April 25, 2008
Bang Bang

Looks like the army is getting ready to field some nifty toys:

The NLOS-M, which is technologically about three years behind the NLOS-C, is equally high-tech. It fires the same 120 mm projectiles as other large-caliber mortar launchers, but it does so with a fully automated, breech-loading system. Traditionally, guys had to stand up in an open vehicle, hold a 36-lb munition up until the “Fire” order was given, drop the munition and then get the hell out of the way. Obviously lots of opportunity for injury. In the case of the NLOS-M, mounted on the same chassis as the NLOS-C, soldiers sit protected in the vehicle and auto-launch the mortars using an advanced software system and touch-screen computers. The mortar is also an MRSI (multi-round, simultaneous-impact) system, with the capability to launch 16 rounds in the first minute and 8 rounds per minute thereafter. The first prototype of the NLOS-M will roll out in 2011 and be fielded in 2014.

MRSI is seriously cool. The computer calculates a bunch of different trajectories and then fires a sequence of shells. Each one follows a different ballistic track to ensure all the rounds land at the exact same time. Think of a shotgun, but with mortar shells instead of pellets.

Posted by scott at April 25, 2008 11:43 AM

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Different than a shotgun, because they aren't fired at the same time. However, lots of teh suxx0r5 if you happen to be at the receiving end.

Makes me wonder what fun you could have with something like that an a bunker or other reinforced structure? Instead of them all hitting at the same time, have them all hit 1-2 seconds apart at the same space. Redneck tunnelling, no?

Posted by: Ron on April 25, 2008 12:55 PM

“The machinery is consistent and machines don’t make errors,” said our briefer

Bwahahahahahaha!

obviously this guy never worked in an IT department anywhere...

Posted by: Mark on April 25, 2008 01:06 PM
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