The firing range is 120 mm mortar. Mortar firing range

At the dawn of the 20th century, the time for organizing military operations was a time of change. While the howling sides were entrenched, dug multi-way trenches and fenced off with wire barriers, all the power from the use of firearms, from rifles to machine guns, and powerful gun fire could not inflict great damage to the soldiers.

The wire fences demolish the artillery fire, which the army of the enemy pulled up. Also, the fortifications are being destroyed, but the infantry units of the enemy took refuge behind deep trenches and for the most part did not suffer losses. What to do?
The appearance of mortars on the battlefields dramatically changed the alignment of forces. Also, the maximum firing range from mortar was the decisive factor for changing tactics not only on the battlefields, but also in urban combat conditions.

The first Russian mortar

Historically, the first mention of the use of a tool for throwing shells on a mortar principle was mentioned during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905.

At the warehouses of Port Arthur, there were many sea mines. They were a conical-shaped iron shell on a long 15-meter-long pole. The execution of the idea of shooting with such "shells" was entrusted to Captain LN Gobyato. To do this, it was decided to use a 47 mm single-barreled Gochinx gun, which was installed for this purpose on a primitive carriage, which helped to increase the elevation angle from 45 ° to 65 °.
Before the shooting, a pole with a mine was placed in the trunk (the pole was shortened) and a wad that served as a buffer at the same time. Behind him was a cartridge case with a charge.

To stabilize the mine in flight, it was equipped with a four-leaf stabilizer. The firing range of the mortar was from 40 to 400 meters, and the mine produced significant destruction during the explosion. And this is not at all surprising, since the mine ship's and combat charge weighed 6.2 kg!

Mortar of the Patriotic War

In August 1941, the Defense Committee of the Soviet Union decided to increase the production of mortars with a size of 120 mm. It was a smoothbore rigid system with a schematic of an imaginary triangle. Charging mortar occurred from the muzzle.

The firing range of 120 mm mortar was at different angles of fire from 460 m to 5700 m (shooting angles from 45 ° to 80 °).

Among other things, mortars were supplied with twin shock absorbers and a swinging sight, which allowed to improve combat characteristics.

Mortars of 1955

The experience of combat use of 120-mm guns of the 1943 model was taken into account when creating a regimental mortar in 1955. The development of the mortars of this modification was conducted under the supervision of B.I. Shavyrina. At the same mass, the 120 mm mortar range was increased and amounted to 7.1 km.

The accuracy of the shooting was:

• The average lateral deviation is 12.8 m;
• The median slope of the range is 28.4 m.

In combat position, the mortar could be deployed in 1.5 minutes.

Self-propelled mortar "Tundzha"

The development of this self-propelled plant began in 1965. As a chassis, the MT-LB special cannon is used. The mortar M-120 (2B11) was located in the car body. The deployment of the mortar to its wartime position was designed in such a way that the base plate rests on the ground, and the trunk at the same time stands for the dimensions of the machine.

Ammunition weighing 16 kg, 120 mm mines type:

• 0-843A;
• 3-843A;
• 0-843 and others.

Range of mortar firing 120 mm, m:

• 480-7100.

Angles of guidance:

• Vertical 45 ° -80 °;
• Horizontal ± 5 ^ 26).

Rate of fire in combat conditions, rds / min:

• to 10.

Ammunition, min:

• 60.

The mortar complex "Sani"

In 1979, the armament was adopted 120 mm complex "Sani". It includes:

• Mortar 2F510;
• Pneumatic wheel 2L81 (detachable);
• Transport vehicle 2F510 (base GAZ-66-05).

Exact firing range of 120 mm mortar:

• From 480 to 7100 m.

Rate of fire:

• 15 rounds per minute.

The mortar is equipped with sighting devices:

• Sight MPM-44M;
• Gun collimator K2-1;
• Lighting device LUCH-P2M.

The exact range of mortar fire, controlled by the arsenal of KM-8:

• 9.0 kilometers.

Installation "Nona-C"

The current trend in the development of mortar weapons is to merge 120 mm mortars and cannon-blowing artillery howitzers. SAU called 2S9 "NONA-S", adopted in service in 1976, has the ability to fire both rifled projectiles and mines with feathers, which affects the increased range of 120 mm guns.

The possibilities of NONA-S are considerably expanded and allow us to apply it not only to suppress the enemy's numerical strength, but also to destroy defensive structures, and to wage a successful battle with tanks.

For use in mountain conditions, "NONA-S" is particularly indispensable, since the barrel raised at the zenith solves the problems of suppression of manpower that are inaccessible to howitzers or cannons.

An important feature is the extremely short range of shooting 120 mm mortar:

• For the shell - 1700 m;
• For mines - 400 m.

Therefore, the ammunition includes 120 mm mines:

• High-explosive fragmentation;
• Lighting;
• Smoke;
• Incendiary.

The practical range of fire reaches 7.1 km.

Rate of fire (7-8 shots) per minute is ensured by an automatic punch. After the shot, the gun barrel is blown under pressure by compressed air to remove the powder gases.

"Vein"

In 1995, the SAU 2C31 "Vienna" was created, in which the mortar range of 120 mm is up to 14,000 meters.

The installation kit contains:

• High-explosive high-explosive projectile ОФ-49 and ОФ-54;
• Active-rockets ОФ50;
• Cumulative projectiles ;
• All types of mortar ammunition of 120 mm caliber can be used, except for domestic ones also foreign ones;
• Guided projectiles "Kitolov - 2M".

The angle of guidance in the vertical plane is -4 ° to + 80 °. Rebuilding the tip automatically after each shot.

Ammunition of the gun - 70 shots in the ammunition, and besides there is the possibility of supplying ammunition from the ground through a special hatch in the right side with an armored cover.
The firing range of modern mortars is constantly increasing and the use of such CAO type "Vienna" is becoming particularly relevant.

"Hosta"

Completely modernized howitzer 120 mm, shooting range of which reached 13 km, "Hosta" received a new tower of circular rotation. And also knots and innovations from 2С31 "Vienna", 2С23 "НОНА" СВК were installed. At the same time, the undercarriage is also modernized by the ShT-MT-DB.

The main difference is the improved gun 2A80-1, which was equipped with a muzzle brake. That allowed to increase the rate of fire 2 times and fire absolutely all types of shells of 120 mm caliber:

• High-explosive fragmentation;
• Mine;
• Modern shells 3ФФ112 "Kitolov-2".

In the new mortar system 2C34 "Hosta" shooting can be conducted without preparation of positions, not only by direct fire, but also capable of hitting targets on the opposite slopes of heights.

Its target rate of fire was increased from 4 to 9 rounds per minute.

Towed mortar

Along with the CAO type "Sani", the Russian Army also received towed ones:

• 2B16 "Nona-K";
• 2B23 "Nona M1".

At the same time, they did not lose their fighting qualities, just like the CAO.

This necessity arose for the supply of artillery to assault and assault brigades. When developing the "Nona K" mortar guns 2B16. The experience of fighting in Afghanistan was taken into account. This type of mortar was adopted in 1986.

Already in 2007 the Russian army adopted 120 mm 2B23 "NONA-M1". The gun was taken to destroy both the enemy's personnel and armored vehicles.

Also mortar batteries 2B23 were equipped with mortar batteries of the ground forces. For the use in the airborne troops there was the possibility of landing from an aircraft on specially equipped platforms. The ammunition of this mortar includes all types of 120 mm min.

These mortars were tested in a variety of local conflicts.

Modern facilities that have a mortar range of 120 mm from 400 to 7000 meters can not always hope for timely delivery of ammunition. Therefore, the trend of using such weapons during combat operations involves the use of 120 mm charges from the mortars of armies of other countries. The use of such a formula makes it possible to conduct fire support of their forces and on the territory of the enemy.