M1064A3 Mortar Carrier

Gary's Combat Vehicle Reference Guide

The M1064A3 is a modification of the M106A2 carrier. It has external fuel tanks and is modified internally to carry a 120mm mortar. It is fully tracked, highly mobile, and armor protected. It can be transported by air and is able to propel itself across water obstacles.

The M1064A3 incorporates all of the mobility, reliability improvements of the M113A3, including powertrain, engine diagnostics, driver's station, and electrical system.

The M1064A3 has the same silhouette as the M113A3 Personnel Carrier and features a welded-in cross beam, additional floor support structures to withstand mortar reaction forces, and an enlarged three-piece top firing hatch. The 120mm mortar has a 90° traverse for firing over the rear of the vehicle.

Replaced the M106-series 4.2-inch (107mm) mortar carrier in U.S. service.

The U.S. Army 120mm mortar system was adapted from the Israeli Army's Soltam 120mm mortar system. The 120mm mortar provides close-in and continuous indirect fire support to maneuver forces. The 120mm mortar also provides increased range and lethality over 81mm and 60mm mortars, but the mortar and ammunition are heavier.

The M121 carrier mounted mortar system consists of the M298 cannon, M9 baseplate (for ground mount mode), M191 bipod, an adaptor kit for mounting in the M1064A3, and the M67 sight unit with an extension assembly. The turntable provides a ninety degree area of fire. The adaptation kit has a breech piece socket, bipod support, travel clamp assembly, step assembly, and brackets to mount the mortar into the M1064A3.

The M121 mortar system uses graphic scales, mortar ballistic computer (MBC), M16 and M19 plotting boards, and firing tables. The system is compatible with the M2 aiming circle, M45 series boresight equipment, M14 aiming posts, and the M58/59 aiming post lights.

The M95/M96 Mortar Fire Control System is currently being fielded which will vastly improve all fire control aspects of the system.

M298 Cannon	Weight: 110 lbs (49.89 kg). Length 69 in (1,752.6 mm).
M190 Bipod Assembly	Weight: 70 lbs (31.75 kg).
M9 Mortar Baseplate	Weight: 136 lbs (61.68 kg).
M64A1 Sight Unit	Weight: 2.5 lbs (1.13 kg).
Range	Minimum: 656 ft (200 m). Maximum: 23,622 ft (7,200 m).
Rate of Fire	16 rounds per minute for the first minute; 4 rounds per minute sustained.

The M95 Mortar Fire Control System (MFCS) provides a complete, fully-integrated, digital, onboard fire control system for the carrier-mounted 120mm mortar. It provides a "shoot and scoot" capability to the carrier-mounted M121 mortar. With the MFCS, the mortar FDC continues to compute fire commands to execute fire missions and controls its gun tracks. The carrier-mounted MFCS components work together to compute targeting solutions, direct the movement of vehicles into firing positions, allow real-time orientation, and present gun orders to the gunner.

System accuracy is increased through the use of a Global Positioning System (GPS), an onboard azimuth reference for the gun, and digital meteorological data (MET) updates. The MFCS provides the capability to have self-surveying mortars, digital CFF exchange, and automated ballistic solutions.

The M95 consists of four main components:

1. The Commander's interface (CI) links the MFCS components together, communicates, and performs the ballistic computations necessary to locate and aim the mortar. The CI can function as a mortar ballistic computer in a stand alone configuration.


2. The Pointing Device and Position System (PDPS) enables the mortar to "know" its own location and thus eliminates the need for aiming posts, aiming circles, and survey. An inertial measurement unit (IMU) provides the weapon with absolute knowledge of vehicle position and mortar barrel azimuth and elevation. To maintain a high degree of accuracy, the IMU incorporates information from the GPS and a vehicle motion sensor (VMS). The design of the pointing device allows for the loss of the GPS, the VMS, or both devices without substantial degradation of overall performance.


3. The Gunner's Display (GD) shows the gunner where to point the tube and calculates the ballistic solution.


4. The Driver's Display (DD) enable the driver to roughly aim (50 mils) the vehicle in the firing direction when a call for fire alert is received.