Mission

The Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) Mortar is the short-to-mid-range indirect fire support component of the FCS Brigade Combat Team (FBCT). It will be organic to and provide networked, responsive and sustained indirect fire support to the Combined Arms Maneuver Battalion in the FBCT. It fires a suite of 120-mm munitions that include special purpose capabilities to provide a variety of fires on demand including precision guided mortar munitions (PGMM). NLOS Mortar will provide close support and destructive fires for tactical stand-off engagement during both offensive and defensive operations in concert with line-of-sight, beyond-line-of-sight, other NLOS, external and joint capabilities in combat scenarios spanning the spectrum of ground combat and threats.

The NLOS Mortar will be a turreted, self-propelled mortar with a three-person crew under armor. It will have a fully automated fire control system and semi-automated ammunition loading system.

The section chief and driver will occupy the vehicle’s common crew station while the remaining crew member will sit immediately to the rear. This design has the crewmen facing forward during movement with the rear crewman turning his seat rearward when the NLOS Mortar is emplaced and ready to fire. The primary duties of the rear crewman are to stow ammunition during rearms, and monitor/verify the automated loading process. The NLOS Mortar fires automatically unless the mission requires a different propellant load and fuze setting. In this case, the semi-automated ammunition handling on the NLOS Mortar will present the proper round from the magazines to the crewman and after the crew has prepared the round for firing by setting the fuze and removing unneeded propellant, load and fire the round. During a fire mission the crewman does not physically lift or move the round. The automated fire control will compute firing data and point the tube.

The NLOS Mortar will be deployable worldwide and will operate in a wide range of climatic conditions.