Municiones

Bombas de mortero de 81 mm

Las bombas de mortero de 81 mm son familias de municiones estabilizadas por aletas fabricadas por muchos arsenales y fabricantes de defensa para morteros medios, con variantes de alto explosivo, humo, iluminacion, iluminacion infrarroja y entrenamiento. El uso en conflictos documentado en este catalogo incluye dispositivos explosivos improvisados de Boko Haram fabricados con bombas de mortero capturadas, transferencias estadounidenses de municion de mortero de 81 mm a Ucrania e informes de la guerra civil de Myanmar sobre fuego de mortero del SAC y lanzamientos desde drones de la resistencia.

Bombas de mortero de 81 mm, Bomba de mortero de 81 mm, Municiones
Image source: 81mm mortar rounds.png

Role in Conflicts

2021 Myanmar Civil War
Fire SupportAsymmetric Advantage
Side
State Administration Council and allied forcesPeople's Defense Forces and ethnic armed organizations

KHRG informo de bombardeos del SAC con municion de mortero de 81 mm en el distrito de Mu Traw, mientras que Red Six informo que fuerzas de resistencia karenni lanzaron municion de mortero de 81 mm desde un UAV multirrotor de carga pesada en septiembre de 2024.

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Multiples paises
Type
Bomba de mortero de 81 mm
Service note
Siglo XX-presente
Designer
Varios
Designed
Siglo XX
Produced
Siglo XX-presente
Number built
No declarado publicamente

Specifications

Calibre
81 mm
Tipo de municion
Bomba o cartucho de mortero estabilizado por aletas para morteros de anima lisa de 81 mm
Funciones comunes
Alto explosivo, humo, iluminacion visible, iluminacion infrarroja y entrenamiento
Peso HE representativo
4,14-4,2 kg en ejemplos documentados M821/M889, Atlas HE y BAE L41
Contenido explosivo HE representativo
Carga explosiva de 0,75 kg en el ejemplo Atlas HE; contenido explosivo neto de 0,9 kg en el ejemplo BAE L41
Longitud HE representativa
Aproximadamente 482-490 mm segun el modelo HE
Carga fumigena representativa
Fosforo rojo en municion fumigena estadounidense documentada de 81 mm y en BAE RO 04-04
Prestaciones de iluminacion representativas
BAE L54: luz visible de un millon de candelas durante 35 segundos; BAE L58: iluminacion IR de 120 segundos
Espoletado
Dependiente del modelo; los ejemplos documentados incluyen disenos de detonacion por impacto, de opcion multiple y de cavidad de espoleta NATO estandar
Cargas propulsoras
Cartucho primario con incrementos o cargas secundarias; la bomba HE de DDP describe un cartucho primario y ocho secundarios
Representative 81 mm Round Types

Las bombas de mortero de 81 mm documentadas varian segun el diseno nacional y la funcion, por lo que los valores representativos deben vincularse a ejemplos nombrados en lugar de presentarse como especificaciones universales.

Tipo de municionEjemploNota tecnica
Alto explosivoBAE L41 / M821-M889 / DDP HELas municiones HE usan cuerpos de fragmentacion y espoletas dependientes del modelo; los pesos documentados se agrupan alrededor de 4,14-4,2 kg, pero el contenido explosivo difiere segun el diseno.
Iluminacion visibleBAE L54 / U.S. M853A1El L54 de BAE es una municion iluminante de estallido aereo y cuerpo dividido, valorada en un millon de candelas durante 35 segundos.
Iluminacion infrarrojaBAE L58 / U.S. M816BAE describe el L58 como iluminacion IR para uso con vision nocturna, con un tiempo de combustion de 120 segundos en el folleto.
HumoBAE RO 04-04 / U.S. M819Ejemplos documentados de humo de 81 mm usan fosforo rojo; el RO 04-04 de BAE usa 36 pelets y figura con un alcance maximo de 5.300 m.
EntrenamientoU.S. M879El U.S. Army enumera el M879 como una municion de entrenamiento de 81 mm; las municiones de entrenamiento se describen como proyectiles de menor costo para manejo y operacion realistas.
Variants

Las familias de bombas de mortero de 81 mm son familias de funcion y cartucho, no un unico diseno de fabrica; las fuentes documentan municion de alto explosivo, humo, iluminacion visible, iluminacion infrarroja y entrenamiento con dimensiones, espoletas y cargas especificas segun el modelo.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
High-explosive 81 mm bombsFragmentacion HE

Entre los ejemplos representativos HE figuran el L41 de BAE, los cartuchos estadounidenses de las series M821/M889, la bomba HE de 81 mm de India y bombas HE comerciales de hierro fundido; los pesos y las cargas explosivas varian segun el diseno.

Sources: 81mm Mortar Ammunition, 81mm Mortar Ammunition brochure, M821/M889 81mm HE Mortar Cartridges, Bomb 81mm Mortar HE, 81mm Mortar Bomb HE

L54 illuminating mortarIluminacion de luz visible

BAE describe el L54 como una municion iluminante de 81 mm de estallido aereo y cuerpo dividido, con una luz de un millon de candelas y un tiempo de combustion de 35 segundos.

Sources: 81mm Mortar Ammunition, 81mm Mortar Ammunition brochure

L58 infrared illuminating mortarIluminacion IR

BAE identifica el L58 como una municion de mortero de 81 mm de iluminacion infrarroja para uso con equipos de vision nocturna, e indica que esta en servicio en el British Army.

Sources: 81mm Mortar Ammunition, 81mm Mortar Ammunition brochure

RO 04-04 red-phosphorus smoke mortarCortina de humo

BAE describe el RO 04-04 como una municion fumigena de fosforo rojo que utiliza 36 pelets, con una longitud representativa de 604 mm, peso total de 4,4 kg y alcance maximo de 5.300 m.

Sources: 81mm Mortar Ammunition, 81mm Mortar Ammunition brochure

M879Cartucho de entrenamiento

El U.S. Army enumera el M879 como un producto de municion de mortero de entrenamiento de 81 mm.

Sources: Mortar Ammunition

Firing Weapons

Esta familia de bombas de mortero de 81 mm esta documentada como municion disenada para uso con el sistema de mortero M252 de 81 mm.

Firing weaponWeapon typeFiring evidence
81/82 mm mortar, 81/82 mm crew-served medium mortar, Artillery81/82 mm mortarMortero medio de 81 mm servido por dotacion

El British Army identifica el mortero de 81 mm como un arma que dispara municion de alto explosivo, humo e iluminacion, y las referencias de municion del U.S. Army identifican los cartuchos M821 y M889 de 81 mm como disenados para el sistema de mortero M252 de 81 mm; esta relacion se refiere a la rama de 81 mm de la pagina de la familia de morteros de 81/82 mm.

Sources: 81mm Mortar, M821/M889 81mm HE Mortar Cartridges, Mortar Ammunition

Reported Aerial Drop Platform

Informes de Myanmar describen municion de mortero de 81 mm lanzada desde aeronaves Y-12 como cargas improvisadas de ataque aereo, no como armamento aereo disenado para ello.

CarrierCarrier typeCarriage evidence
Harbin Y-12 transport aircraft, Twin-engine turboprop utility transport aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsHarbin Y-12 transport aircraftAeronave de transporte utilizada para lanzamientos aereos improvisados

Mizzima informa que se observo a aeronaves Y-12 lanzando municion de mortero de 81 mm durante ataques aereos en Myanmar.

Sources: Mizzima: Myanmar junta deploys Y-12 aircraft for aerial bombing campaigns

Timeline

Bombas de mortero de 81 mm Key Events

  1. M821A1 and M889A1 type classified

    FAS registra la clasificacion por tipo de julio de 1991 para los cartuchos estadounidenses de mortero HE de 81 mm M821A1 y M889A1.

    Sources: M821/M889 81mm HE Mortar Cartridges

  2. M821A2 type classified

    FAS registra la clasificacion por tipo de mayo de 1996 para el cartucho estadounidense de mortero HE de 81 mm M821A2.

    Sources: M821/M889 81mm HE Mortar Cartridges

  3. BAE brochure documents current 81 mm family

    El folleto de BAE de 2023 describe las municiones L41 HE, L54 de iluminacion visible, L58 de iluminacion IR y RO 04-04 de humo con fosforo rojo, con especificaciones representativas.

    Sources: 81mm Mortar Ammunition brochure

Media

Bombas de mortero de 81 mm Videos

Bombas de mortero de 81 mm Images

Bombas de mortero de 81 mm, Bomba de mortero de 81 mm, Municiones - view 1
Source: Lt. Col. Andrew Kostic shows an 81mm round
Bombas de mortero de 81 mm, Bomba de mortero de 81 mm, Municiones - view 2
Source: USMC 81 mm Mortar Platoon at Townshend Island
Related Weapon Systems
Mortar bombs, 60mm, 60 mm mortar ammunition, MunitionsMunitionsMortar bombs, 60mm60 mm mortar ammunition60 mm mortar bombs are fin-stabilized light mortar rounds made in high-explosive, smoke, illumination, infrared-illumination, and training variants for portable 60 mm mortar tubes. This entry treats the caliber as a family rather than a single national model: Boko Haram/ISWAP evidence is based on recovered rounds and IED adaptation, Myanmar evidence includes both fired and air-dropped mortar rounds, and Ukrainian evidence covers 60 mm mortar shells integrated into FPV strike drones.
Mortar bombs, 120mm, Heavy mortar ammunition, MunitionsMunitionsMortar bombs, 120mmHeavy mortar ammunition120 mm mortar bombs are fin-stabilized heavy mortar projectiles for compatible 120 mm mortar launchers, covering high-explosive, smoke, illumination, training, extended-range, and guided families. Published examples vary sharply by manufacturer and launcher qualification: conventional HE rounds commonly list 13-16 kg class masses, product-specific explosive fillings, point-detonating or proximity fuzes, and range limits tied to barrel length, pressure limits, smoothbore qualification, or turreted-system requirements. In the Boko Haram insurgency, Nigerian Army reporting documented recovered 120 mm mortar bombs as insurgent materiel rather than confirmed firing use.
Mortar launcher, 81mm, 81 mm crew-served medium mortar, ArtilleryArtilleryMortar launcher, 81mm81 mm crew-served medium mortarThe 81 mm mortar launcher is a crew-served medium-mortar class for high-angle indirect fire with high-explosive, smoke, illumination, and training ammunition. This entry treats the L16/M252/M252A1 line as representative of modern 81 mm launchers while keeping conflict-use claims model-specific where sources allow: Boko Haram/ISWAP reporting identifies recovered 81 mm mortar equipment without a model, CJTF-OIR imagery identifies Iraqi M252 training at Camp Taji, and Task Force Southwest imagery identifies U.S. Marine M252 use at Camp Shorab in Afghanistan.
Mortar bombs, 82 mm, 82 mm high-explosive mortar bomb, MunitionsMunitionsMortar bombs, 82 mm82 mm high-explosive mortar bombThis entry covers the 82 mm mortar-bomb caliber class rather than a single factory model. Sources document the class in insurgent and paramilitary materiel from Boko Haram-linked forces in the Lake Chad Basin, Islamic State stocks in Syria and Iraq, and RSF-associated PP87 mortar ammunition in Sudan, while manufacturer and ordnance references show that model-specific weight, filling, fuze, and range figures vary across O-832, PP87, HE, smoke, illumination, and extended-range families.
81/82 mm mortar, 81/82 mm crew-served medium mortar, ArtilleryArtillery81/82 mm mortar81/82 mm crew-served medium mortarThe 81/82 mm mortar family covers the modern crew-served, muzzle-loaded, smoothbore indirect-fire class descended from the Stokes mortar lineage and still fielded worldwide in variant-specific forms. This is a family-level page: 81 mm L16/M252/M252A1/F2-type systems and 82 mm Soviet/Russian-pattern systems such as 2B14 and 2B24 share a medium-mortar battlefield role but are not interchangeable hardware. Conflict rows stay at the caliber or named-system level supported by the source, including Boko Haram/ISWAP recovered 81 mm equipment, Iraqi M252 training under Operation Inherent Resolve, U.S. Marine M252 use and Afghan Border Police 82 mm sustainment in Afghanistan, PKK 81/82 mm mortar use where no single model is identified, and Chadian 82 mm mortar training before operations in Mali.

Sources

81mm MortarPublisher: British Army | Note: Supports 81 mm mortar firing capability and representative ammunition types for the 81 mm mortar family. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Known perpetrators of IED incidents in the past five years: Boko HaramPublisher: Action on Armed Violence | Note: In the 2009 Boko Haram Insurgency, AOAV reports 60 mm and 81 mm mortar bombs used by Boko Haram to devise IEDs and links these improvised munitions to 2015-2016 attacks. | Accessed: 2026-07-0481mm Mortar AmmunitionPublisher: BAE Systems | Note: Supports current manufacturer background for 81 mm mortar ammunition families, including L41 HE, L58 IR illuminating, L54 illuminating, and RO 04-04 red-phosphorus smoke rounds. | Accessed: 2026-07-0481mm Mortar Ammunition brochurePublisher: BAE Systems | Note: Supports representative BAE round specifications for L41 HE, L54 visible illuminating, L58 IR illuminating, and RO 04-04 red-phosphorus smoke rounds. | Accessed: 2026-07-04M821/M889 81mm HE Mortar CartridgesPublisher: Federation of American Scientists | Note: Supports representative M821/M889 HE cartridge design, fuze differences, M252 compatibility, range charge table, cartridge weight, and type-classification dates. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Mortar AmmunitionPublisher: U.S. Army | Note: Supports U.S. 81 mm mortar ammunition classes and representative HE, illumination, smoke, and training product designations. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Bomb 81mm Mortar HEPublisher: Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence, Government of India | Note: Supports official 81 mm HE bomb construction details: fin stabilization, forward fuze, rear tail unit, steel body, primary and secondary cartridges, and 0-8 charges. | Accessed: 2026-07-0481mm Mortar Bomb HEPublisher: Atlas Internazionale Ltd | Note: Supports representative HE mortar-bomb specifications such as caliber, body material, length, weight, explosive charge, fragmentation role, and compatible 81 mm mortars. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Biden Administration Announces Additional Security Assistance for UkrainePublisher: U.S. Department of Defense | Note: In the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War, supports U.S. transfer of 81 mm mortar rounds to Ukraine through a September 2023 security-assistance package. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Norway donates mortar ammunition to UkrainePublisher: Government of Norway | Note: In the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War, supports Norway's donation of 81 mm mortar ammunition to Ukraine and states that it could be used in existing Ukrainian weapons. | Accessed: 2026-07-14Canadian military support to UkrainePublisher: Government of Canada | Note: In the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War, supports Canada's donation and September 2024 delivery of over 2,000 rounds of 81 mm mortar smoke to Ukraine. | Accessed: 2026-07-14Mu Traw District Situation Update: SAC air strikes, arrest of villagers, and indiscriminate shelling causing casualties, and landmine explosionPublisher: Karen Human Rights Group | Note: In the 2021 Myanmar Civil War, supports SAC use of 81 mm mortar rounds in shelling incidents in Mu Traw District. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Red Six Monthly Roll Up #MR071Publisher: Red Six Solutions | Note: In the 2021 Myanmar Civil War, supports Karenni resistance forces dropping 81 mm mortar rounds from a heavy-lift multirotor UAV in September 2024. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Weapon Supplies Fuelling Terrorism in the Lake Chad CrisisPublisher: Conflict Armament Research | Note: Supports Boko Haram and ISWAP weapons-supply background in the Lake Chad basin, including CAR field documentation of weapons and ammunition seized from terrorist groups in Niger's Diffa region. | Accessed: 2026-07-0481mm mortar rounds.pngPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and public-domain U.S. Army status for the primary 81 mm mortar-round diagram. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Lt. Col. Andrew Kostic shows an 81mm roundPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and public-domain U.S. Marine Corps status for a photo showing an 81 mm mortar round. | Accessed: 2026-07-04USMC 81 mm Mortar Platoon at Townshend IslandPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and CC BY 2.0 licensing for a photo of an 81 mm mortar round being loaded. | Accessed: 2026-06-21FM 23-90 W CH 1 MORTARSPublisher: U.S. Marine Corps | Note: Supports 81 mm mortar ammunition being fired by the 81 mm mortar family and lists authorized 81 mm cartridges. | Accessed: 2026-07-04U.S. Central Command Video Gallery | Official VideosPublisher: U.S. Central Command | Note: Supports 81 mm mortar ammunition being used with the 81 mm mortar family in official video material. | Accessed: 2026-07-0481mm M252A1Publisher: Capability Program Executive Ammunition & Energetics | Note: Supports representative 81 mm mortar-system specifications and compatibility with 81 mm ammunition. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Mizzima: Myanmar junta deploys Y-12 aircraft for aerial bombing campaignsPublisher: Mizzima | Note: In the 2021 Myanmar Civil War, supports 81 mm mortar rounds used by Myanmar junta forces as improvised aerial-drop munitions from Y-12 aircraft during aerial attacks. | Accessed: 2026-07-04