Report: Elbit Aims to Extend Range of Iron Sting Mortar Round
In addition, Elbit hopes to incorporate a rocket motor in the mortar round to provide an even greater range, and the addition of a shaped charge warhead for defeating static and moving armored vehicles
Photo: Elbit Systems website
Elbit Systems intends to extend the range of the Iron Sting mortar round from its current 12 km to 15 km, alongside other planned capability upgrades. This, according to a report by Janes, which relies on the Defence iQ's International Armored Vehicles (IAV) 2025 conference, held last month in the UK.
The 120 mm Iron Sting round utilizes either GPS or a semi-active laser homing (SALH) seeker for guidance and can be fired from various mortar systems, including Elbit's own Sling platform as well as third-party systems. According to the report, the munition is being developed in response to operational feedback from the recent war in Israel.
Beyond the planned range extension, Janes has learned that Elbit is exploring the integration of a rocket motor to further increase the round’s reach, along with the addition of a shaped charge warhead to enhance effectiveness against both static and moving armored targets.
These development efforts align with Elbit’s reported strategy to compete for the British Army’s future mortar program,. The company plans to introduce the Sling 120 mm mortar to the UK market in 2025, following the British Army's March 2024 announcement of plans to upgrade its mortar capabilities by adding new 120 mm systems alongside its existing 81 mm L16 mortars, with the potential replacement of some older platforms.
