Ukraine's mortar needs: role of battalion artillery in fight ahead

Ukrainian military expert Oleksandr Kovalenko answers the question in a column for OBOZ.UA: How can Ukraine counter the threat of relentless infantry assaults, and what support do the Ukrainian Defense Forces need?

The military expert notes that Russian forces are actively increasing the use of infantry units and enhancing the firepower of battalion-level assets, particularly mortars. In Ukraine, battalion-level artillery rarely gets mentioned in discussions.

Mortars, however, are one of the most effective tools against infantry assaults, and Russia is receiving millions of 120 mm and 82 mm caliber shells from North Korea. 

Oleksandr Kovalenko examined battalion-level artillery mortars in Ukraine, exploring each caliber's features and effectiveness.

60-mm mortars

Back in 2017, the KBA-118 (60-mm mortar) was adopted by Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces. At that time, two Ukrainian designs competed in the 60-mm mortar category: the M60-16 Kamerton and the KBA-118.

In terms of tactical-technical characteristics, the KBA-118 has a combat weight of 12.5 kg, a firing range of 1,429 meters, and a rate of fire of 5-20 rounds per minute. It is operated by two people and can be brought into combat position within 1-2 minutes.

The M60-16 Kamerton has a combat weight of 20 kg, a firing range of 3,500 to 5,500 meters, and a rate of fire of 25 rounds per minute. It can be operated by one or two people.

Additionally, according to the Arms Trade Treaty report, in 2016 Poland exported 50 60-mm mortars, most likely LM-60D, to Ukraine. This indicates that attention to this category of mortars in Ukraine has been ongoing. As mentioned earlier, the Special Operations Forces were particularly interested in them due to their compactness.

Furthermore, compared to other means of suppressing the Russian army, such as 30-mm to 40-mm automatic grenade launchers, 60-mm mortars have greater destructive capabilities, especially now that 60-mm mines come in a wide variety, including those with significantly increased explosive power.

The Ukrainian Defense Forces use 60-mm mortars, and there have been attempts to supply the AFU with this weapon before, but they have not been widely adopted or popularized. Given the growing dominance of the enemy in terms of manpower, the task of the platoon and company branches in defending a position is to increase their fire potential, and the 60-mm mortar could play a significant role in achieving this.

Additionally, there is a vast number of manufacturers and stocks of 60-mm mines worldwide, which not only ensures a steady supply of this type of ammunition but also allows for its widespread use with FPV drones, a practice that is already taking place. 

82-mm mortars

The classic 82-mm mortar includes the old BM-36 and the 2B9 Vasilek. However, a persistent issue with mortars as caliber increases is balancing mobility, effectiveness, and the protection of the crew.

In 2014, at the KADEX-2014 arms exhibition, Kazakhstan showcased the 2B9M mounted on a BMP-1, although the Czechs had attempted a similar configuration back in the earlier days, achieving good protection against shrapnel and light small arms.

In the Ukrainian Defense Forces, the 82-mm mortar is often used in tandem with fast means of transportation, such as buggies. 

However, in an environment dominated by FPV drones, the traditional method of increasing crew protection by placing it in an armored fighting vehicle becomes less relevant, unless the vehicle has guaranteed protection against airstrikes. Many passive protection measures have already been developed, ranging from anti-shock grids to nets.

Equally important, especially now, is the effectiveness of defeating enemy personnel. Here, attention should be given to cluster munitions, particularly those with a programmable fuse that opens before impact with the surface, distributing submunitions over a wider area and causing damage to a greater number of troops.

Thus, 82-mm mortars are not just an integral part of battalion artillery but also essential for the future strategy of attrition against the enemy. To maximize the effectiveness of this component, it is crucial to focus not only on saturating units with these mortars but also on enhancing mobility and the capability to inflict greater casualties on enemy personnel, which includes transitioning to cluster munitions.

100-mm mortars

In Soviet nomenclature, 100 mm mortars were not popular at all. However, they were quite widespread in other countries. For example, they are still in service in Vietnam, both in towed and self-propelled versions. Ironically, Vietnamese 100 mm mortars are mounted on captured American M113A1 armored personnel carriers. 

The primary popularity of 100 mm mortars is found in Asian armies, which has its own explanation. After all, the 100 mm mortar strikes an optimal balance between weight and firepower.

In terms of weight, it does not differ much from the 82 mm mortar, but the difference in power is noticeable. This is not a matter of discrimination; Vietnamese and Chinese soldiers may be more limited in physical capacity, making the optimal distribution of mass and firepower critical for them.

This also applies to our use of the 82 mm mortar, which is not much different from the 100 mm in terms of mass and mobility, but it does vary in specific firepower. For now, these are just thoughts out loud, considering the availability of the option.

120-mm mortars

This is one of the most common calibers in the world, operated by almost every army. In Ukraine, this type of mortar is represented not only by the Soviet model 2B11 but also by the domestic version, the M120-15 Molot. However, there is an essential nuance.

Just as with the 82 mm, the priority for the 120 mm will need to be ammunition that significantly increases damage to enemy personnel over a larger area - namely, cluster munitions and, in certain conditions, thermobaric rounds. Our partners have sufficient stocks of both types of ammunition and have established their production.

The key issue is to fully equip the units with the mortars themselves and to provide them with ammunition in a timely manner, as it will be expended continuously during intense assaults.

Equally important is the mobility of these systems. For example, the M120-15 Molot has a mass of 230 kg, while the Soviet 2B11 weighs 210 kg.

Before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a mobile mortar complex, the Bars-8MMK, was presented for the needs of the AFU. This system was armed with a 120 mm 2B11 mortar and was integrated into the Alakran 120 mm lightweight self-propelled mortar system developed by Spain's Everis Aerospace and Defense (EAD) and New Technologies Global Systems (NTGS). The system has an ammunition capacity of 60 rounds.

Unfortunately, this system did not go into large-scale production and was only produced in a limited batch. In 2022, the loss of at least two Bars-8MMKs was verified, after which these mobile mortar systems were not encountered either at the front or in the rear.

It is worth noting that placing the mortar in an armored vehicle with very good cross-country performance, a fast deployment and roll-up system, and a substantial transportable ammunition set was an optimal solution at the early stage of the war when the threat from FPV drones was not as obvious. On the other hand, by observing security measures and considering the maximum range of the 120 mm mortar at 7 kilometers, the balance of mobility and security can always be adjusted, especially with the passive and active defense measures already available.

Conclusions

Ukraine needs to pay closer attention to the mortar component within its troops at the battalion, company, and platoon levels. Battalion artillery will soon become one of the main tools in the fight against Russian occupation troops. 

Saturating ammunition for 82 mm and 120 mm mortars with cluster and thermobaric munitions is also a priority. The fight against Russia's manpower is reaching a completely different level, and the requests for both the procurement and production of munitions must reflect this reality.