Dutch 11th Airmobile Brigade re-activates 120 mm mortars
RNLA 11th Airmobile Brigade MO-120 RT mortars officially re-entered service with a first shot at the service's artillery firing range in 't Harde. (Dutch MoD)
The Royal Netherlands Army's (RNLA's) 11th Airmobile Brigade has re-activated 120 mm mortars after a 13-year hiatus, the Dutch Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on its website on 16 April. The occasion was marked by the mortars officially re-entering service with a first shot at the RNLA's artillery firing range in 't Harde.
The service now has two mortar platoons, one for the 11th Airmobile Brigade's 11th Infantry Battalion in Schaarsbergen and one for its 13th Infantry Battalion in Assen.
The Dutch MoD said the mortar platoons will now receive intensive training.
In 2027 the 11th Airmobile Brigade will provide a fully operational air manoeuvre task force numbering 600 troops for rapid deployment by fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft to crisis or conflict areas. The 120 mm mortars will provide heavy fire support that can be moved by Chinook transport helicopter.
The RNLA's 43rd Mechanised Brigade is equipped with 81 mm mortars, while all other army brigades and the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps (RNLMC) have that calibre as well as 60 mm mortars, according to Janes World Armies. The RNLA and RNLMC use M6 C-640 Mk1 60 mm, L-16 81 mm, and MO-120 RT 120 mm mortars, the latter two of which are towed.
In addition, the Netherlands plans to procure CV90 Granatkastarpansarbandvagn (Grkpbv) 90 Mjölner 120 mm armoured mortar vehicles, Janes learnt at Defence iQ's Future Mortar Systems (FMS) 2024 conference held in London on 29–30 October.
For more information, please seeFMS 2024: Netherlands plans to procure Mjölner 120 mm armoured mortar vehicles .
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