Pindad’s Komodo 4×4 Outfitted with 120 mm Mortar

14 November 2018

A Komodo with an Ares 120 mm Recoil Mortar System mounted on a flatbed (photo : Jane's)

The Indonesian Pindad Komodo 4×4 light armoured vehicle has been fitted with a 120 mm smoothbore version of the Brazilian Ares Recoil Mortar System (RMS) for trials purposes.

The four-door protected cab positioned in the middle of the Komodo is retained, and the 120 mm RMS is mounted on a power-operated turntable on the flatbed. It can also be fitted with an 81 mm mortar barrel, which could be used for training purposes as it has a shorter range and fires lower-cost ammunition than its 120 mm counterpart.

The 120 mm RMS has a fully automatic powered operating laying system with manual back up, and is integrated with a mortar fire control system (MFCS) that is embedded with an inertial navigation system (INS) and an onboard ballistic computer. This is meant to enable the system to come into action quicker, carry out a fire mission, and then redeploy.

Ares 120 mm Recoil Mortar System (photo : BMPD)

If required, it can be integrated with a higher echelon command-and-control system and be linked to mortar fire controllers/forward observation officers (MFC/FOO) or a fire direction centre (FDC).

The 120 mm mortar’s range depends on the projectile/charge combination, but firing an unassisted high-explosive (HE) mortar bomb it is typically 7,000 m.

The number of mortar bombs carried depends on the size of the platform, but could be up to 70. Its maximum rate of fire is up to 16 rds/min, and it is designed to come into action and fire its first round within about 60 seconds and then rapidly move to another firing position.

The 120 mm RMS weighs 1,200 kg and can also be installed on larger 6×6 or 8×8 armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs) and tracked AFVs, in which case it would be typically mounted in the rear of the platform and fired through open roof hatches.

(Jane's)