjustments. When pivoting d. H. Moving the bipod, he is supported by the squad leader or ammunition carrier.
  2. Loader: Located on the right side of the mortar. He puts the grenades into the muzzle.
  3. Ammunition carrier: located at the rear right. He prepares the ammunition for firing and hands it over to the loader. After 10 shots he cleans the barrel.

As a rule, the operating team is trained so that every soldier can cover all functions.

In the hand-held setup, neither bipods nor target optics are used. Therefore, the pipe must be held by hand. The gunner performs the lateral alignment by aiming roughly over the barrel. He sets the inclination and thus the shooting distance using the distance scale on the barrel's inclinometer. If the trigger type is selected, the gunner pulls the trigger.

In order to calibrate the aiming device to the target line of the pipe, the Boresighter M115 is temporarily attached to the muzzle. Calibration should be done each time the gun is deployed.

If there is no direct line of sight to the target, indirect fire is used. For target alignment, measuring rods attached in the area are aimed at with the target optics as reference target points.

Smaller swings in the range of up to 14 ° can be performed using the bipod. The bipod must be lifted up and moved for larger swings.

The fire control computer M23 from the 1980s was first used for fire control . It has been replaced by the M32 fire control computer since 2005.

In the hand-held configuration, the mortar can certainly be carried by a soldier. Otherwise it is transported dismantled, either by two or usually by three soldiers.

organization

The United States Armed Forces have different approaches to how mortar squads are organized. There are already differences when it comes to the squad leader , who is responsible for fire control . In the US Army it's the loader, in the Marine Corps it's the gunner.

In the US Army, two mortar squads per company are available and are combined into one section . One of the squad leaders is also the section leader. The exception are the United States Army Rangers; a dedicated section leader is used here. The Marine Corps infantry companies have three mortar squads and a dedicated section leader. With the Seabees, the weapons battalion consists of two platoons, each with two groups of mortars. There is a platoon leader and a gunner, loader and two ammunition carriers per mortar squad.

The section leader is entrusted with a variety of tasks: leading the section, advancing observer for fire control and radio communication.

The mortar squads can only carry a limited amount of ammunition. Depending on the situation, the ammunition can be distributed to other soldiers in the company, or the supply of ammunition must be ensured by logistics units .

In addition to the mortar, each mortar team is equipped with measuring rods, binoculars, compass, fire control computer, drawing board and field telephone . The section leader has boresighters and radio equipment . Usually the two mortar squads are assigned the same target.

Manufacturer

Watervliet Arsenal: assembling the M8 base plate

The mortar was made by different, changing manufacturers and suppliers . The main manufacturer for M224 was General Dynamics . The main manufacturer of the M224A1 is the US Army's Watervliet Arsenal .

The optical sights are manufactured by Seiler Instrument , the bipods by Matech in Salisbury, MD and the Arlington Machine & Tool Company in Fairfield, NJ . The tube prototypes were made by Dynamic Flowform of Billerica, Mass. manufactured.

Web links

Commons : Mortar M224  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g h United States Army Field Manual No. 23-90, Chapter 3 60-mm MORTAR, M224 , December 2002, United States Department of the Army [1] [2]
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g David C. Smith: Mortar Lightweighting Programs, NDIA Joint Armaments Conference 2014 , United States Army Research, Development and Engineering Command , May 13, 2014 archive link ( Memento of May 13, 2015 in the Internet Archive )
  3. ↑ a b c d e f g h TM 9-1010-223-10 OPERATOR'S MANUAL: LIGHTWEIGHT COMPANY MORTAR 60MM, M224, September 15, 1998 Archived copy ( memento of the original from October 7, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was used automatically and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / download.cabledrum.net
  4. ↑ a b c d Audra Calloway: Soldiers benefit from lighter, easier to maintain mortar systems , July 20, 2011, United States Army
  5. ^ A b c Scott Gourley: Mortar Technology in: US Coast Guard Forum , June 19, 2009 [3]
  6. ↑ M64 Telescope Mount , Sailer Instruments
  7. ↑ a b FM 3-22.90: Mortars, December 2007, United States Department of the Army [4]
  8. ↑ M224 Specifications , GlobalSecurity.org
  9. ↑ a b Phillip KS Sprincin: Rethinking the 'Rifle' Platoon ( Memento of the original from October 19, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , July 2007, Marine Corps Association @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.mca-marines.org
  10. ↑ a b c d e f Pocket artillery , Armada International , April 2006
  11. ↑ a b c d M224 60mm Lightweight Company Mortar System (LWCMS) , GlobalSecurity.org
  12. ↑ Mir Bahmanyar: US Navy SEALs , Verlag Osprey Publishing , August 2005, ISBN 978-1841768076 , p. 44 [5]
  13. ↑ a b Seabee Combat Handbook, Volume 1 , July 2003, United States Navy
  14. ↑ Ray Bonds (Ed.): Modern Us War Machines , Military Press, 1987, ISBN 9780517688021 , p. 134 [6]
  15. ↑ a b Phillip KS Sprincin: Rethinking the 'Rifle' Company ( Memento of the original from October 19, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , July 2007, Marine Corps Association @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.mca-marines.org
  16. ^ A b John B. Snyder: Watervliet's revolutionary process lightens the load for Soldiers , United States Army , August 2011
  17. ^ John B. Snyder: US Army awards Watervliet $ 4.2M contract for new mortar baseplate , October 29, 2012, United States Army
  18. ^ John B. Snyder: Watervliet's $ 4.3M contract may lighten the load for Infantrymen , August 28, 2013, United States Army
  19. ↑ Sam LaGrone, 'Human Error' Blamed in Mortar Accident that Killed Seven Marines , May 29, 2013, United States Naval Institute
  20. ↑ Andrew Katz: The Story Behind an Army Combat Photographer's Final Picture in: Time , May 2, 2017
  21. ↑ Vanessa Steinmetz: The last picture in: Spiegel Online , May 3, 2017
  22. ↑ Cuong Le: Marines test new mortar sight concept at Range , November 12, 2013, United States Marine Corps
  23. ^ Matthew M. Burke, Marines in Afghanistan getting mortar improvements , Nov. 7, 2013, The Stars and Stripes
  24. ↑ James Dunnigan : The 60mm Wonder Got Better  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , June 5, 2012@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.strategypage.com  
  25. ^ Gary W. Cooke: 60mm Mortar Ammunition And Fuzes in: Gary's US Infantry Weapons Reference Guide , August 5, 2004
  26. ↑ Russ Bryant, Susan Bryant: Weapons of the US Army Rangers , Zenith Press, 2005, ISBN 0760321124 , p. 65 [7]
  27. ↑ How it Works: Science and Technology, Volume 11 , Verlag Marshall Cavendish , 2003 ISBN 9780761473251 , p. 1485 [8]
  28. ↑ a b Introduction to Crew Served Weapons, B3M4078 United States Marine Corps , The Basic School [9]
  29. ↑ a b c FM 7-90 TACTICAL EMPLOYMENT OF MORTARS, Chapter 8 , United States Department of the Army , October 1992 [10]
  30. ↑ M224 MORTAR  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , December 3, 2007, General Dynamics@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.gd-ots.com  
  31. ↑ Products from Seiler Instrument
  32. ↑ 2010 Weapon Systems , 2010, United States Army, p. 236 [11]