There is a constant call from some naval observers to mount
land weapons on boats and small vessels as a substitute for proper naval gun
support. Weapons of choice include MLRS
and mortars, among others.
The reality is that most attempts to adapt land weapons to
naval use have failed for various reasons.
For example, the Germans attempted to mount a MONARC self-propelled
howitzer turret on a frigate but the adaptation to the corrosive maritime
environment proved more difficult than anticipated and the program was
cancelled.[3]
Maritime adaptation issues aside, one has to wonder what the
concept of operations (CONOPS) is for these kinds of weapons on small
boats. For example, the Patria NEMO 120
mm smooth bore mortar has been mounted on small boats. Currently, six UAE Ghannatha fast troop
transport boats each have a single NEMO mortar.
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| NEMO Mortar on Ghannatha Boat |
Let’s consider that example.
The UAE boats are very small at 27 m (88 ft) and have a GEM elettronica
coastal surveillance radar.
The NEMO mortar has a 3 m barrel and is claimed to be
compatible with any standard or GPS-guided 120 mm smoothbore round. As an example, the NAMMO 120 mm High
Explosive Round has a 2.2 kg (4.8 lb) explosive weight in a 13 kg (28.6 lb)
shell.[1]
The mortar has a range of around 10 km (6 miles), sustained rate
of fire = 6 rds/min, and a magazine of typically 50-60 rds.[2]
Fire control requires a forward observer.
Discussion
What is the CONOPS for a single naval mortar with a limited
magazine and slow rate of sustained fire?
Even operated in groups it’s a limited firepower capability unless used
in groups of hundreds. Further, the
rounds have limited destructive effects due to small warhead.
Consider that an amphibious assault operation requires many
thousands of rounds of heavy naval gunfire in order to provide effective
destruction and suppression. A NEMO boat’s
50-60 rounds just aren’t going to accomplish much in that scenario, even in
squadron strength.
So, what scenario would a mortar boat be useful for?
The only viable scenario is support for an isolated, small
ground unit. This would suggest a
miniature raid or extraction type operation.
That’s fine for that scenario but the general usefulness seems quite
limited. A country that conducts a lot
of riverine type work, for example, might find a boat mounted mortar useful but
the US simply doesn’t do that type of operation anymore. The wisdom of the elimination of that type of
capability is debatable but that’s a different subject.
Proponents of mounting land weapons on small vessels are
likely caught up in the allure of the technology rather than the reality of the
CONOPS.
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