M252A1

M252A1 (Medium weight mortar)

In service: 1987-present

Caliber: 81 mm

Weight: 41.3 kg

Length: 127 cm

Barrel length: 1.27 m

Crew: 5

Elevation: 45º-85.2º

Traverse: 5.6º

Rate of fire:

8-16 rpm sustained;

20-30 rpm in exceptional circumstances and for short periods

Effective firing range: 91–5,935 m (HE – High explosive)

Feed system: muzzle-loaded

Types of rounds

High explosive (HE): Designations M821, M821A1, M889, M889A1, M372-series, and M362. Used against personnel and light materiel targets

Smoke Cartridge: Designations M819 and M375-series. Used as a screening, signaling, or marking munition

Illumination (ILLUM): Designations M853A1 and M301-series. Used in night missions requiring illumination for assistance in observation

Training practice (TP): Designations M880, M879, M68 and sabot. Used for training in limited areas

Infrared Illumination (IR): Produces illumination which is only visible through the use of night vision devices

Fuzes

The M224 rounds have two fuze types: the Multioption Fuze (M734) and the Point-Detonating Fuze (M935). The M734 is used for the M720 HE round and can be set to function as proximity burst, near-surface burst, impact burst, or delay burst

A much lighter version, the M252A1, was fielded for the first time in 2011. By reducing the number of parts and using lightweight materials, the total weight was reduced by 9.5 kg