Mortar bombs, 120mm

120 mm mortar bombs are fin-stabilized heavy mortar projectiles fired from 120 mm mortar systems for indirect fire. In the Boko Haram Insurgency, Nigerian Army reporting documented two unspecified 120 mm mortar bombs recovered from Boko Haram terrorists during December 2017 Lake Chad basin clearance operations, indicating insurgent access to heavy mortar ammunition even when the exact model and supply path were not publicly identified.

Boko Haram InsurgencyBoko Haram and ISWAP

Conflict side: Boko Haram and ISWAP
Built by: Various manufacturers
Built in: Multiple countries

Mortar bombs, 120mm, Heavy mortar ammunition, Munitions

Image source: 40th Cavalry Regiment soldier loads 120 mm mortar round

Profile

Type: Heavy mortar ammunition
Conflict side: Boko Haram and ISWAP
Origin: Multiple countries
Service note: 20th century-present

mortar artillery strike indirect fire

Service History

In service: Standard heavy mortar ammunition class used by conventional forces and sometimes captured or diverted to non-state armed groups.
Used by: Boko Haram
Wars: Boko Haram Insurgency

Production History

Designer: Various national arsenals and defense manufacturers
Designed: Varies by model
Built by: Various manufacturers
Built in: Multiple countries
Produced: 20th century-present
Number built: Not publicly stated for the class
Variants: High-explosive fragmentation bombs, Smoke bombs, Illumination bombs, Extended-range 120 mm mortar bombs

Specifications

Caliber: 120 mm
Munition class: Fin-stabilized mortar bomb for 120 mm mortar systems
Typical mass: About 15-16 kg for common 120 mm HE mortar-bomb examples
Explosive filling: Varies by model; published HE examples list about 1.5-2.66 kg of TNT or Composition B
Fuze: Point-detonating impact fuze common on HE examples; some models offer delay or superquick settings
Compatible launchers: 120 mm smoothbore, towed, dismounted, vehicle-mounted, or turreted mortar systems depending on round and pressure limits

Conflict Usage

Boko Haram Insurgency: Side: Boko Haram and ISWAPRole: Insurgent heavy mortar ammunitionstrike
Nigerian Army reporting from Operation Lafiya Dole in December 2017 said troops recovered two 120 mm mortar bombs and other arms from Boko Haram terrorists on remote Lake Chad basin islands; the source does not identify the bomb model.

Mortar bombs, 120mm Images

Mortar bombs, 120mm, Heavy mortar ammunition, Munitions - view 1 — Source: 40th Cavalry Regiment soldier loads 120 mm mortar round

Mortar bombs, 120mm, Heavy mortar ammunition, Munitions - view 2 — Source: U.S. Army Sgt. Joshua Morris shoots a 120 mm mortar round

Mortar bombs, 120mm, Heavy mortar ammunition, Munitions - view 3 — Source: U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines

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Sources

120mm HE MortarPublisher: KNDS | Note: Supports manufacturer and specification context for a modern 120 mm HE mortar bomb, including caliber, nominal round mass, filling, fuze, and range-class information. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 120 mm Mortar BombPublisher: MSM Group | Note: Supports manufacturer and specification context for 120 mm mortar bombs, including fin stabilization, mortar compatibility, dimensions, mass, explosive filling, and TNT bursting charge. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Weapon Supplies Fuelling Terrorism in the Lake Chad CrisisPublisher: Conflict Armament Research | Note: Supports Boko Haram Insurgency background by documenting weapons and ammunition seized from JAS/Boko Haram and ISWAP-linked groups around Lake Chad. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Troops kill 20 insurgents, capture 17, rescue 100 civiliansPublisher: The Guardian Nigeria | Note: Boko Haram Insurgency: supports that 120 mm mortar bombs were fielded by Boko Haram terrorists because Nigerian Army reporting said troops recovered them during Lake Chad basin operations. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Boko Haram suffers heavy casualty, loses vehicles, arms to soldiersPublisher: P.M. News Nigeria | Note: Boko Haram Insurgency: supports that 120 mm mortar bombs were fielded by Boko Haram terrorists because Nigerian Army reporting said troops recovered two 120 mm mortar bombs and other materiel from insurgents. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 40th Cavalry Regiment soldier loads 120 mm mortar roundPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and public-domain licensing for the primary 120 mm mortar-round image. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 U.S. Army Sgt. Joshua Morris shoots a 120 mm mortar roundPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and public-domain licensing for a 120 mm mortar-round firing image. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 4th MarinesPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and public-domain licensing for a 120 mm mortar-round loading image. | Accessed: 2026-06-21