2001 War in Afghanistan

120 mm Illumination Ammunition in the 2001 War in Afghanistan

U.S. Marines with Task Force Southwest fired 120 mm mortar illumination rounds from Bost Airfield in Helmand Province in April 2018 to support Afghan security-force operations.

Weapon profile120 mm illumination ammunition
SideUnited States, NATO, and Afghan government forcesRoleFire SupportTraining & Foreign Aid
120 mm illumination ammunition, 120 mm illuminating ammunition, Munitions - 2001 War in Afghanistan
Image source: 120mm mortar bomb illuminating, photographed at the Aalborg Forsvars- og Garnisonsmuseum.JPG

Evidence Map

ClaimSources
U.S. Marines with Task Force Southwest fired 120 mm mortar illumination rounds at Bost Airfield on April 5, 2018.

Sources: Bost Airfield April 5 Illumination Fire Mission

The April 5 fire mission helped enable Afghan National Defense and Security Forces during combat operations in Helmand Province.

Sources: Bost Airfield April 5 Illumination Fire Mission

U.S. Marines with Task Force Southwest fired 120 mm mortar illumination rounds at Bost Airfield on April 24, 2018.

Sources: Bost Airfield April 24 Illumination Fire Mission

The April 24 firing supported Afghan National Defense and Security Forces maneuvers during combat operations in Helmand Province.

Sources: Bost Airfield April 24 Illumination Fire Mission

Timeline

120 mm illumination ammunition In 2001 War in Afghanistan

  1. Illumination fire mission at Bost Airfield

    U.S. Marines with Task Force Southwest fired 120 mm mortar illumination rounds at Bost Airfield, Afghanistan; the fire mission was described as helping enable ANDSF during constant combat operations in Helmand Province.

    Sources: Bost Airfield April 5 Illumination Fire Mission

  2. Illumination rounds support ANDSF maneuvers

    Task Force Southwest Marines fired 120 mm mortar illumination rounds from Bost Airfield to support Afghan National Defense and Security Forces maneuvers during combat operations in Helmand Province.

    Sources: Bost Airfield April 24 Illumination Fire Mission

Documented Use

Direct proof of use

DVIDS-derived public-domain records document U.S. Marines with Task Force Southwest firing 120 mm mortar illumination rounds at Bost Airfield, Afghanistan, during April 2018. One record describes an April 5 fire mission that helped enable Afghan National Defense and Security Forces during constant combat operations in Helmand Province. A second record documents April 24 firing from the same airfield to support Afghan security-force maneuvers during combat operations in Helmand.

Sources: Bost Airfield April 5 Illumination Fire Mission, Bost Airfield April 24 Illumination Fire Mission

Timeline

The documented sequence is concentrated in April 2018 at Bost Airfield, a coalition and Afghan-government operating location in Helmand Province. The April 5 record ties 120 mm illumination fire to enabling ANDSF operations, while the April 24 record states that Marines fired illumination rounds to support ANDSF maneuvers.

Sources: Bost Airfield April 5 Illumination Fire Mission, Bost Airfield April 24 Illumination Fire Mission

Narrative

In this Afghanistan use case, the munition served as battlefield illumination rather than as a casualty-producing round. The recorded users were U.S. Marines assigned to Task Force Southwest, and the supported force was the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces.

Both source records place the use in Helmand Province during the Resolute Support and Operation Freedom's Sentinel period of the war. The available public records identify the ammunition class and support purpose, but they do not identify a specific 120 mm illumination cartridge model such as M930 or M983.

Sources: Bost Airfield April 5 Illumination Fire Mission, Bost Airfield April 24 Illumination Fire Mission

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Sources