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120mm mortar on a light tactical vehicle. You don't see one like this every day, and that's exactly what the 120mm mortar on a U.S. Army light infantry vehicle giving light infantry a more powerful ability to fire from closed positions without having to move to much larger mortar mounts. But why put such a big mortar on such a small platform? And could it give light infantry more firepower without losing mobility? Developed by Global Military Products and NTGS, the Scorpion Medium combines a 120mm mortar with an automated fire control and positioning system.
The vehicle can carry up to 16 rounds of ammunition. While the system is designed to move quickly between firing positions, and this speed may be its most interesting feature, according to Global Military Products, the mortar can deploy automatically. This also allows you to shoot from surfaces such as concrete or paved roads. This is important because a mobile mortar has to do more than just fire. He must take a position, complete a task, and change it before staying in one place for too long becomes a problem. The system is also designed around a highly automated crew workflow. Instead of manually performing each step of preparing a mortar, a digital fire control system is designed to reduce the time from receiving a fire order to weapon readiness.
This can be especially useful for light units operating in dispersed terrain, where speed and mobility can be as important as weapon caliber. There is also the advantage of unification. that over 95% of the Scorpion Medium's parts are common to its 81mm Scorpion Light system. This could simplify training, maintenance and logistics if the two systems are eventually used together. The company also claims that the 120mm version provides approximately 25% greater firing range than the 81mm system, along with greater effect from each shot. But these numbers are just company statements that have not yet been independently confirmed in combat. And there is an important nuance. The US Army awarded Global Military Products a 81mm Scorpion Light system,
rather than the new 120mm Scorpion Medium. So, the 120mm version is not yet an adopted army option, but it points to an interesting direction for light infantry: placing heavier artillery on a smaller, faster platform. The main question now is whether Scorpion Medium can turn this concept into a real operational capability. Could this be the next evolution of mobile mortar systems? That's all for today. Thank you for watching.
