The M6 Mortar is a 60 mm lightweight

infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

mortar made by Hirtenberger AG of

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Models

The mortar is of traditional design with a smoothbore barrel, round baseplate (350 mm diameter), bipod and sight unit and is generally available in three different ballistical barrel lengths, which is usually stated in the model's name: * 640 mm * 895 mm * 1000 mm Maximum rate of fire with all models is 30 bombs per minute, when loaded by two people alternately, or 12 bombs per minute, when loaded by only one person. Naturally, the maximum ranges differ depending on the ballistic barrel length and the maximal allowed charges. For all three ballistic barrel lengths a conversion kit is available to fire the mortar in a handheld mode (without bipod and sight) as a '' commando mortar''. The conversion kit contains a small round basepiece, an alternate, slightly bigger rectangular basepiece for soft ground, a carrying belt, an aiming device to set the firing range and a handgrip with a trigger, which has a safety device, so that the commando mortar may be carried with a bomb inside the barrel. Commando versions are called M6C and are portable by one person. With these versions, the operation is restricted to a maximum operating gas pressure of 300 bar. This limits the mortars to using charge 3 as a maximum; however, it is recommended not to go above charge 2 due to precision (therefore the aiming device is for charge 0, charge 1 and charge 2 only). A modified version for Special Forces is also produced. This version is equipped with a recoil absorbing ''damping system'' between the bipod and the barrel. Special Forces versions are called M6H. Hirtenberger also produces mortar bombs for these mortars. Available Ammunition: * HE Mk2, high explosive bomb, filled with

TNT Troponin T (shortened TnT or TropT) is a part of the troponin complex, which are proteins integral to the contraction of skeletal and heart muscles. They are expressed in skeletal and cardiac myocytes. Troponin T binds to tropomyosin and helps ...

* TP-TM Mk2, inert bomb for training purposes, impact signature with life

fuze In military munitions, a fuze (sometimes fuse) is the part of the device that initiates its function. In some applications, such as torpedoes, a fuze may be identified by function as the exploder. The relative complexity of even the earliest fu ...

* SMK-WP Mk2, smoke Bomb, filled with White Phosphorus (fast smoke generation) * SMK-RP Mk2, smoke bomb, filled with Red Phosphorus (slow smoke generation) * ILL-VIS Mk2, visible spectrum illumination bomb, 350.000 candela for 35 seconds * ILL-IR Mk2,

infrared Infrared (IR; sometimes called infrared light) is electromagnetic radiation (EMR) with wavelengths longer than that of visible light but shorter than microwaves. The infrared spectral band begins with the waves that are just longer than those ...

spectrum illumination bomb, 35 seconds duration All ranges stated below are measured with Hirtenbergen 60 mm HE Mk2, but all types of 60 mm mortar bombs may be fired from the mortars.

M6C-210T

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Hirtenberger M6C-210 The Hirtenberger M6C-210 is a light mortar with smoothbore barrel, part of the M6 mortar range designed by Hirtenberger Defense Systems of Austria. This mortar is equipped with two aiming devices and is characterized by high mobility, which sho ...

M6C-640T

Technical Data: * Overall length: 825 mm * Weight: 6.2 kg * Weight with backpack (2.2 kg) and bag for auxiliaries (2.8 kg): 11.2 kg * Maximum range with charge 2: 1,384 m * Maximum range with charge 3: 1,921 m

M6(H)-640

Firing with the 640 mm barrel is limited to a maximum operating gas pressure of 550 bar, thus limiting the use to charge 5. The British Army dismounted platoons currently have a M6-640 as part of their weaponry. This however is being reviewed. Technical Data: * Bipod weight: 9.3 kg (H: 12.5 kg) * Baseplate weight: 4.8 kg (H: 4.7 kg) * Barrel weight: 4.5 kg (H: 4.6 kg) * Total weight: 18.6 kg (H: 21.8 kg) * Barrel length: 722 mm (H: 729 mm) * Maximum range with charge 0: 464 m * Maximum range with charge 2: 1,384 m * Maximum range with charge 3: 1,921 m * Maximum range with charge 5: 2,872 m

M6(H)-895

The Hirtenberger ''M6-895'' 60 mm mortar was procured as an urgent operational requirement (UOR) for the

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

. It can be fired in both the direct-lay and indirect fire role at a rate of 1–12 rounds a minute and can be operated in the hand held mode. The mortar replaced the

L9A1 51 mm Light Mortar The L9A1 51 mm light mortar was a man-portable platoon-level mortar used by the British Army from 1988 to 2007. The 51 mm mortar replaced the World War II-vintage 2-inch mortar in the late 1980s. It was due to be phased out by the use of t ...

due to greater availability of ammunition suppliers for the 60 mm calibre. In 2016 it was announced that only the Royal Marines Commandos and Parachute Regiment units will use these mortars after the Afghanistan operations. The rest will be stored away for economic reasons. Technical Data: * Bipod weight: 9.3 kg (H: 12.5 kg) * Baseplate weight: 4.8 kg (H: 4.7 kg) * Barrel weight: 5.4 kg (H: 5.5 kg) * Total weight: 19.5 kg (H: 22.7 kg) * Barrel length: 977 mm (H: 984 mm) * Maximum range with charge 0: 561 m * Maximum range with charge 2: 1,524 m * Maximum range with charge 3: 2,100 m * Maximum range with charge 5: 3,154 m * Maximum range with charge 6: 3,610 m * Maximum operating gas pressure: 650 bar

M6(H)-1000

Technical Data: * Bipod weight: 9.3 kg (H: 12.5 kg) * Baseplate weight: 4.8 kg (H: 4.7 kg) * Barrel weight: 5.8 kg (H: 5.9 kg) * Total weight: 19.9 kg (H: 23.1 kg) * Barrel length: 1082 mm (H: 1089 mm) * Maximum range with charge 0: 579 m * Maximum range with charge 2: 1,710 m * Maximum range with charge 3: 2,401 m * Maximum range with charge 5: 3,365 m * Maximum range with charge 6: 3,933 m * Maximum operating gas pressure: 650 bar

Users

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References

{{Reflist

External links

Hirtenberger Defense Systems
- manufacturer's official website

British Army Vehicles and Equipment, last visited on 2 December 2013 Mortars of the United Kingdom Infantry mortars 60mm mortars