1

MORTAR EMPLOYMENT
IN THE OFFENSE AND
DEFENSE
IULC
2
Overview
Defensive Considerations
Priority of Targets
Priority of Fires
Ammunition
RSOP


MORTAR UNIT
DEFENSIVE MISSIONS
Used to button up armor with PROX
Air defense vehicles (SEADS)
Enemy mortars
EN that is maneuvering
3
Used against Dismounted
Break up formations
Canalize
Troop Concentrations
Enemy trying to reach FR. Obstacles
Cover dead space
FPF
Deny Terrain
4
Mortars can also
Break up the enemys formations.
To suppress and neutralize supporting
weapons.
To destroy as much of the enemy force
as possible.
Also Illuminate, Screen, Mark
5
Mortars provide the commander with the ability to strike out
against the enemy, to regain his initiative and synchronization,
and to counterattack by fire.
MORTAR UNIT DEFENSIVE
CAPABILITIES/LIMITATIONS
Priority of Fires
Order of requests

Can change as situation changes
7
Battalion commander has one or two mortar priority targets
he can allocate.
The company commander has one priority target he can
allocate.
PRIORITY OF TARGETS
IN THE DEFENSE
Priority targets should lie in the sector of the company or
platoon having priority of fires to prevent confusion.
Priority targets are not always fired on using HE
ammunition.
Final Protective Fires (FPF) are the highest type of priority
targets and take precedence over all other fire requests.
PRIORITY OF TARGETS
IN THE DEFENSE
General Support (With
Priority of Fires)

When two or more observers are call for
fire at the same time, the mortar platoon
has clear guidance as to whom the
platoon should support first.
10

This delivery of fires on a specific target takes precedence
over all other fires for the mortar section or platoon.

It lays its mortars on this target when not engaged in other
fire missions. If any observer calls for the priority target to be
fired, the mortar platoon does so immediately, even if
engaged in another fire mission.
PRIORITY OF FIRES/TARGETS
General Support (With Priority Targets)
IN THE OFFENSE
MORTAR AMMUNITION
Fins- Stabilize the round during flight.
Charge- Propellant for the round.
Obsturating Ring- Swells to keep all
gasses from being expelled, causing the
round to rise.
Fuse- Used to detonate the round.
Body- Contains the explosives of
the round.
Primer- Ignites the charge when struck by the firing pin.
Types of Fuzes
Point Detonating
Mechanical Time

Multi Option
Proximity
Near Surface Burst
Point Det
Delay .05 sec

13
14
DEFINITION
Recon is the examination of terrain to determine
its suitability for use in accomplishing the mortar
platoons mission.

Continuous/aggressive recon is essential to timely and
accurate fire support
Ldrs continuously performs recon/plan for contingency
Given location or proposes it to higher
Process know as reconnaissance, selection, and
occupation of mortar positions (RSOP)
15
METHODS OF
RECONNAISSANCE
16
METHODS OF RECONNAISSANCE
3 Methods:

Map
Air
Ground
Combo of all three is best if feasible
17
METHODS OF
RECONNAISSANCE (cont)
Map:
Any recon begins with a map recon
Potential new routes chosen
Fast and eliminates unsuitable routes
Helps identify ambush sites

Might be only recon available
2 major disadvantages
Terrain changed or does not exist
Surface conditions (soils)
Photos supplemented if possible

18
METHODS OF
RECONNAISSANCE (cont)
Air Reconnaissance:
If time and resources allow (cobras)
Beneficial in selecting routes and pos fast
Surface conditions distorted
Flight plan may compromise routes
May not be available to Ldrs
19
METHODS OF
RECONNAISSANCE (cont)
Ground Reconnaissance:
Best method because of physical
inspection
True condition of terrain fully examined
Disadvantage
Becomes slowest method/time restraints

20
POSITION SELECTION
21
POSITION SELECTION
(cont)
Based on:
Mission
accomplishment
Tactical situation
Range
Target area coverage
Survivability

Overhead and mask
clearance
Surface conditions
Communications
Routes
22
POSITION SELECTION
(cont)
Mission Accomplishment.
Pos must allow sect/plt to accomplish its primary
mission
Most important factor
Tactical Situation.
Must know tactical situation, friendly loc and threats
Provides effective fire support and mortar security
Range Criteria.
Maximize fires without reducing support
to 2/3 of range to front of forward elements
Far enough back to cover rifle plts defensive pos

23
POSITION SELECTION
(cont)
Survivability.
Many threats to mortars (counter, air/ground)

Consider active and passive defensive measures:
Cant be hit by direct or low-angle fire (defilade)
Can be entered w/out enemy obs
Offers good cover/concealment
Avoids obvious ave of approach
Multiple entrance and exit routes
Takes advantage of existing terrain features/natural
obstacles
24
POSITION SELECTION
(cont)
Defilade
25
POSITION SELECTION
(cont)
Overhead and Mask Clearance.

Overhead
Mortar into max elevation/look up along side to
estimate a rounds line of flight

Mask
Mortar elev down to min and visually inspect
clearance from end of mortar tube to front
Notify FDC if exists
Deep defilade is suggested even w/ restrictions
26
POSITION SELECTION
(cont)
Overhead and Mask Clearance
27
POSITION SELECTION
(cont)
Surface Conditions.
Soil well drained and firm (plates)
Construct fire pads if needed
Frozen ground chop slots into earth
Extra time allotted to emplace mortars
Freezing conditions
ensure baseplate does not get frozen into
surface
28
POSITION SELECTION
(cont)
Communications and Routes.
Comm is key
Within units/internal mortar sqds to FDC
Radio checks conducted at new pause
Wire reduces electric signature
Pos close to access routes, speed resupply &
displacement
Dont compromise concealment
OCCUPATION

29
30
OCCUPATION
Advance party starts occupation of new
firing position

Continuation of actions by advance party
until Plt arrives
31
OCCUPATION (cont)
Advance party starts by:
Verifying pos location
Checks for mines, NBC, and enemy
Establish local security and OPs
Marks mortar pos
Sets up M2A2 and determines Az/DOF
Direction stakes
Completes a rough lay of mortar pos (compass/M2A2)
Useful for night Ops
32
NIGHT OCCUPATIONS
Must establish detailed SOP and training
Utilize wire comm important
Guides briefed/routes paced Plt elements
Color code Sqds for easy ID of gear (NADs/chem)
Maintain light discipline
Even w/chem lights
Plt conducts sustainment ops as needed
Fire capped 1
st
, then priorities of work



33
TYPES OF OCCUPATIONS
34
TYPES OF OCCUPATIONS
Three types of occupations:
Deliberate, hasty and emergency
Deliberate Occupation Procedures:
Has been planned and adv party conducts preparations
Guide meets Plt at pickup point/entrance:
Adv party lead Sqds to firing point
Issues initial Def and DOF to Sqd
Previously laid wire for comm. used w/FDC
Plt Sgt implements security to available personnel
Occupation time increased
Guides know vehicles order of march for linkup
35
TYPES OF OCCUPATION
(CONT)
Hasty:
Planned but short on time; necessary b/c of rapid
combat ops or unforeseen circumstances
Plt requires more time to occupy hasty
Limited prepared tasks available

Limited recon and pos selection results in:
Delay in vehicles moving into pos
Laying by voice
Increased lay time (no guide prep)
Increased FDC preparation time
36
TYPES OF OCCUPATION
(CONT)
Emergency:
CFF received while making movement
First available spot is occupied without prep
Better known as a hip shoot

37
DISPLACEMENT PLANS DURING
OFF/DEF AND RETROGRADE
OPERATIONS
38
DISPLACEMENT PLANS DURING
DEF/OFF/RETROGRADE (cont)
Detailed displacement planning aids in providing
immediate responsive fires (SOPs)
Offensive Plan.
Must permit rapid displacement/immediate fire support
Flexible to SOM changes
Sit, dist, supp requirements determine displace
techniques
Defensive Plan.
Same requirements as offense
Ldr plans extensive use of alt/supp positions
Anticipate future ops for displacement into offense
Same factors affecting displacement in offense apply

39
DISPLACEMENT PLANS DURING
DEF/OFF/RETROGRADE (cont)
Displacement Timing.
Bn Cmdr controls displacement of Plt in one of 2
ways:
Displace on order.
Bn cmdr restricts or delegates authority to FSO
Mortar ldr must report when he covers less than 1/3 or more
than 2/3 of battle area
Mortar ldr stays abreast of unit mvmnt and situation
Keeps cmdr informed on displacements (requests permission)
If comm is lost w/higher ldr uses best judgment to displace

40
DISPLACEMENT PLANS DURING
DEF/OFF/RETROGRADE (cont)
DISPLACEMENT TIMING (cont).
The second way is:
Displace when predetermined events occur
Less restrictive and looses Bn flexibility
Based on time, planned phases, phase lines or code
words
Ldr anticipates events/preps displacement
Always seeks action to keep mortar Plt in range and
maintains comm w/ maneuver elements



41
DISPLACEMENT
TECHNIQUES
42
DISPLACEMENT
TECHNIQUES
Dependent upon METT-T factors:
SOM of supported unit
Enemy activity
Trafficability of terrain
Number of sect/mortars in Plt
Availability of supporting arty
Time available
43
DISPLACEMENT TECHNIQUES
(cont)
DISPLACEMENT BY PLATOON.

Little immediate likelihood of enemy contact or when
arty can provide adequate supp

Plt displaces all at once
Limited fire supp/response (hip shoots)

Movements from AA to initial firing pos
44
DISPLACEMENT TECHNIQUES
(cont)
DISPLACEMENT BY SECTIONS

One sect in place while other displaces
Fire capped and other displaces
Each sect has an FDC
When continuous fire supp is required
Slower than displacing by PLT
45
DISPLACEMENT TECHNIQUES
(cont)
DISPLACEMENT BY SQD/SECT

Same as sect, but less mortars
Utilize successive or alternating bounds
(Traveling/bounding)
Displacement is rapid w/elements = Alternate



46
TYPES OF BOUNDS
47
MORTAR SECTION AND
PLATOON FIRING
FORMATIONS
48
MORTAR SECTION AND PLATOON
FIRING FORMATIONS
Always consider METT-T
Emphasis is on mission accomplishment
Considers appropriate dispersion
Need for pos hardening and available
camouflage and concealment

49
TERRAIN MORTAR
POSITIONING
Used when dispersing
over a larger area

Maximizes use of natural
cover and concealment

W/out regard to set
distances between
mortars or effects on
parallel sheaf

50
LAZY W FORMATION
Lays mortars on a
modified line
Provides better flank
security with almost same
tgt coverage as parallel
formation
If all mortars fire same data
When terrain affords
little cover and
concealment
Adds depth to sheaf

51
DIAMOND FORMATION
Allows a 4-mortar Plt to fire
in all directions with equal
ease
When 6400-mil coverage is
required
Creates a tight, defensible pos
against ground attack
Excellent in restricted terrain
Formation is more vulnerable to
air attack
Useful in built-up areas (sheaf
patterns)

52
DIAMOND FORMATION
(cont)
53
SIX-MORTAR STAR
FORMATION
Used by a six-mortar Plt

Requires 6400-mil coverage

Complicated formation to move
into

Most compact and defensible

Used in strongpoint or
perimeter defense

54
THREATS TO MORTAR
SURVIVABILITY
55
THREATS TO MORTAR
SURVIVABILITY
Ldr must consider a number of threats

Greatest dangers to mortars are:
enemy counterfire
ground attacks
air attacks

56
THREATS TO MORTAR
SURVIVABILITY (cont)
Mortars face intense counterfire threat:
Reduces fire support from friendly mortars
Radar, sound ranging, and recon methods all
used against us
Can be located by radio direction-finding
Array of detection equip w/ huge amounts of
enemy arty
presents major threat to survivability of US mortars
57
THREATS TO MORTAR
SURVIVABILITY
Radio direction finding locates
tgts w/in 300m accuracy (2-6
mins)

Adversaries have begun a
massive expansion in arty and
heavy mortar assets

Adversary doctrine calls for
massive indirect fire before an
attack (prep)

Some rnds contain enhanced
blast subprojectiles


(Flechette rounds)
58
THREATS TO MORTAR
SURVIVABILITY(cont)
Ground attacks:

During offensive Ops
Chance contact w/enemy bypassed forces (greatest
threat)

During defensive Ops
Greatest threats are enemy recon and main forces.
Enemy recon teams may encounter mortars by chance
contact
can be given specific mission to locate mortar pos
59
THREATS TO MORTAR
SURVIVABILITY(cont)
Air attack

Difficult in concealing firing pos from aerial
observation
Ldr employs passive air defensive measures as
per SOPs
Armed Helos pose a major threat
Due to standoff acquisition ability
60
SURVIVABILITY
TECHNIQUES
61
SURVIVABILITY
TECHNIQUES (cont)
Mortars can occupy
behind large hill masses
and tall buildings
Can still fire out of
defilade to hit tgts
(trajectory)

Deep defilade
partly reduces max range of
a mortar (mask/clearance)
protects pos from field
guns/howitzer fires (direct
fires)
not from enemy mortar
fires

(Deep defilade coverage)
62
SURVIVABILITY
TECHNIQUES (cont)
Mortars should not be positioned close to glass

Short bldgs dont provide much dead space but
will stop enemy frags
Dead space depends on Wpn, rnd, charge, rng combo,
and elev difference between Wpn and tgt

Incoming rnds have to be almost a direct hit to
damage mortar sqd
63
MORTAR POSITIONS
64
MORTAR POSITIONS
All mortar Sqds dig in during defensive Ops and
cont to improve their pos

Takes more time and material to harden pos

A very slow and fatiguing process by hand

Engineers assistance is quicker w/ less fatigue
65
MORTAR POSITIONS
DISMOUNTED MORTAR POSITIONS
Only one type of dismounted dug-in mortar position
(dog leg or L shape variations)

Standard dismounted dug-in mortar pos has 3 stages of
construction:
STAGE I-Gun pit
STAGE II-Gun pit w/ personnel shelters
STAGE III-Gun pit w/ personnel shelters and ammo bunkers

66
MORTAR POSITIONS (cont)
(3 stages)
67
QUESTIONS?
68
Summary
Characteristics for RSOP
Characteristics for selecting mortar position
Characteristics for occupation of mortar position
Characteristics for mortar formations
Characteristics for displacement of mortars
Characteristics for mortar survivability techniques
Characteristics of a dug in mortar position
Characteristics of FDC bunker

69
MORTAR EMPLOYMENT IN THE
OFFENSE AND DEFENSE