Mortar (weapon)

<p>A mortar today is usually a simple, lightweight, man-portable, <a href="/facts/Muzzleloader/RpJPVv78">muzzle-loaded</a> <a href="/facts/Cannon/IH7VkIpm">cannon</a>, consisting of a <a href="/facts/Smoothbore/T6z0unC3">smooth-bore</a> (although some models use a <a href="/facts/Rifling/63UWYEdX">rifled barrel</a>) metal tube fixed to a base plate (to spread out the <a href="/facts/Recoil/wGukfupU">recoil</a>) with a lightweight <a href="/facts/Bipod/PyvAzNF5">bipod</a> mount and a <a href="/facts/Sight_(device)/8oeQ5xce">sight</a>. Mortars are typically used as <a href="/facts/Indirect_fire/g86Xc8b6">indirect fire</a> weapons for close <a href="/facts/Fire_support/10XyVgHn">fire support</a> with a variety of ammunition. Historically mortars were heavy <a href="/facts/Siege/7RAugQoD">siege artillery</a>. Mortars launch explosive <a href="/facts/Shell_(projectile)/a51oDRdu">shells</a> (technically called bombs) in high-arching <a href="/facts/Projectile_motion/yBGsDIGe">ballistic trajectories</a>.
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Mortar (weapon) open-in-new

Mortar (weapon)