The US Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center has entered into a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with Finland’s Patria to determine feasibility of incorporating a turreted, breech-loaded 120 mm mortar weapon system in US mortar carriers.
The scope of the agreement is to assess the capabilities of the Patria Nemo mortar system, its compatibility with US mortar carrier weapon platforms and fire control systems as well as to evaluate the use of current US 120 mm mortar ammunition in a breech-loaded mortar, such as Patria’s Nemo.
This agreement is continuation of US Army’s effort to provide Armored and Stryker Brigade Combat Teams with rapid, precise indirect and direct fire capability where the operating crew is well protected, and their physical burden is significantly reduced.
In late 2018 the Army published a market survey to identify capable sources to develop and produce the 120 mm Mortar Future Indirect Fire Turret (FIFT). Patria answered the market survey based on its Nemo mortar system.
Nemo is a turreted, remote-controlled 120 mm mortar system with both direct and indirect fire capability and can execute up to 6 grenade multiple rounds simultaneous impact fire missions.
“The agreement between the US Army and Patria exemplifies the capability leap that modern turreted mortar systems can introduce to armed forces and illustrates Patria’s leading role in this technology area. It is also logical continuation to the cooperation between Patria and the US government that began with Patria Nemo sales to a third country through a foreign military sales (FMS) program,” says Jussi Järvinen, president of Patria’s land business unit.
