South Korea announces full-scale deployment of 120 mm mortars

DAPA said that it has signed a contract with Hanwha Aerospace to mass-produce 120 mm SPMs and fire command vehicles. Pictured above is an example of a 120 mm SPM integrated into an M113-type tracked armoured personnel carrier. (Hanwha Defense)

South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has announced the full-scale deployment of120 mm self-propelled mortars (SPMs) in the Republic of Korea (RoK) Army by 2025.

DAPA said in a recent press release that it has signed a “follow-up mass production” contract worth KRW584 billion (USD458 million) with Hanwha Aerospace to mass-produce 120 mm SPMs and fire command vehicles. “Compared to the existing 4.2-inch mortar, the 120 mm SPM has a [strike] range 2.3 times greater and firepower 1.9 times longer. The mortar itself can rotate 360° without rotating the vehicle to respond to target changes,” DAPA added.

In addition, the fire command vehicles can automatically calculate the shooting data, which has increased the accuracy and fire support of the vehicle. The new systems also reduced the system-operating troops requirement from 32 to 24, making the vehicles future battlefield-ready, DAPA said.

DAPA had earlier revealed that the new platforms, development of which began in March 2014 and was completed in June 2019, were equipped with automated fire control and a semi-automatic loading system.

In September 2020, DAPA announced the series production of a 120 mm SPM system that has been integrated into an M113-type tracked armoured personnel carrier (APC). Developed by several South Korean companies, including Hanwha Defense and SNT Dynamics, the 120 mm SPMs are expected to replace the ageing M30 107 mm rifled mortars. The first mass-production batch of 120 mm SPMs and fire command vehicles was inducted into the RoK Army in January 2022.