Domestically produced guns exported to Algeria are automatically loaded with mortars
Recently our 120 mm muzzle self-loading mortar exported to Algeria was unveiled. This kind of mortar has realized the automatic loading of the muzzle and the combat capability has been significantly enhanced, known as the Chinese Dragon Fire Mortar.
However, some people also have such a question, this new type of mortar has excellent performance, why don't we use it ourselves? In fact, the answer is very simple, that is, we already have a better choice, which is the domestic 120 mm mortar, which has better performance and wider use.
American Dragon Fire Mortar
The domestic 120 mm muzzle automatic loading mortar, like the Dragon Fire mortar, uses the muzzle automatic loading device to increase the rate of fire. A 120 mm mortar shell weighed as much as 16 kg, and the 120 mm barrel was relatively long, more than 1.5 meters, and the gunner needed to lift the shell to a very high place to fit into the gun chamber. In the front of the battlefield may require mortars to provide continuous fire support, at this time the burden on the gunner is relatively heavy, thus affecting the mortar's continuous combat capability. In order to solve this problem, the mortar automatic loading mechanism appeared.
The 120 mm mortar is higher in height, heavier in shells and heavier in the burden on the gunner
Domestic muzzle autoload mortars and American Dragon Fire mortars are automatically reloaded from the muzzle, that is, preloaded. Front loading is relatively simple, easy to achieve, and the cost and price are low. Of course, the disadvantages are also more obvious, first of all, the combat room cannot be sealed, does not have the ability of three defenses, the shooter is exposed, vulnerable to attack, affecting the battlefield survivability. In addition, the speed of fire of mortars is limited, and the shells must be transported to the muzzle of the gun first, and then aligned, and the shells can only be fired when they fall into the chamber. According to relevant information, the rate of fire of the Dragon Fire Mortar is generally 6 rounds per minute, and under ideal conditions, it is only 9 rounds per minute. It is not yet possible to achieve a double installation, and it is difficult to further increase the rate of fire. Therefore, the automatic loading of the muzzle for high-intensity confrontation environment is not enough, the US military is taking into account these shortcomings and abandoned the dragon fire mortar, we may not be equipped with this mortar for the same reason, some countries choose to equip the muzzle automatic loading mortar. The main reason is that their battlefield environment is low in intensity, and their cost and price are relatively low.
The muzzle autoloaded fire rate was slower, and the shooter was exposed
We are heavily armed with 120 mm mortars, which are reloaded in the same way as ordinary tube guns, loading shells from the tail of the guns. The advantage of this loading method is that the combat chamber can be sealed, with three defense capabilities, the shooter can get the turret and hull protection, avoid exposure, the battlefield survivability is strong, and can adapt to the high-intensity confrontation environment. It is easy to change the shooting, just need to rotate the turret to change the direction of shooting. The rate of fire is high, and the shell can be directly loaded into the gun chamber to fire, and the rate of fire can be further increased by using the dual loading method. In order to make the shell easy to fall, the gap between the muzzle diameter and the diameter of the shell is relatively large, while the gap between the tail loading mortar can be very small. This meant firing mortar shells of the same caliber, and the tail-loading mortar could be designed to be lighter, longer, and longer in range. Of course, the tail loading of the gun also has disadvantages, first of all, the gun structure is more complex, the cost and price are higher, and the maintenance is inconvenient.
We opted for a 120 mm mortar
Another advantage of the 120 mm mortar is that it enables multiple uses. Mortars, as the name suggests, are this kind of artillery that is both a mortar and can also be used as a howitzer, increasing the range, and the maximum range can also reach 10 kilometers in the case of domestic 120 mm mortars firing ordinary bullets. If an extended range projectile is used, the range can be further increased. The 120 mm mortar is difficult to exceed 8 km. Domestically produced 120 mortars can also be fired directly when necessary, firing armor-breaking shells for attacking armored targets. In this way, 1 gun can perform a variety of tasks, strike a variety of targets, use more flexibly, and be more versatile.
Its performance is better
It is precisely with these advantages in mind that we decided to equip ourselves with 120 mm mortars, and at present the domestically produced 120 mm mortars have been developed into a complete series, widely equipped with heavy and medium composite brigades of our army. The 120 mm muzzle automatic loading mortar is mainly used for export, and now that the international market has been opened, I believe that there are good export prospects in the future.