L16 81mm mortar vs Mortier 120 mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1

FORCETALLY

Loading the evidence…

Preparing your view.

L16 81mm mortar — licensed reference photograph

AMortars

L16 81mm mortar

Mortar

Credit

Hisamikabunomura ( talk )Hisamikabunomura · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Resized · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source ↗ · Modified

Mortier 120 mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1 — licensed reference photograph

BMortars

Mortier 120 mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1

Heavy mortar

Credit

Audiovisuele Dienst Koninklijke Landmacht (AVDKL) · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source ↗ · Modified

First system

Second system

At a glance

Side by side

L16 81mm mortarlarger figure on 1 of 3

Rate of fire+8%

Mortier 120 mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1larger figure on 2 of 3

Mass+1549%
Barrel length+63%

Counts only measures both sources give with the same scope. A larger figure is not a better system.

Measured figures

Head to head

18 of 76 rows sourced on both sides

35.3kg

582kg

Mass+1549%

All recorded figures & sources

35.3 kg

Mass

Single source

35.3 kg (78 lb)^[source]

582 kg

Mass

Single source

Configuration

Details

L16 81mm mortar and Mortier 120 mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1 configuration
Specification	L16 81mm mortar	Mortier 120 mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1
Type	Mortar^[source]	Heavy mortar^[source]
Place of origin	United Kingdom Canada^[source]	France^[source]
Used by	See Users^[source]	See Operators^[source]
Wars	Rhodesian Bush War Lebanese Civil War Nepalese civil war Borneo, South Arabia, Oman Vietnam War Falklands War Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 Balkans, Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, Mali. Syrian Civil War

Designer	Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment, Fort Halstead (barrel and bipod)^[source]	Thales, Thomson-Brandt^[source]

Designed	1956^[source]	—

Manufacturer	Royal Ordnance (barrel and bipod)^[source]	Thales, TDA Armements (France), Thomson-CSF/Daimler Benz Aerospace (Germany), Hotchkiss Brandt (Netherlands), Howa (Japan)^[source]

Produced	1965^[source]	1961–present^[source]

Shell weight	4.2 kilograms (9.3 lb) (L3682).^[source]	—

Action	muzzle loading^[source]	—

Breech	none^[source]	—

Recoil	baseplate and spring buffered mounting clamp^[source]	—

Feed system	Manual^[source]	—

Sights	Optical (C2) with Trilux illumination^[source]	—

Former operator · Australia	Australia^[source]	—

Former operator · Rhodesia	Rhodesia^[source]	—

Source measurement	The L16 81mm mortar is a British and Canadian standard mortar used by the Canadian Army , British Army , and many other armed forces. It originated as a joint design by the UK and Canada. The U.S. armed forces version is the M252 .^[source]L16 81mm mortar · Lead; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage It was introduced in 1965–66, replacing the Ordnance ML 3 inch Mortar in UK service, where it is used by the British Army , the Royal Marines and the RAF Regiment .^[source]L16 81mm mortar · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage In UK armoured/mechanised infantry battalions, the L16 mortar is mounted in an FV 432 AFV (six per battalion mortar platoon). British army light role infantry battalions and the Royal Marines may transport their mortars in BvS 10 vehicles (the replacement for the Bv 206 ). Otherwise, it is carried disassembled in three loads, (barrel, baseplate and bipod with sights, each approximately 11 kg), normally carried by a vehicle or helicopter and assembled for firing from the ground.^[source]L16 81mm mortar · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Video of L16 81mm mortar fired by JGSDF soldiers during Orient Shield 2012^[source]L16 81mm mortar · Gallery; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage	The MO-120 RT (factory designator) or MO-120-RT is a French heavy mortar . The RT in the designator stands for rayé, tracté , which means rifled, towed. The MO-120-RT is currently used by the French Army (where it is known as RT F1 or Mortier de 120 mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1 —"120 mm rifled towed mortar, model F1"), and has also been exported to more than 24 foreign countries or in some cases, produced under licence. It is issued to artillery units, where it complements artillery guns and systems; although infantry units operate it in some countries.^[source]Mortier 120 mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1 · Lead; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The MO-120 RT uses 120 mm rounds with a range of 8.2 km (5.1 mi) and the PRPA (RAP-Rocket Assisted Projectile) with a range of 13 km (8.1 mi). The weapon can be fired either by dropping the round down the tube (after aligning of the rifling bands) resulting in an automatic firing once the bomb hits the tube base, or by a controlled firing by dropping the bomb down the tube and pulling on a lanyard that will in turn set off the triggering mechanism in the base of the tube.^[source]Mortier 120 mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1 · Design; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Fired mortar rounds can reach as high as 4,000 m (13,000 ft) and hit the ground with an effective kill radius of 76 m (249 ft).^[source]Mortier 120 mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1 · Design; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage In French service, this weapon is normally towed by the VTM 120 ( Véhicule Tracteur Mortier de 120 mm ), a wheeled armored vehicle that is a derivative of the VAB 4×4 series of armored personnel carrier. Towing is accomplished by a towing hitch that is screwed onto the muzzle of the weapon. The VTM 120 also carries 70 rounds for the mortar and offers basic ballistic protection from small arms fire and shrapnel for the crew. The RT-61 can also be towed by the AMX-10 TM ( Tracteur de Mortier ), which is a version of the AMX-10P tracked APC or the future French Scorpion SERVAL Vehicle.^[source]Mortier 120 mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1 · Service; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage In France, the mortars, which originally equipped infantry regiments, have now all been transferred to the artillery regiments, where they augment the 155 mm towed artillery.^[source]Mortier 120 mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1 · Service; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The United States Marine Corps began looking for an expeditionary fire support system (EFSS) in 2001 after the start of operations in Afghanistan exposed their lack of expeditionary artillery lighter than a 155 mm howitzer but heavier than a 60 mm mortar. Early on, the 120 RT weapon became tied to the development of the MV-22 Osprey , which would contain a Growler ITV jeep that would tow it; both efforts were troubled and experienced delays. The EFSS was first used operationally in Afghanistan in February 2011, firing an M1105 illumination projectile. The full EFSS was introduced in 2009, consisting of two light vehicles, one towing the mortar and the other an ammunition trailer, that fit inside an MV-22 or CH-53E Super Stallion ; an EFSS battery is made up of roughly 50 marines.^[source]Mortier 120 mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1 · Variants / M327 expeditionary fire support system; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The 35 lb (16 kg) round increased range from 8 km (5.0 mi) to 16 km (9.9 mi), falling within 10 m (33 ft) of the target and as close as two meters, costing $18,000 each, and having 2.5–3 times the lethality.^[source]Mortier 120 mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1 · Variants / M327 expeditionary fire support system; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage M327 120 mm rifled towed mortar^[source]Mortier 120 mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1 · Variants / M327 expeditionary fire support system; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Source measurement

The L16 81mm mortar is a British and Canadian standard mortar used by the Canadian Army , British Army , and many other armed forces. It originated as a joint design by the UK and Canada. The U.S. armed forces version is the M252 .^[source]L16 81mm mortar · Lead; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

It was introduced in 1965–66, replacing the Ordnance ML 3 inch Mortar in UK service, where it is used by the British Army , the Royal Marines and the RAF Regiment .^[source]L16 81mm mortar · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

In UK armoured/mechanised infantry battalions, the L16 mortar is mounted in an FV 432 AFV (six per battalion mortar platoon). British army light role infantry battalions and the Royal Marines may transport their mortars in BvS 10 vehicles (the replacement for the Bv 206 ). Otherwise, it is carried disassembled in three loads, (barrel, baseplate and bipod with sights, each approximately 11 kg), normally carried by a vehicle or helicopter and assembled for firing from the ground.^[source]L16 81mm mortar · Description; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Video of L16 81mm mortar fired by JGSDF soldiers during Orient Shield 2012^[source]L16 81mm mortar · Gallery; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The MO-120 RT (factory designator) or MO-120-RT is a French heavy mortar . The RT in the designator stands for rayé, tracté , which means rifled, towed. The MO-120-RT is currently used by the French Army (where it is known as RT F1 or Mortier de 120 mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1 —"120 mm rifled towed mortar, model F1"), and has also been exported to more than 24 foreign countries or in some cases, produced under licence. It is issued to artillery units, where it complements artillery guns and systems; although infantry units operate it in some countries.^[source]Mortier 120 mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1 · Lead; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The MO-120 RT uses 120 mm rounds with a range of 8.2 km (5.1 mi) and the PRPA (RAP-Rocket Assisted Projectile) with a range of 13 km (8.1 mi). The weapon can be fired either by dropping the round down the tube (after aligning of the rifling bands) resulting in an automatic firing once the bomb hits the tube base, or by a controlled firing by dropping the bomb down the tube and pulling on a lanyard that will in turn set off the triggering mechanism in the base of the tube.^[source]Mortier 120 mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1 · Design; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Fired mortar rounds can reach as high as 4,000 m (13,000 ft) and hit the ground with an effective kill radius of 76 m (249 ft).^[source]Mortier 120 mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1 · Design; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

In French service, this weapon is normally towed by the VTM 120 ( Véhicule Tracteur Mortier de 120 mm ), a wheeled armored vehicle that is a derivative of the VAB 4×4 series of armored personnel carrier. Towing is accomplished by a towing hitch that is screwed onto the muzzle of the weapon. The VTM 120 also carries 70 rounds for the mortar and offers basic ballistic protection from small arms fire and shrapnel for the crew. The RT-61 can also be towed by the AMX-10 TM ( Tracteur de Mortier ), which is a version of the AMX-10P tracked APC or the future French Scorpion SERVAL Vehicle.^[source]Mortier 120 mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1 · Service; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

In France, the mortars, which originally equipped infantry regiments, have now all been transferred to the artillery regiments, where they augment the 155 mm towed artillery.^[source]Mortier 120 mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1 · Service; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The United States Marine Corps began looking for an expeditionary fire support system (EFSS) in 2001 after the start of operations in Afghanistan exposed their lack of expeditionary artillery lighter than a 155 mm howitzer but heavier than a 60 mm mortar. Early on, the 120 RT weapon became tied to the development of the MV-22 Osprey , which would contain a Growler ITV jeep that would tow it; both efforts were troubled and experienced delays. The EFSS was first used operationally in Afghanistan in February 2011, firing an M1105 illumination projectile. The full EFSS was introduced in 2009, consisting of two light vehicles, one towing the mortar and the other an ammunition trailer, that fit inside an MV-22 or CH-53E Super Stallion ; an EFSS battery is made up of roughly 50 marines.^[source]Mortier 120 mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1 · Variants / M327 expeditionary fire support system; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

The 35 lb (16 kg) round increased range from 8 km (5.0 mi) to 16 km (9.9 mi), falling within 10 m (33 ft) of the target and as close as two meters, costing $18,000 each, and having 2.5–3 times the lethality.^[source]Mortier 120 mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1 · Variants / M327 expeditionary fire support system; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

M327 120 mm rifled towed mortar^[source]Mortier 120 mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1 · Variants / M327 expeditionary fire support system; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

In service	—	1961–present^[source]

Shell	—	18.7 kg (41 lb)^[source]

Carriage	—	wheeled^[source]

Elevation	—	30–85°^[source]

Traverse	—	±14° from centreline^[source]

Former operator · Canada	—	Canada^[source]

Former operator · Iraq	—	Iraq^[source]

Former operator · Panama	—	Panama^[source]

Former operator · Rwanda	—	Rwanda^[source]

Former operator · United States	—	United States^[source]

Role	—	French heavy mortar^[source]

Status	—	The MO-120-RT is currently used by the French Army (where it is known as RT F1 or Mortier de 120 mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1 —"120 mm rifled towed mortar, model F1"), and has also been exported to more than 24 foreign countries or in some cases, produced under licence.^[source]MO-120-RT · source-literal primary status

Reported operators	Reported operator · Austria Reported operator · Belize Reported operator · Brazil Reported operator · Canada Reported operator · Estonia Reported operator · Guyana Reported operator · India Reported operator · Japan Reported operator · Kenya Reported operator · Malawi Reported operator · Malaysia Reported operator · Netherlands Reported operator · New Zealand Reported operator · Nigeria Reported operator · Norway Reported operator · Oman Reported operator · Portugal Reported operator · Qatar Reported operator · Saudi Arabia Reported operator · Syria Reported operator · Thailand Reported operator · United Arab Emirates Reported operator · United Kingdom Reported operator · United States Reported operator · Yemen	Reported operator · Japan Reported operator · Netherlands Reported operator · Qatar Reported operator · Saudi Arabia Reported operator · Belgium Reported operator · Cameroon Reported operator · Colombia Reported operator · Cyprus Reported operator · Djibouti Reported operator · Gabon Reported operator · France Reported operator · Italy Reported operator · Kuwait Reported operator · Kurdistan Reported operator · Lebanon Reported operator · Mexico Reported operator · Pakistan Reported operator · Turkey Reported operator · Ukraine