................a. Mortar on technical
b spotter on the roof
c. One long
d. one short
e. on target...................
Yes! And if the mortar was fired from the same position on the same truck, would not the recoil affect the springs on the vehicle exactly the same???
So you fire - with the effect on the sprung platform, and your forward spotter calls out long by XX, go left by YY;
then you adjust, and your next round has the exact same sprung platform, and your forward spotter calls out short by XX, right by YY;
and so you adjust, and the mortar is right on, after the platform was sprung exactly the same as the previous shots.
So, just what difference does the stability of the mortar platform make as long as its recoil effect is constant???
(I’m no way a munitions person, but my Noob theory!)
Noob1999, a mortar system is really a fairly technical piece of equipment. There are a couple of methods of engagements that we utilize for mortars. Hand-Held: Only the 60mm, M224 Mortar, is capable of firing hand held utilizing the M-9 base plate. Normally this is in the assault mode and it requires a lot of experience to gain real proficiency.
All other mortars utilize a much larger base plate. First rounds are rarely on target since the initial round seats the baseplate deep into the soil. This allows for the stability of the weapons system.
Corrections are given by a Forward Observer and his position is plotted by the Fire Direction Control center. When the FO announces a correction of Add,Drop, Left and Right it is computed mathematically by the FDC and transmitted to the mortar Gunline as Deflection and Elevation changes.
The Mortar sight is calibrated into 6400 Mills. Once the data, deflection and Elevation, is placed on the sight; the sight is realigned to a fixed point, aiming Stakes, to the rear or front of the Mortar tube, and the mortar is then ready to fire.
Each subsequent command requires the same steps IOT ensure accuracy. The 60, 81 and 120mm mortar systems are the most difficult weapons in a Infantry Battalion to gain mastery of.
I hope I did not make this overly complicated but firing from a moving platform will not work and you can bet that is not the way these guys fired their Mortars. It’s hard firing a 81mm from a LAV and impossible from a pickup truck more than once!