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Defence & Security News - Lithuania
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| Lithuanian military about to receive new upgraded self-propelled 120 mm mortar systems | |||
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In the first week of December practical tests with newly upgraded self-propelled 120 mm mortar systems of the Lithuanian Armed Forces were conducted at the General Silvestras Žukauskas Training Area in Pabrade (Švencionys distr.), the Lithuanian Defense Ministry announced on Dec. 4, 2015.
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 Lithuania new mortar systems were tested last week at the General Silvestras Žukauskas Training Area in Pabrade(Credit: Lithuanian Ministry of Defense) |
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Experts from Elbit Systems Land&C4I Ltd,. and Izraeli enterprise that completed the upgrade on the Lithuanian Armed Forces’ heavy mortars, carried out the testing to assess the compatibility and efficiency of the upgraded mortars, their fire control and fire observation and adjustment equipment, and command and control systems.
During the tests Lithuanian soldiers performed live-fire tasks, carried out and completed typical assignments of self-propelled mortar units using the battle management system, assessed the quality of voice and data transfer via the radio communication equipment. When practical testing is completed and Lithuanian military experts approve that the upgraded mortars correspond to the requirements of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, the systems will be assigned to subunits of the Mechanised Infantry Brigade Iron Wolf. Self-propelled 120 mm mortars are an integral part of a mechanised infantry brigade that ensures indirect fire support to mechanised battalions. The battle management system installed in the upgraded system facilitates planning and control of tasks, decision-making process and decreases the time needed to complete fire assignments. Moreover, new barrels will make the Lithuanian Armed Forces’ mortars capable of using new generation ammunition, increase their effectiveness of fire, and effective range. In December 2013 the Ministry of National Defence signed the contract on the upgrade of self-propelled 120 mm mortars with the company from Israel awarded to it through an open public tender procedure. On the basis of the contract, the Israeli company modernised the 120 mm mortar systems mounted on the M113 A2 tracked armoured personnel carriers and changed their barrels. The mortar systems will now also include a digital automated fire control, observation and adjustment equipment for the functions that were not automated until now. The value of the contract on the upgrade of the Lithuanian Armed Forces’ mortar systems totals to approx. EUR 6.6 million. |
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