Elbit Systems UK showcases indirect fire simulators
The mortar variant of the Elbit Systems UK Interim Indirect Fire Simulation displayed at the 2025 Omega Joint Military Training & Simulation Conference in March 2025. (Giles Ebbutt)
Elbit Systems UK (ESUK) will field its Interim Indirect Fire Simulation (IIDFS) system for the British Army later in 2025 and showcased an 81 mm mortar variant for it at the 2025 Omega Joint Military Training & Simulation Conference held in Bristol in March.
The IIDFS contract was awarded to ESUK in September 2023 to provide artillery and mortar simulators to the Royal School of Artillery (RSA) at Larkhill, the Combined Arms Manoeuvre School (CAMS) at Warminster, and the Collective Training Group (CTG) for use at training locations in the UK and abroad.
This 81 mm mortar variant is a surrogate weapon that consists of a mortar barrel of exactly the same size and weight as the real weapon, but with a cutout and chute at the bottom to eject a bomb after it has been loaded into the barrel mouth. Inert ammunition of identical weight and size to live rounds is instrumented to allow sensors in the barrel to detect the ammunition's nature (high-explosive, illuminating, or smoke), the fuze setting, and the charge. The barrel is instrumented to detect elevation and direction, and ESUK has developed an emulated sight that is identical to the real thing.
The system allows a mortar crew to conduct the same mode of drills as for live firing. The instrumented weapon is connected via WiFi to an instructor's tablet. All the weapon and ammunition settings are recorded, and if appropriate, the crew's action can be filmed for after-action review (AAR).
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