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L16A2, 81mm Mortar

The 81mm Mortar provides indirect fire support that enables our combat troops to engage targets that are outside their line-of-sight.

New Zealand Army soldiers fire a 81mm mortar round at dusk. One soldier stands back with looking at a piece of paper in lefthand side of the image. Two soldiers are near the mortar, heads down. Flames are shown coming out of the mortar which create the co

The 81mm Mortar provides a more sustained and greater range indirect fire support to combat troops than the 60mm Mortar. It is capable of engaging targets at ranges in excess of 5000m. The L16A2 is lightweight, portable Mortar and made up of 3 main components, the baseplate, the bipod and the barrel.

Calibre 81 mm
Length 1300mm (barrel length) 
Weight  38kg (barrel, base plate and bipod)

Depending on mission requirements the mortar can fire the following types of bombs: high explosive, smoke, and illumination.

Gunners fire a 81mm mortar in the Waiouru Military Training Area

Gunners fire a 81mm mortar in the Waiouru Military Training Area