Munitions

M929 White Phosphorus Smoke Cartridge

Also known as
  • M929
  • XM929
  • M929 WP SMK
  • M929 White Phosphorous Smoke Cartridge
  • M929 white phosphorus smoke cartridge
  • 120 mm M929 WP smoke cartridge
  • CTG 120MM WP Smoke M929

The M929 White Phosphorus Smoke Cartridge is a U.S. 120 mm mortar round used for smoke obscuration, screening, and spotting. Army ammunition materials list it as M929 WP SMK in the 120 mm smoke family, while portfolio and mortar doctrine sources tie the cartridge to M120A1/M121 battalion mortar systems, Pine Bluff Arsenal load-assemble-pack work, and M734A1 or M745 fuze configurations.

M929 White Phosphorus Smoke Cartridge, 120 mm white-phosphorus smoke mortar cartridge, Munitions
Image source: White Phosphorous mortar round.jpg
Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
United States
Type
120 mm white-phosphorus smoke mortar cartridge
Service note
1990s U.S. 120 mm mortar ammunition family

Specifications

Caliber
120 mm
Role
White phosphorus smoke and obscuration
Use
Screening and spotting
Compatible systems
M120 and M121 battalion mortar systems
Range
200 to 7,200 meters
Payload
5 pounds of white phosphorus
Fuzes
M734A1 multi-option or M745 point-detonating
Weight
30 pounds
Length
27.9 inches
Burn time
Approximately 6.5 minutes
Firing Weapons

Army and Marine Corps sources tie the M929 cartridge to the M120A1/M120 and M121 120 mm battalion mortar systems.

Firing weaponWeapon typeFiring evidence
120 mm mortar, Heavy mortar, Artillery120 mm mortar120 mm mortar family

The Army mortar ammunition page lists M929 under 120 mm smoke mortar ammunition, the Army portfolio book describes M120A1 and M121 use, and Marine Corps doctrine says the M929 smoke cartridge is authorized for M120 and M121 mortar systems.

Sources: Mortar Ammunition, PEO Ammunition 2017 Portfolio Book, FM 23-90 W CH 1 MORTARS

120 mm Smoke Cartridge Context

The M929 is the white-phosphorus smoke member of the U.S. 120 mm mortar cartridge family. Published official sources document the cartridge, firing systems, and procurement context, but do not identify a specific named conflict in which M929 rounds were fired or delivered.

ContextDocumented detailRelated page
Firing systemsArmy and Marine Corps sources connect the round to M120A1/M120 towed and M121 carrier-mounted 120 mm mortar systems.120 mm mortar, Heavy mortar, Artillery120 mm mortar
Fuze splitArmy portfolio material lists M929 with the M734A1 multi-option fuze, while Marine Corps doctrine also records XM929/M929 smoke data and M745 point-detonating fuze use.M929 / XM929 designations
Role in the familyThe same Army ammunition page groups M929 smoke with 120 mm illumination and practice cartridges used around the M120A1/M121 family.M930 Visible Light Illuminating Cartridge, 120 mm illuminating mortar cartridge, MunitionsM930 visible-light illumination; M983 120 mm infrared illuminating cartridge, 120 mm infrared illuminating mortar cartridge, MunitionsM983 infrared illumination; M931 Full Range Practice Cartridge, 120 mm full-range practice mortar cartridge, MunitionsM931 practice
Timeline

M929 White Phosphorus Smoke Cartridge Key Events

  1. Army budget line documents M929 procurement

    Army ammunition budget material identified the CTG 120MM WP Smoke M929 cartridge line and described the program as 120 mm smoke ammunition for mortar obscuration and screening.

    Sources: Army FY2001 Ammunition Budget Justification

  2. Portfolio book details M929 configuration

    The Army ammunition portfolio described M929 compatibility with M120A1 and M121 mortar systems, listed range, weight, length, payload, and fuze data, and tied load-assemble-pack work to Pine Bluff Arsenal.

    Sources: PEO Ammunition 2017 Portfolio Book

Media

M929 White Phosphorus Smoke Cartridge Images

M929 White Phosphorus Smoke Cartridge, 120 mm white-phosphorus smoke mortar cartridge, Munitions - view 1
Source: U.S. Marines fire 120mm mortar on Wikimedia Commons
Related Weapon Systems
120 mm smoke ammunition, 120 mm smoke ammunition for rifled gun-mortars, MunitionsMunitions120 mm smoke ammunition120 mm smoke ammunition for rifled gun-mortars120 mm smoke ammunition is a mortar and gun-mortar ammunition class used to build short-duration obscurant screens rather than to deliver direct explosive effects. Forecast International lists smoke among the 120 mm ammunition types fired by the 2A60 Nona rifled ordnance on the 2S23 Nona-SVK, while Army Recognition describes the tracked 2S9 Nona as firing smoke rounds in its indirect-fire role. Modern 120 mm smoke products from STV GROUP, Nammo, and Hirtenberger show the class spanning visible and infrared screening, red-phosphorus payloads, white-phosphorus smoke, and other smoke fills depending on the round.
Cartridge, 105 mm, Smoke, WP, M60, 105 mm white-phosphorus smoke artillery cartridge, MunitionsMunitionsCartridge, 105 mm, Smoke, WP, M60105 mm white-phosphorus smoke artillery cartridgeThe Cartridge, 105 mm, Smoke, WP, M60 is a U.S. semi-fixed 105 mm white-phosphorus smoke cartridge family for 105 mm howitzers. Army ammunition data sheets describe the M60 series as a screening round with a cast-WP projectile filler, a seven-increment M67 propelling charge, and model differences centered on burster construction and fuze compatibility. Army rigging and ordnance-identification references also list the family by DODIC C454 and C477.

Sources

Mortar 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, identifying 120 mm smoke rounds as white phosphorus rounds, and placing it within the wider 120 mm mortar-ammunition family. | Accessed: 2026-06-29PEO Ammunition 2017 Portfolio BookPublisher: U.S. Army Capability Program Executive Ammunition & Energetics | Note: Supports the M929 system description, M120/M121 use, range, payload, dimensions, fuze configurations, and Pine Bluff Arsenal load, assemble, and pack context. | Accessed: 2026-06-29FM 23-90 W CH 1 MORTARSPublisher: U.S. Marine Corps | Note: Supports the M929 smoke cartridge's screening and spotting use, XM929/M929 designation data, fuze, and range for the M120 and M121 battalion mortar systems. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Army FY2001 Ammunition Budget JustificationPublisher: Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management and Comptroller) | Note: Supports Army budget context for CTG 120MM WP Smoke M929 procurement and its 120 mm mortar smoke-obscuration role. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Toxicity of Military Smokes and Obscurants: White Phosphorus SmokePublisher: National Academies Press via NCBI Bookshelf | Note: Supports general white-phosphorus smoke and obscurant background used to describe the round's screening role without making conflict-use claims. | Accessed: 2026-06-29White Phosphorous mortar round.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Open-license file page for the primary cartridge image. | Accessed: 2026-06-29U.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: 2026-06-29