Vehicle-Mounted Mortar Architectures for Light Tactical Vehicles

Thales and Arquus have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to integrate the SpinFire mortar family onto light tactical vehicles. The collaboration aims to mount 120 mm rifled mortar systems on Arquus vehicle platforms to provide mobile, intermediate fire support architectures.

Weapon System Integration and Demonstrators
The partnership focuses on the integration of two primary mortar configurations: the 120MC (Mortar Carrier) and the 2R2M (Rifled Recoiled Mounted Mortar). The 120MC demonstrator, utilizing a deployable arm from Escribano, recently completed an evaluation campaign with the French Army. The 2R2M is a 120 mm vehicle-mounted system already deployed on platforms such as the VAB (Véhicule de l’Avant Blindé) armored personnel carrier. For these systems, Thales supplies the Weapon Management System (WMS), the inertial navigation unit, the 120 mm rifled barrel, and the associated ammunition, while Arquus provides the vehicle chassis and integration engineering.

Shoot-and-Scoot Mobility
The integration of heavy 120 mm mortars onto lighter tactical vehicles bridges the gap between traditional towed artillery (such as the 120 RT) and heavy armored mortar carriers. By mounting the weapon directly onto a highly mobile chassis, the systems enable rapid emplacement and immediate displacement after firing. This architecture reduces the physical burden on the crew and enhances operational survivability by minimizing the exposure window to counter-battery fire.

Additional Context: This section details technical specifications not included in the original announcement
In military artillery, the integration of a 120 mm heavy mortar onto a light or medium wheeled chassis requires significant recoil mitigation to prevent catastrophic structural damage to the vehicle's suspension. The Thales 2R2M system achieves this by incorporating a hydro-pneumatic recoil system that absorbs the intense firing shock of the heavy barrel. Unlike standard smoothbore mortars, the rifled 120 mm barrel imparts spin to the projectile, which significantly improves aerodynamic stability and reduces the Circular Error Probable (CEP) at extended ranges. Furthermore, the integration of the Weapon Management System (WMS) with an onboard inertial navigation unit allows the system to receive target coordinates via digital radio, calculate the ballistic firing solution, and automatically lay the weapon on target within seconds—a capability essential for executing modern "shoot-and-scoot" artillery tactics.

Edited by Lekshman Ramdas, Induportals editor – adapted by AI.

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