1. General Description of Operational Capability.
a. Mission Area.
b. Organizational and Operational Concept. The Mortar Carrier provides immediate, responsive fire support to the Interim Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) in the conduct of fast paced offensive operations. These immediate, on-demand fires are critical to the ability of dismounted infantry to rapidly achieve decisive results. Supporting the Infantry in the assault entails close in fire, obscuration, precision strikes and the ability to effectively seal off or channelize an advancing enemy. The mortars provide accurate and lethal high angle fires to support operations in complex terrain and urban environments. The IBCT's Situational Awareness enhances the mortar's accuracy and lethality through the use of the Mortar Fire Control System.
3. Shortcomings of Existing Systems.
4. Capabilities Required.
a. System Performance.
(1) The MAV mortar carrier is based on the ICV variant.
Rationale: The mortar carrier is based on the ICV due to the close parallels of operational requirements between the two vehicles. The mortar carrier is an organic vehicle to the ICV maneuver formation and helps maximize commonality of the platform while simultaneously reducing the maintenance footprint and variety of logistics support.
(2) MAV mortar carrier must accommodate a 120mm mortar system which must be capablefiring the full family of mortar ammunition (HE, illumination, IR illumination, smoke, precision guided, and Dual Purpose Improve Conventional Munitions (DPICM)).
Rationale: Mounted mortars provide enhanced responsiveness over artillery systems by providing a high volume of fire at the high angle essential for effective engagement in urban and complex terrain. Additionally the 120mm caliber provides far greater lethality, obscuration and illumination over other mortar calibers and offers the greatest growth potential in precision guided and dual-purpose improved conventional munitions.
Organic mortars provide responsive fire support to the maneuver commander and must be capable of delivering these munitions to support the full spectrum of operations. Mortars are the ideal system to provide accurate and lethal high explosive indirect fire support to the dismounted infantry assault. Precision Guided Mortar Munition (PGMM) will allow maneuver commanders to destroy point targets at extended ranges. DPICM rounds will greatly increase the lethality of 120mm out to extended ranges. Smoke is required to deny the enemy information, reduce enemy target acquisition and disrupting enemy command and control. Illumination, white light and IR, allows maneuver elements to acquire and engage enemy targets in limited visibility.
(3) Mortar carrier must have a fire control capability equal to, or greater than, the current M1064A3. It will either accommodate equipped with the the XM95 Mortar Fire Control System (MFCS) when available or have equivalent capability.
Rationale: The MAV-M variant must either accommodate the XM95 Mortar Fire Control System which provides a significant increase in the lethality, responsiveness, accuracy and survivability of the mortar.
(4) Mortar carrier must be capable of an e The MAV-M mounted variant must have an emplacement time of not more than 3 minutes and a displacement time of 2 minutes.
Rationale: The mortar ARTEP specifies that the mortar squad must be able to emplace the mortar for emergency missions within 3 minutes from receipt of target location. Displacement time of 2 minutes is required for the mortar squad’s survivability against threat counter-battery systems.
(5) The traverse capability of the weapon system must be a minimum of 1600 mils at all elevations.
Rationale: The traverse limits are required to allow for a capability to conduct a normal fire mission across the range band without having to relay the mortar.
(6) The system must have a minimum elevation range of 800 to 1500 mils in all positions of traverse.
Rationale: Elevation requirement is to permit high fall angles which are necessary for use of the system in a MOUT environment.
(7) Minimum rate of fire must be at least 16 rounds for the first minute with a sustained rate of 4 rounds a minute at all ranges.
Rationale: The rates of fire are required to allow for a large volume of fire initially and a sustaining rate that affords adequate destruction of the target.
(8) The mortar system will be capable of firing in a minimum range envelope of 200 meters to 7200 meters.
Rationale: The minimum range is required for use in restricted terrain (mountains, jungles), MOUT, or perimeter defenses. Conversely, the extended range is required to afford the maneuver commander the capability to deliver organic indirect fires within his area of influence.
(9) Carry a minimum of 60 ready rounds.
Rationale: The combat load requirement is comparable to the 69 rounds carried on the current 120mm mortar carrier, the M1064A3.
(10) Provide storage space on board the carrier for 81mm and 60mm mortar system complete.
Rationale: The Battalion will stow the 81mm mortar for dismounted operations. The company mortar variant will stow the 60mm mortar variant for dismounted operations.
(11) Provide storage for the self-defense weapon equivalent to a minimum of 2000 50 cal rounds.
Rationale: Required to support a 72 hour combat mission without rearming and equivalent to the M1064A3.
(12) Possess a day/night capable direct fire weapon to protect itself against identified opposing personnel and lightly armored vehicles. The armament required is a medium caliber self-defense weapon capable of immediately suppressing or destroying opposing enemy dismounted elements and lightly armored vehicles at effective ranges from 50m to 1200m.
Rationale: Must apply immediate direct fires in self-defense and perform actions on contact to destroy or suppress an opponent long enough to disengage, seek cover and concealment, report and then continue the mission.
5. Program Support.
6. Force Structure. Projected Army initial requirement is 180 Mortar Carriers. This will equip 5 brigade-size units with 36 each.
8. Program Affordability.