Benning Lab Tests New Mortar System

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Benning Lab Tests New Mortar System
December 21, 2009
Army News Service|by Vince Little

FORT BENINNG, Ga. - The Army wants to decrease the weight Soldiers carry on missions, and Fort Benning's Maneuver Battle Lab is part of the effort.

Last week, 10 Soldiers evaluated a lightweight base plate being developed for the M224 Lightweight Company Mortar System during a series of live-fire, static and movement exercises at McKenna Urban Operations Complex, Fergusson and Buckner ranges.

The current M8 base plate limits the direction and distance a mortar can be fired, said Rusty Schulten, a project officer for MBL's Soldier Team, and Soldiers still have to carry the M7 base plate - weighing more than 14 pounds - in order to fire in any direction and at maximum range.

"The new base plate will reduce the need to carry both during offensive operations when there may be a need to fire beyond hand-held range," Schulten said. "(It) can support firing at maximum range, which could eliminate the need to carry the M7 base plate, significantly decreasing the weight of the Soldiers' total equipment load."

Factoring in the cannon and bipod, the current 60mm M224 mortar system weighs 46 pounds. The M8 X is 4.8 pounds, so the goal is to get the entire package down to about 33 pounds, said Alex Wright, mortar projects officer for the Soldier Requirements Division.


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