Israel’s Elbit Systems has developed a new version of the Spear 120mm mortar compatible with the Oshkosh Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV).
The Spear is an updated version of Soltam Systems’ Cardom mortar, serving several militaries, including the US and Israel.
The mortar is equipped with a “recoil reduction system that reduces the mortar’s firing loads from 30+ tons to as low as 12-15 tons,” allowing it to be mounted on a variety of high mobility light vehicles.
Moreover, its automatic aiming and navigation allow operation “without the need for external reference points.” The system can fire all 120mm smoothbore ammunition in bursts of 12-16 and bursts of 3-4 in sustained mode (10-20 minutes).
Joint Light Tactical Vehicle
The Spear’s successful integration with the JLTV paves the way for its possible use by the US military, which is currently the sole user of the vehicle.
Oshkosh Defense’s JLTV partly replaces the AM General Humvee multi-purpose motor vehicle used by the US Army, US Marine Corps, and the United States Special Operations Command.
The vehicle has been in service since 2016 and provides a greater payload and survivability than its predecessor.