M-160 mortar


The Soviet 160 mm Mortar M-160 is a smoothbore breech loading heavy mortar which fired a 160 mm shell. It replaced the 160mm Mortar M1943 in Soviet service after World War II.

Description

It is very similar to the M1943 mortar but has a longer barrel, thus enabling a greater range. Loading the mortar requires the breech to be released from the baseplate and swung into a horizontal position, after loading the round it is returned to its original position. It is mounted on a wheeled carriage, in order to be towed by trucks such as the GAZ-66. China copied it as the Type 56 mortar.
The M-160 has a minimum range of and a maximum range of.
According to the combat doctrine of the Vietnamese People's Army, the 160mm mortar was developed to destroy the enemy's fortified bunkers and trenches, and can also be used to ambush military bases. The mortar can be deployed in all terrains such as hills, mountains, plains, and urban areas. It is most effective when deployed in elevated terrain and urban areas where the target is often hidden behind defensive cover.

Service

It was introduced in 1953. Originally deployed as a standard mortar for all types of division, it is currently particularly used as mountain or urban artillery. Some countries still use it as field artillery. China originally deployed 12 Type 56 mortars per field division. The M-160 saw service during the Arab–Israeli conflict, including the Lebanese Civil War, with the Indian Army during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 and by North Vietnamese Army in 1975 spring offensive during Vietnam War

Variants

M-160 − Soviet divisional mortar.Type 56 − Chinese copy of the M-160.T-54 with 160 mm mortar − An Iraqi modification of the T-54/T-55 tank, with the turret removed and replaced with a fixed superstructure with an enclosed M-160 mortar with limited traverse. Access doors were provided on the sides and rear of the superstructure and when travelling the mortar was left in horizontal position. It never entered Iraqi Army service in significant numbers.

Users

Current

  • − 150 as of 2024
  • − 30 as of 2024
*

Former

  • − Produced locally as the Type 56
  • − 4 in storage as of 2024