Artillery

120 mm mortar

Also known as
  • 120mm mortar
  • 120-mm mortar
  • 120 mm heavy mortar
  • 120mm mortar system
  • 120 mm mortar system

The 120 mm mortar is a heavy indirect-fire weapon class used in towed, dismounted, carrier-mounted, recoil-mounted, and turreted forms. Cataloged use spans Ukrainian fire missions near Chasiv Yar, MAT-120 projectiles fired into Misrata, PKK cross-border attacks from Syria, Pakistani Line of Control shelling, and jihadist 120 mm mortar rounds documented in Mali.

120 mm mortar, Heavy mortar, Artillery
Image source: M327 120mm Mortar on Wikimedia Commons

Role in Conflicts

2019 India-Pakistan Border Skirmishes
Fire Support
Side
Pakistan

2019 India-Pakistan Border Skirmishes: reporting from Nowshera/Kalal described nine 120 mm mortar rounds hitting a house, and The Indian Express separately reported Pakistani 120 mm mortar fire against civilian areas in Rajouri and Poonch.

2012 Mali War
Fire SupportInsurgent / Guerrilla Use
Side
Rebel and jihadist armed groups

2012 Mali War: Small Arms Survey documents extremist use of 120 mm mortar rounds in Mali, including Soviet-produced rounds from looted northern stockpiles used by 2014 and Serbian-produced 2019 rounds recovered after a 22 January 2022 Gao Airport attack.

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Multiple countries
Type
Heavy mortar
Service note
20th century-present

Specifications

Caliber
120 mm
Weapon type
Heavy muzzle-loaded mortar
Range
U.S. M120A1 and M121: 200-7,200 m; Elbit 120 mm systems: 7,200-9,500 m depending on configuration; Rheinmetall 120 mm ammunition family: up to 8 km from its modern system
Rate of fire
U.S. M120A1/M121: 16 rounds per minute maximum for one minute; 4 rounds per minute sustained
Mobility
Towed, dismounted, carrier-mounted, or integrated in vehicle recoil systems depending on the system
U.S. system weight examples
M120A1: 317 lb in firing position; M121: 318 lb in firing position or 717 lb with trailer
Fire-control examples
U.S. systems use plotting boards, firing tables, aiming equipment, and mounted or dismounted mortar fire-control systems; modern recoil systems can add automatic laying and digital sensor links
System Configurations

120 mm mortar pages often mix several architectures under one caliber. The U.S. M120A1 and M121 share the M298 cannon with baseplate, bipod, sights, plotting tools, firing tables, and digital fire-control options, while systems such as CARDOM, Patria NEMO, and Rheinmetall's MWS120 show how the same caliber can be integrated into vehicle-mounted recoil, turreted, and automatic-laying packages.

Dismounted and towed

The Army lists the M120A1 as a towed system using the M298 cannon, M191 bipod, M9A1 baseplate, and M67 sight, with HMMWV towing through the M326 stowage kit.

Carrier-mounted

The M121 adapts the same 120 mm mortar family to tracked mortar carriers and has also been qualified for the AMPV mortar carrier.

Recoiling and turreted systems

CARDOM, NEMO, and MWS120 examples combine 120 mm firepower with recoil management, remote or automatic laying, and digital fire-control features for wheeled, tracked, or protected platforms.

Variants

The 120 mm mortar caliber covers several national families rather than one standardized launcher, so representative rows distinguish smoothbore, rifled, carrier-mounted, recoil-mounted, and turreted approaches.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
120-PM-38, 120 mm towed heavy mortar, Artillery120-PM-38Soviet smoothbore heavy mortar family

The PM-38 and PM-43 branch represents the early Soviet 120 mm smoothbore towed pattern, with barrel, baseplate, bipod, and two-wheel transport architecture.

Sources: Weaponsystems.net 120mm PM-43

MO-120 RT, 120 mm rifled towed heavy mortar, ArtilleryMO-120 RTFrench rifled towed 120 mm mortar family

The MO-120 RT branch uses a rifled 120 mm tube and two-wheel carriage, with the U.S. Marine Corps M327 EFSS appearing as a related designation.

Sources: Weaponsystems.net 120mm MO-120-RT, Marine Corps Principles of Fire Support

120 mm M75 mortar, 120 mm towed smoothbore mortar, Artillery120 mm M75 mortarYugoslav towed 120 mm mortar

The M75 is a Yugoslav-origin towed smoothbore 120 mm mortar represented by an existing catalog page for the post-Yugoslav design branch.

Sources: Yugoimport 120 mm Mortars

120 mm M74 mortar, 120 mm smoothbore towed mortar, Artillery120 mm M74 mortarSerbian/Yugoslav light towed 120 mm mortar

The M74 is a lighter towed 120 mm mortar branch with Serbian industry sources listing combat weight, range, crew, and rate-of-fire figures.

Sources: PPT Namenska Mortars

CARDOMRecoiling vehicle-mounted mortar system

Elbit describes CARDOM as an autonomous 120/81 mm recoiling mortar system for tracked and wheeled armored platforms, with automatic laying and digital fire-control integration.

Sources: Elbit Systems CARDOM

Patria NEMOTurreted remote-controlled mortar system

Patria describes NEMO as a compact remote-controlled 120 mm smoothbore turret with direct, indirect, and MRSI fire capabilities.

Sources: Patria NEMO

Ammunition Fired

Army and Marine Corps sources identify the M933-series round as ammunition for the M120 and M121 120 mm mortar systems. Army materials list the M929 smoke cartridge, M930 visible-light illumination cartridge, M931 full-range practice cartridge, and M983 infrared illumination cartridge for 120 mm mortar systems.

AmmunitionAmmunition typeFiring evidence
M933-series mortar projectile, 120mm high-explosive mortar cartridge, ArtilleryM933-series mortar projectile120 mm high-explosive mortar projectile family

The Army mortar ammunition page lists 120 mm HE mortar ammunition, and Marine Corps doctrine says the M933 HE and M934 HE cartridges are authorized for the M120 towed 120-mm mortar and the M121 carrier-mounted 120-mm mortar.

Sources: Mortar Ammunition, FM 23-90 W CH 1 MORTARS

M929 White Phosphorus Smoke Cartridge, 120 mm white-phosphorus smoke mortar cartridge, MunitionsM929 White Phosphorus Smoke Cartridge120 mm smoke cartridge

The Army mortar ammunition page lists M929 under 120 mm smoke mortar ammunition, and Marine Corps doctrine says the M929 smoke cartridge is authorized for the M120 and M121 mortar systems.

Sources: Mortar Ammunition, FM 23-90 W CH 1 MORTARS

M930 Visible Light Illuminating Cartridge, 120 mm illuminating mortar cartridge, MunitionsM930 Visible Light Illuminating CartridgeVisible-light illuminating cartridge

The Army mortar ammunition page lists the M930 under 120 mm visible-light illumination ammunition, and the Army portfolio book says it is fired from the M120A1 towed and M121 carrier-mounted mortar systems.

Sources: Mortar Ammunition, PEO Ammunition 2017 Portfolio Book

M931 Full Range Practice Cartridge, 120 mm full-range practice mortar cartridge, MunitionsM931 Full Range Practice Cartridge120 mm practice cartridge

The Army portfolio book says the M931 is a full-range practice round for use in the M120A1 and M121 Battalion Mortar Systems, with ballistics similar to the M934A1 and M933A1 high-explosive cartridges.

Sources: PEO Ammunition 2017 Portfolio Book

M983 120 mm infrared illuminating cartridge, 120 mm infrared illuminating mortar cartridge, MunitionsM983 120 mm infrared illuminating cartridge120 mm infrared illuminating cartridge

The Army portfolio book says the M983 infrared illumination cartridge was developed for use in the M120A1 and M121 Battalion Mortar Systems.

Sources: PEO Ammunition 2017 Portfolio Book

Compatible Mortar Cartridges

Army reporting says XM395 APMI is a 120 mm GPS-guided mortar cartridge compatible with ground-mounted and Stryker-mounted 120 mm mortar systems.

Compatible itemItem typeCompatibility evidence
XM395 Accelerated Precision Mortar Initiative, 120 mm GPS-guided mortar cartridge, MunitionsXM395 Accelerated Precision Mortar InitiativeGPS-guided mortar cartridge

The Army APMI page says XM395 is compatible with ground-mounted and Stryker-mounted 120 mm mortar systems.

Sources: XM395 Accelerated Precision Mortar Initiative (APMI)

Timeline

120 mm mortar Key Events

  1. Soviet 120 mm smoothbore pattern enters service

    The PM-38/M1938 branch became an early influential Soviet 120 mm heavy mortar pattern with a smoothbore tube and towed carriage.

    Sources: Weaponsystems.net 120mm PM-43

  2. French rifled 120 mm branch develops

    The MO-120 RT family established a rifled, towed 120 mm mortar branch later associated with RT F1 and M327 EFSS designations.

    Sources: Weaponsystems.net 120mm MO-120-RT

  3. 2B11 / 2S12 Sani service entry

    The Soviet 2B11 mortar and 2S12 transport system represented a later 120 mm smoothbore family with improved mobility and range over earlier patterns.

    Sources: Weaponsystems.net 120mm 2B11 Sani

  4. Recoil-mounted and turreted systems broaden the caliber

    Systems such as CARDOM, Patria NEMO, and Rheinmetall MWS120 show 120 mm mortars moving into vehicle recoil mounts, remote turrets, automatic laying, and digital fire-control architectures.

    Sources: Elbit Systems CARDOM, Patria NEMO, Rheinmetall mortars

Media

120 mm mortar Images

120 mm mortar, Heavy mortar, Artillery - view 1
Source: U.S. Marines fire 120mm mortar on Wikimedia Commons
120 mm mortar, Heavy mortar, Artillery - view 2
Source: JGSDF 120mm mortar transport on Wikimedia Commons
Related Weapon Systems
120 mm mortar launcher, Heavy mortar launcher, ArtilleryArtillery120 mm mortar launcherHeavy mortar launcherA 120 mm mortar launcher is a heavy indirect-fire weapon class used to fire high-angle mortar bombs from a tube, baseplate, and bipod, a towed mount, or a vehicle system. This generic entry is for source-backed cases where public evidence identifies the caliber and mortar role but not a precise national model, including Ukrainian 120-mm mortar fire near Chasiv Yar, probable 120 mm mortar shelling in Yemen, Gaddafi-era use around Misratah, and a Nigerien seizure from Boko Haram fighters.
Mortars, Infantry and artillery mortar class, ArtilleryArtilleryMortarsInfantry and artillery mortar classMortars are short-barreled, high-angle indirect-fire weapons used by infantry, artillery units, and armed groups for close support, harassment, and attacks on positions behind cover. The catalog entry treats mortars as a broad weapon class because the direct conflict sources usually document mortar use without identifying exact calibers or models, including Philippine government support fires at Marawi, Hezbollah fire at Mount Dov, jihadist attacks in Mali and Sinai, FARC dissident improvised mortars in Colombia, 2023 Sudan War battlefield use, and Cambodia-accused cross-border fire.
Heavy-calibre weapons, Aggregate heavy artillery and mortar category, ArtilleryArtilleryHeavy-calibre weaponsAggregate heavy artillery and mortar categoryHeavy-calibre weapons is a conservative aggregate entry for the mortars and heavy-calibre artillery publicly cited in the 2025 India-Pakistan Conflict. Indian Ministry of Defence reporting and Associated Press coverage describe Pakistani Line of Control shelling with mortars, artillery, and gunfire, but the public sources do not identify exact Pakistani gun or mortar models, so this record documents the sourced category rather than a specific weapon system.
MO-120 RT, 120 mm rifled towed heavy mortar, ArtilleryArtilleryMO-120 RT120 mm rifled towed heavy mortarThe MO-120 RT is a French 120 mm rifled towed heavy mortar developed by Brandt and later associated with TDA/Thales production. Its rifled barrel, two-wheel carriage, and rocket-assisted ammunition option give it longer range than many smoothbore infantry mortars, while keeping the system towable by light or medium vehicles. The family also appears through derivatives such as the U.S. Marine Corps M327 EFSS and Turkey's HY-12, giving the page conflict evidence from Ukraine, Mali, Afghanistan, Yemen, and Colombia.
60 mm mortar, Light infantry mortar, ArtilleryArtillery60 mm mortarLight infantry mortarThe 60 mm mortar is a portable light-infantry indirect-fire class used for close support where crews need high-angle fire from a weapon lighter than larger battalion mortars. The caliber family spans many national models: direct conflict sourcing documents PKK 60 mm mortar use and recovered ammunition in the Kurdish-Turkish conflict, disputed Thai 60 mm mortar fire claims in the 2025 Thailand-Cambodia border fighting, and Yemen-linked interdiction of 60 mm mortar tubes assessed by the United States as intended for Houthi forces rather than confirmed battlefield firing.
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

Reuters Connect Chasiv Yar 120-mm mortar imagePublisher: Reuters Connect | Note: 2014 Russia-Ukraine War: documents Ukrainian 24th Mechanized Brigade servicemen firing a 120-mm mortar toward Russian troops near Chasiv Yar in Donetsk region on 27 May 2025. | Accessed: 2026-07-03SETA PKK urban campaign reportPublisher: SETA | Note: 1984 Kurdish-Turkish Conflict: the PKK used 120 mm mortars from Syria against Turkish border security posts and bases, and the report says 120 mm mortar use increased after deliveries to PKK/PYD elements in Syria. | Accessed: 2026-07-03HRW Misrata MAT-120 cluster munitionsPublisher: Human Rights Watch | Note: 2011 First Libyan Civil War: documents Gaddafi-aligned government forces firing Spanish-produced MAT-120 120 mm mortar projectiles into residential areas of Misrata in April 2011. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Britannica mortar overviewPublisher: Encyclopaedia Britannica | Note: Supports the mortar class definition as a portable, short-barreled, muzzle-loading artillery piece and its general battlefield role. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Weaponsystems.net 120mm PM-43Publisher: WeaponSystems.net | Note: Supports PM-38/PM-43 family background, early Soviet 120 mm smoothbore mortar lineage, configuration, crew, rate-of-fire, and range context. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Weaponsystems.net 120mm 2B11 SaniPublisher: WeaponSystems.net | Note: Supports 2B11/2S12 Sani background, service-entry, transport-system, crew, weight, range, and rate-of-fire context. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Weaponsystems.net 120mm MO-120-RTPublisher: WeaponSystems.net | Note: Supports MO-120 RT rifled 120 mm mortar designations, configuration, weight, range, and normal and maximum rate-of-fire context. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Marine Corps Principles of Fire SupportPublisher: U.S. Marine Corps Training Command | Note: Supports M327 Expeditionary Fire Support System context as a 120 mm mortar operated by Marine Corps artillery units. | Accessed: 2026-07-03U.S. Army 120mm mortar systemsPublisher: U.S. Army | Note: Supports 120 mm mortar system specs, including M120A1 and M121 components, fire-control equipment, weights, range, and rate-of-fire data. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Patria NEMOPublisher: Patria | Note: Supports Patria NEMO as a turreted, remote-controlled 120 mm smoothbore mortar system with direct, indirect, and MRSI fire capabilities. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Yugoimport 120 mm MortarsPublisher: Yugoimport SDPR | Note: Supports representative 120 mm M75 mortar family context from Serbian export mortar materials. | Accessed: 2026-07-03PPT Namenska MortarsPublisher: PPT Namenska | Note: Supports representative 120 mm M74 mortar family context from Serbian manufacturer mortar materials. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Mortar AmmunitionPublisher: U.S. Army Capability Program Executive Ammunition & Energetics | Note: Supports the Army's mortar ammunition page listing M929 under 120 mm smoke mortar ammunition and M930 under 120 mm visible-light illumination ammunition. | Accessed: 2026-07-03PEO Ammunition 2017 Portfolio BookPublisher: U.S. Army Capability Program Executive Ammunition & Energetics | Note: Supports the M929, M930, M931, and M983 cartridge descriptions, performance figures, production context, and M120A1/M121 mortar-system compatibility. | Accessed: 2026-07-03FM 23-90 W CH 1 MORTARSPublisher: U.S. Marine Corps | Note: Supports the M929 smoke cartridge's screening and spotting use, identification, fuze, and range for the M120 and M121 battalion mortar systems. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Rheinmetall mortarsPublisher: Rheinmetall | Note: Supports modern 120 mm mortar system and ammunition range context for the class. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Elbit Systems 120mm mortarsPublisher: Elbit Systems | Note: Supports 120 mm mortar class context, including towed and vehicle-mounting options, qualified ammunition, system weight range, and 7,200-9,500 m range context. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Elbit Systems CARDOMPublisher: Elbit Systems | Note: Supports modern recoil-mounted 120 mm mortar context, including tracked and wheeled carrier compatibility, automatic laying, fire-control integration, sensor links, and 16-round-per-minute maximum fire rate. | Accessed: 2026-07-03AFP via Prothom Alo on LoC mortar firePublisher: Prothom Alo / AFP | Note: 2019 India-Pakistan Border Skirmishes: Pakistani gunners used 120 mm mortars in LoC shelling near Nowshera, and AFP reported a Kalal house hit by nine rounds. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Indian Express on Pakistani 120 mm mortar shellingPublisher: The Indian Express | Note: 2019 India-Pakistan Border Skirmishes: reports Pakistani troops using 120 mm mortars to target civilian areas in Rajouri and Poonch during the March 2019 crisis period. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Small Arms Survey on extremist armaments in MaliPublisher: Small Arms Survey | Note: 2012 Mali War: documents 120 mm mortar rounds fired by extremists in a 22 January 2022 indirect-fire attack against Gao Airport. | Accessed: 2026-07-03M327 120mm Mortar on Wikimedia CommonsPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Open-license file page for the M327 120 mm mortar image used as the primary illustration. | Accessed: 2026-07-03U.S. Marines fire 120mm mortar on Wikimedia CommonsPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Open-license file page for a 120 mm mortar firing image used in the gallery. | Accessed: 2026-07-03JGSDF 120mm mortar transport on Wikimedia CommonsPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Open-license file page for a 120 mm mortar transport image used in the gallery. | Accessed: 2026-07-03XM395 Accelerated Precision Mortar Initiative (APMI)Publisher: U.S. Army Capability Program Executive Ammunition & Energetics | Note: Supports the XM395 APMI cartridge's compatibility with ground-mounted and Stryker-mounted 120 mm mortar systems. | Accessed: 2026-07-03