Israel unveils GPS and laser guided mortar shells with stunning display of precision

Israel already has a innovative laser and GPS guided mortar ammunition system which allows “to attack targets with more precision” in open ground and in urban areas, and which will soon be at the disposal of the Israeli army, the ministry of Defense said on Sunday in a statement.

The tests of the new equipment, called Iron prick (“Iron Stinger”, in English), recently ended successfully, and according to Defense Minister Beny Gantz, it will mean a change on the battlefield which will give the troops “more precise and effective means”.

In addition to having “a precise firing capability which, until now, has only been applied to missiles and aerial munitions”, the system reduces the possibility of causing “collateral damage” and the risk of civilians and non-combatants being injuredThe defense explained.

Too adapts and improves the Army’s “combat capabilities” “to face enemies hidden in civilian urban settings”, Gantz insisted.

The series of tests was carried out using two mortar systems: a “Cardom” system, mounted on an APC M113 and a “Cardom Spear” system, mounted on a Hummer 4X4 SUV.

The iron bite is the result of ten years of research and it has a “complex” mechanism that provides “advanced functions” for “the modern battlefield,” said Brigadier General Yaniv Rotem, a member of the Defense Ministry’s Research and Development Directorate. “It is a very complex program and an innovative system at the international level,” he added.

For his part, the head of the IDF Land Forces Armament Department, Colonel Arik Avivi, said: “The Land Forces Command is leading the process of integrating the IDF. Iron prick in the Israeli army. This precise guided mortar shell is revolutionary for IDF battalions because it equips them with precise and organic firepower. Until now, this capability has been reserved for large and complex missiles. Thanks to this impressive technological development, it will now be implemented in large-scale mortar munitions. “

It was developed by the local armaments company Elbit Systems and, after completing all relevant tests in the south of the country, it will begin to be mass produced to supply it to the army. Elbit Systems Land Division General Manager Yehuda Vered said, “The introduction of this ammunition transforms the mortar system from statistical firepower into a precision fire system, which represents a significant change in firing capabilities at the tactical level“.

Israel, a country with a powerful arms industry, has for years produced advanced military technology that facilitates its own troops and exports abroad.

(With information from EFE)