The US Army has tested the Scorpion Light 81mm system, a new “hit and run” mobile mortar system designed to make troops more agile in combat, at training ranges in Hawaii. The system is the latest example of the Army’s modernisation efforts, and aims to increase survivability and effectiveness on the front line by allowing soldiers to fire quickly and relocate instantly.
Evaluation within the scope of Contact 2.0 Transformation
Members of the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, underwent intensive training with the Scorpion Light mortar system, simulating combat scenarios over five days from 20 October, Florida-based manufacturer Global Military Products said Wednesday. These tests were a critical part of the army’s “Contact 2.0 Transformation” programme, which aims to get soldiers’ feedback on experimental weapons and vehicles before they go into widespread use.
James Knight of Global Military Products said that feedback from soldiers has been invaluable and once again confirms the system’s ability to provide “fast, high mobility, accurate and persistent indirect fire”.
High Mobility and Rate of Fire
The Scorpion Light system was carried along with the army’s Infantry Squad Vehicles (Infantry Squad Vehicles), designed for troops to move at higher speeds.
Basic Features of the System:
- Ammunition Capacity: Each vehicle can carry the mortar system and 72 ammunition.
- Rate of Fire/Displacement: It is stated that Scorpion Light can fire eight ammunition and relocate in less than two minutes.
- Fast Operation: According to the manufacturer, it takes only 30 seconds for the system to fire the first round and only 30 seconds to relocate after firing the last round.
- Versatility: it has a special base plate that allows it to be fired on “almost any surface” and can be integrated with third-party guidance systems.
- Logistical Flexibility: The system, which can be mounted on commercial vehicles, is light enough to be carried inside a Chinook helicopter or suspended under a Black Hawk helicopter.
International Exercises and Ukrainian Experience
Two of the Scorpion Light systems used in the tests will be transported by a C-17 aircraft to participate in the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Centre exercises in Hawaii in November, which will be attended by military personnel from international partners such as Singapore, Thailand, France and New Zealand. These exercises will demonstrate the system’s potential in a multinational operational environment.
In addition, Scorpion Light was previously evaluated by the Marine Corps at Quantico in Virginia, and the manufacturer shared information that a version of the system was used in combat in Ukraine.
No announcement has yet been made as to whether the Army will officially add the system to its inventory.
