M930 Visible Light Illuminating Cartridge

The M930 Visible Light Illuminating Cartridge is a U.S. 120 mm mortar round produced for the M120A1 towed and M121 carrier-mounted mortar systems. Army sources describe it as a visible-light illumination cartridge with a parachute-retarded candle assembly, 1,000,000 candlepower, and about 50 seconds of burn time for night illumination and signaling.

M930 Visible Light Illuminating Cartridge, 120 mm illuminating mortar cartridge, Munitions

Image source: M930 illumination round at Capu Midia

Profile

Origin: United States
Built by: Pine Bluff Arsenal
Type: 120 mm illuminating mortar cartridge
Service note: 2003-present
Produced: March 2003-present

ammunition artillery illumination mortar

Specifications

Caliber: 120 mm
Cartridge type: Visible-light illuminating mortar cartridge
Compatible systems: M120A1 towed mortar and M121 carrier-mounted mortar systems
Illumination: 1,000,000 candlepower
Burn time: 50 seconds
Range: 400 to 6,900 meters
Fuze: M776 mechanical time superquick fuze
Weight: 31.4 pounds

Service And Conflict Use

Service History

In service: In production and deployment with U.S. Army 120 mm mortar units since March 2003.
Used by: United States Army

Fired by 120 mm Mortars

The Army lists the M930 as a visible-light illumination cartridge for the M120A1 and M121 mortar systems.

Firing weapon

Weapon type

Firing evidence

120 mm mortar system

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

M930 Visible Light Illuminating Cartridge Images

M930 Visible Light Illuminating Cartridge, 120 mm illuminating mortar cartridge, Munitions - view 1 — Source: M930 illumination round at Capu Midia

M930 Visible Light Illuminating Cartridge, 120 mm illuminating mortar cartridge, Munitions - view 2 — Source: Mortar night fire 140318-A-TW035-307.jpg

M930 Visible Light Illuminating Cartridge, 120 mm illuminating mortar cartridge, Munitions - view 3 — Source: Illumination rounds shot from mortar ignite the midnight sky 150607-A-YY327-038.jpg

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Sources

Mortar AmmunitionPublisher: U.S. Army Capability Program Executive Ammunition & Energetics | Note: Supports the Army listing of the M930 under 120 mm visible-light illumination ammunition and its M120A1/M121 mortar-system context. | Accessed: 2026-06-23 PEO Ammunition 2017 Portfolio BookPublisher: U.S. Army Capability Program Executive Ammunition & Energetics | Note: Supports the M930 system description, performance figures, March 2003 production date, and Pine Bluff Arsenal load, assemble, and pack context. | Accessed: 2026-06-23 Arsenal delivered M930 mortars ahead of schedulePublisher: The United States Army | Note: Supports Pine Bluff Arsenal production context for M930 mortars and Crane Army Ammunition Activity production of the illumination and infrared candles used in the M930 and M983 lines. | Accessed: 2026-06-23 M930 illumination round at Capu MidiaPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for the M930 illumination round photo showing the cartridge loaded into a mortar tube at Capu Midia. | Accessed: 2026-06-23 Mortar night fire 140318-A-TW035-307.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a public-domain 120 mm mortar night-fire image that shows illumination round employment. | Accessed: 2026-06-23 Illumination rounds shot from mortar ignite the midnight sky 150607-A-YY327-038.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a public-domain mortar illumination photo used in the gallery. | Accessed: 2026-06-23