M1129 Mortar Carrier

M1129 Mortar Carrier
Place of origin  United States
Specifications
Weight ICV: 16.47 t (18.12 sh tn)
Length 6.95 m (22.92 ft)
Width 2.72 m (8.97 ft)
Height 2.64 m (8.72 ft)
Crew 5

Armor Protection against 14.5×114mm
Main
armament
120mm or 81mm mortar
Secondary
armament
M240 7.62 mm MG, 81mm or 60mm mortar
Engine diesel
260 kW (350 hp)
Power/weight ICV: 15.8 kW/t (19.3 hp/sh tn)
Suspension 8×8 wheeled
Operational
range
500 km (300 mi)
Speed 100 km/h (62 mph)

The M1129 Mortar Carrier, is an 8×8 wheeled armored mortar carrier of the Stryker family of combat vehicles produced by General Dynamics Land Systems. It is in use with the United States Army.

Description

The M1129 Mortar Carrier, also known as MCV-B (Mortar Carrier Vehicle version B), is based on the Stryker infantry carrier vehicle, which is itself a descendant of the Swiss Mowag Piranha III.

The precursor of the M1129, the MCV-A, carried a mortar that could only be used dismounted, whereas the M1129 is fully capable of firing its weapon from the mounted position within the vehicle.

The M1129 is used in the US Army Stryker Brigade Combat Teams, where it is part of each Brigade's maneuver infantry battalion's and RSTA squadron's MTOE (Modified Table of Equipment). The vehicles are either organically subordinated to battalion level or company level. The battalion level vehicles are armed with the 120 mm M121 mortar system, which is the vehicle mounted version of the M120 mortar. Additionally, they carry the 81mm M252 mortar that can only be used in a dismounted capacity. The company level vehicles also carry a vehicle-mounted 120mm mortar, which is augmented by the 60mm M224 mortar for dismounted use. The RSTA squadron only receives the 120mm mounted mortar, there is no augmentation dismounted maneuvers. Each Stryker infantry battalion thus has a total number of 10 mortar carriers, all of which are equipped with the 120mm system. Each Stryker RSTA battalion has a total of 6 mortar carriers, all of which are also equipped with the 120mm system.[1]

The first M1129 vehicles were put into service in Spring 2005 with the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team. The 172nd Stryker Brigade deployed to Iraq in August 2005 being the first unit to fire the M1129/MCV-B in theatre.

Gallery

See also

References

  1. "Pocket Artillery" by Ian Kemp, in Armada International, Apr 2006

External links

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