L16 81mm Mortar
Encyclopedia
The United Kingdom
's L16 81 mm mortar is the standard mortar
used by the British armed forces. It originated as a joint design by UK and Canada. The version produced and used by Australia is named the F2 81mm Mortar, whilst the version used by the U.S. armed forces is known as the M252.
It was introduced in 1965/6 replacing the Ordnance ML 3 inch Mortar
in UK service where it is used by the Army, Royal Marines and RAF Regiment.
In UK armoured or mechanised battalions the L16 mortar is mounted in a vehicle, usually the FV 432 AFV (two per mechanised battalion mortar platoon) or Bv 206 (or the M113 APC in the many armies that use it). Otherwise it is carried dissassembled in three loads each approximately 11 kg (barrel, baseplate and bipod with sights) normally by a vehicle or helicopter and assembled for firing from the ground.
The weapon can be man-packed by the mortar detachment, but this is an arduous task (especially for the carrier of the bipod) and is preferably avoided. The ammunition in this case would be carried by other soldiers of the battalion. In addition to his normal equipment, each man would carry four bombs in a pair of two-bomb, plastic containers, known as 'greenies'.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's L16 81 mm mortar is the standard mortar
Mortar (weapon)
A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
used by the British armed forces. It originated as a joint design by UK and Canada. The version produced and used by Australia is named the F2 81mm Mortar, whilst the version used by the U.S. armed forces is known as the M252.
It was introduced in 1965/6 replacing the Ordnance ML 3 inch Mortar
Ordnance ML 3 inch Mortar
The Ordnance ML 3-inch mortar was the United Kingdom's standard mortar used by the British Army from the late 1920s to the late 1960s, superseding the Stokes Mortar.-History:...
in UK service where it is used by the Army, Royal Marines and RAF Regiment.
In UK armoured or mechanised battalions the L16 mortar is mounted in a vehicle, usually the FV 432 AFV (two per mechanised battalion mortar platoon) or Bv 206 (or the M113 APC in the many armies that use it). Otherwise it is carried dissassembled in three loads each approximately 11 kg (barrel, baseplate and bipod with sights) normally by a vehicle or helicopter and assembled for firing from the ground.
The weapon can be man-packed by the mortar detachment, but this is an arduous task (especially for the carrier of the bipod) and is preferably avoided. The ammunition in this case would be carried by other soldiers of the battalion. In addition to his normal equipment, each man would carry four bombs in a pair of two-bomb, plastic containers, known as 'greenies'.
Operators
- Australia including 2nd/10th Field Regiment
- Austria
- Bahrain
- Brazil
- Canadian ForcesCanadian ForcesThe Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
- Guyana
- India
- Italian ArmyItalian ArmyThe Italian Army is the ground defence force of the Italian Armed Forces. It is all-volunteer force of active-duty personnel, numbering 108,355 in 2010. Its best-known combat vehicles are the Dardo infantry fighting vehicle, the Centauro tank destroyer and the Ariete tank, and among its aircraft...
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Kenya
- Luxembourg
- Malawi
- Moroccan Royal GuardMoroccan Royal GuardThe Moroccan Royal Guard is officially part of the Royal Moroccan Army. However it is under the direct operational control of the Royal Military Household of His Majesty the King.- Organization :...
- Malaysia
- Malta
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Nigeria
- Norway
- Oman
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Somalia
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Yemen
- Zimbabwe