M224 mortar


The M224 60 mm Lightweight Company Mortar System is a smoothbore, muzzle-loading, high-angle-of-fire mortar used for close-in support of ground troops. It was deployed extensively in the War in Afghanistan by the United States military.

Description

The M224 system is composed of these parts:
  • M225 Cannon:
  • M170 Bipod:
  • M7A1 Baseplate for use in conventional mode: or
  • * M8 baseplate for use in handheld mode:
  • M64A1 Sight Unit :
The mount consists of a bipod and a base plate, which is provided with screw-type elevating and traversing mechanisms to elevate/traverse the mortar. The M64A1 sight unit is attached to the bipod mount. The mortar can be fired in the conventional mode or the handheld mode. This smoothbore system can be gravity-fired or fired by using a manual spring-loaded trigger.
It is typically fielded at the infantry company level. A small mortar section with two mortars was organic to Army rifle companies and Ranger companies. Marine rifle companies have a section with three 60 mm mortars in the company weapons platoon.

History

The M224 LWCMS replaced the older 60 mm M2 mortar and the inaccurate M19 Mortar and began fielding as prototypes in the mid-1970s during the Vietnam War. The M2s and M19s had an effective range of only. While the M224s were designed to fire all types of the older ammunition, their primary rounds are of the newer, longer-range type that range out to.
In 2011, an improved M224A1 version was brought into service. The M224A1 consists of the M225A1 tube, M170A1 bipod assembly, M7A1 baseplate, M8 auxiliary baseplate and the M64A1 sight unit. By reducing the number of components and using lighter materials, the M224A1 mortar system weighs at about 37.5 lbs, which is 20% less with a reduction of compared to the original M224. The US Army plans to replace all legacy M224s with the new M224A1. Concurrently, a lighter version of the 81 mm M252 mortar was also developed.

Ammunition

The M224 Mortar can fire the following principal classifications of training and service ammunition:
  • High explosive : Designations M888, M720, and M720A1. Used against personnel and light material targets. The M888 HE shell has 0.79 lb of Composition B explosive filler.
  • * M1061 Enhanced Lethality Cartridge: Improved HE with an enhanced fragmentation warhead and insensitive munition characteristics. Its increased lethality is accomplished with a matrix of pre-formed fragments and 0.56 lb of PBXN-110 explosive. As a result, the M1061 achieves lethality near that of an 81 mm mortar HE round.
  • Smoke Cartridge : Designation M722. Used as a screening, signaling, or marking munition.
  • Illumination : Used in night missions requiring illumination for assistance in observation.
  • Training practice : Designation M50A2/A3. Used for training in limited areas. These rounds are obsolete and no longer used.
  • Red Phosphorus: Can not be fired by the 60 mm mortar
  • Full Range Practice Cartridges : Designation M769. This round is used for practice or clearing misfires.

    Fuzes

The M224 rounds have three fuze types: The Multioption Fuze, the Point-Detonating Fuze, and Timer fuze. The M734 is used for the M720 HE round and can be set to function as proximity burst, near-surface burst, impact burst, or delay burst.

Operators