The L16 81mm mortar is a British and Canadian standard mortar used by the Canadian Army, British Army, and many other armed forces. It originated as a joint design by the UK and Canada. The version produced and used by Australia is named the F2 81mm Mortar; the U.S. armed forces version is the M252.
| L16 81mm mortar | |
|---|---|
81mm mortar L16
| |
| Type | Mortar |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom Canada |
| Service history | |
| Used by | See Users |
| Wars |
|
| Production history | |
| Designer | Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment, Fort Halstead (barrel and bipod) |
| Designed | 1956 |
| Manufacturer | Royal Ordnance (barrel and bipod) |
| Produced | 1965 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 35.3 kg (78 lb) |
| Barrel length | 1,280 millimetres (50 in) |
| Crew | 3 |
| Shell weight | 4.2 kilograms (9.3 lb) (L3682).[1] |
| Calibre | 81 millimetres (3.2 in) |
| Action | muzzle loading |
| Breech | none |
| Recoil | baseplate and spring buffered mounting clamp |
| Rate of fire | 15 rpm, 1–12 rpm sustained, 20 rpm for short periods |
| Muzzle velocity | 225 m/s (740 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range | HE: 100–5,675 m (109–6,206 yd) Smoke: 100–5,675 m (109–6,206 yd) Illumination: 400–4,800 m (437–5,249 yd) |
| Maximum firing range | 5,650 m (6,180 yd) |
| Feed system | Manual |
| Sights | Optical (C2) with Trilux illumination |
It was introduced in 1965–66, replacing the Ordnance ML 3 inch Mortar in UK service, where it is used by the British Army, the Royal Marines and the RAF Regiment.
In UK armoured/mechanised infantry battalions, the L16 mortar is mounted in an FV 432 AFV (six[2] per battalion mortar platoon). British army light role infantry battalions and the Royal Marines may transport their mortars in BvS 10 vehicles (the replacement for the Bv 206). Otherwise, it is carried disassembled in three loads, (barrel, baseplate and bipod with sights, each approximately 11 kg), normally carried by a vehicle or helicopter and assembled for firing from the ground.
The weapon can be man-packed by the mortar detachment, in which case the ammunition would be carried by other soldiers of the battalion. In addition to their normal equipment, each soldier would carry four bombs in a pair of two-bomb plastic containers (known as greenies in the British Army).
Austria[4]
Belize[4]
Brazil[4]
Canada[4]
Estonia
Guyana[4]
India[4]
Japan[4]
Kenya[4]
Malawi[4]
Malaysia[4]
Netherlands: L16A2[5]
New Zealand: L16A2[6]
Nigeria[4]
Norway[4]
Oman[4]
Portugal[4]
Qatar[4]
Saudi Arabia[7]
Syria[citation needed]
Thailand[4]
United Arab Emirates[4]
United Kingdom
United States: M252 mortar[4]
Yemen[4]
