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MortarsIn service
Mortar
L16 81mm mortar is a mortar originating in United Kingdom Canada. It was built by Royal Ordnance (barrel and bipod). Reported operators include Austria, Belize, Brazil, Canada, Estonia, Guyana, India, Japan, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Yemen.
L16 81mm mortar
Hisamikabunomura ( talk )Hisamikabunomura · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Resized · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source ↗ · ModifiedMortar
United Kingdom Canada
See Users
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
Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment, Fort Halstead (barrel and bipod)
1956
Royal Ordnance (barrel and bipod)
1965
35.3 kg (78 lb)
1,280 millimetres (50 in)
3
4.2 kilograms (9.3 lb) (L3682).
81 millimetres (3.2 in)
muzzle loading
none
baseplate and spring buffered mounting clamp
15 rpm, 1–12 rpm sustained, 20 rpm for short periods
225 m/s (740 ft/s)
HE: 100–5,675 m (109–6,206 yd) Smoke: 100–5,675 m (109–6,206 yd) Illumination: 400–4,800 m (437–5,249 yd)
5,650 m (6,180 yd)
Manual
Optical (C2) with Trilux illumination
Austria
Belize
Brazil
Canada
Estonia
Guyana
India
Japan
Kenya
Malawi
Malaysia
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Portugal
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Syria
Thailand
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
Yemen
Reference text from Wikipedia contributors, used under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Points represent sourced observations, including revisions. Revisions on the same effective date are not separate inventory events. Ranges appear in the table and are not plotted as exact points.
| Observation / report period | Value | Source | Claim state |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Sept 2026 | 1.28 m | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| 28 Sept 2026 | 1.28 m | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| 28 Sept 2026 | 1.28 m | Wikipedia contributors | superseded |
| 28 Sept 2026 | 1.28 m | Wikipedia contributors | approved |
L16 81mm mortar equipment records. Variants, orders and quantities are shown as reported in each inventory source; coverage is incomplete.
Number column of the Wikipedia list table under "Light and medium mortars". The list's own wording applies; it is a compiled secondary source, not an official census.
Number column of the Wikipedia list table under "Field artillery". The list's own wording applies; it is a compiled secondary source, not an official census.
Approximate count for L16A1. Country-wide list; no individual service specified. 1 distinct count cell(s) from the same source list; shared rowspan cells counted once. Retired, wholly reserve and on-order rows are excluded; the reported count retains any explicitly mixed stock scope in the quoted row. Count column(s): quantity: ~12. Origin: United Kingdom. The listed variants/roles are the scope, not an immediately deployable count. The components do not establish one inventory census date; the stored date is the retrieved source snapshot.
Reported count for L16 81mm mortar · L16A1. Country-wide list; no individual service specified. 1 distinct count cell(s) from the same source list; shared rowspan cells counted once. Retired, wholly reserve and on-order rows are excluded; the reported count retains any explicitly mixed stock scope in the quoted row. Count column(s): in service: 82. Origin: United Kingdom. The listed variants/roles are the scope, not an immediately deployable count. Dates are the count-cell citations' stated source period (2021), not the article revision. 2021 cited publication year. Edition or publication years do not claim an exact inventory census day.
Reported count for L16A2. Service scope: New Zealand Army; does not replace a national total. 1 distinct count cell(s) from the same source list; shared rowspan cells counted once. Excludes retired/reserve/on-order rows. Count column(s): number: 50. Origin: Canada United Kingdom. The listed variants/roles are the scope, not an immediately deployable count. The components do not establish one inventory census date; the stored date is the retrieved source snapshot.
Reported count for L16. Service scope: Nigerian Army; does not replace a national total. 1 distinct count cell(s) from the same source list; shared rowspan cells counted once. Retired, wholly reserve and on-order rows are excluded; the reported count retains any explicitly mixed stock scope in the quoted row. Count column(s): quantity: 220. Origin: United Kingdom. The listed variants/roles are the scope, not an immediately deployable count. Dates are the count-cell citations' stated source period (2021), not the article revision. Cited source 2021-04-25. Edition or publication years do not claim an exact inventory census day.
Reported count for L16A2 81mm NM95. Service scope: Norwegian Army; does not replace a national total. 1 distinct count cell(s) from the same source list; shared rowspan cells counted once. Retired, wholly reserve and on-order rows are excluded; the reported count retains any explicitly mixed stock scope in the quoted row. Count column(s): quantity: 143 (2021). Origin: United Kingdom Canada. The listed variants/roles are the scope, not an immediately deployable count. Dates are the count-cell citations' stated source period (2021), not the article revision. 2021 cited source edition. Edition or publication years do not claim an exact inventory census day.
Reported count for L16. Service scope: Royal Army of Oman; does not replace a national total. 1 distinct count cell(s) from the same source list; shared rowspan cells counted once. Retired, wholly reserve and on-order rows are excluded; the reported count retains any explicitly mixed stock scope in the quoted row. Count column(s): quantity: 69. Origin: United Kingdom. The listed variants/roles are the scope, not an immediately deployable count. The components do not establish one inventory census date; the stored date is the retrieved source snapshot.
Reported count for L16A2. Service scope: Portuguese Army; does not replace a national total. 1 distinct count cell(s) from the same source list; shared rowspan cells counted once. Excludes retired/reserve/on-order rows. Count column(s): quantity: 32. Origin: Canada United Kingdom. The listed variants/roles are the scope, not an immediately deployable count. The components do not establish one inventory census date; the stored date is the retrieved source snapshot.
Reported count for L16 81 mm. Country-wide list; no individual service specified. 1 distinct count cell(s) from the same source list; shared rowspan cells counted once. Excludes retired/reserve/on-order rows. Count column(s): quantity: 30. Origin: United Kingdom Canada. The listed variants/roles are the scope, not an immediately deployable count. The components do not establish one inventory census date; the stored date is the retrieved source snapshot.
Austria, Belize, Brazil, Canada, Estonia, Guyana, India, Japan, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Yemen
Equipment reference ↗