The Soviet heavy infantry mortar M-240 caliber 240 mm was developed in 1944-45 and in 1947-49. After conducting field tests and firing received the index GAU-52-M-864. The team of the OKB under the leadership of B.I. Shavyrina. After the product was accepted into service by the Soviet Army in 1951, at the factory No. 75 in the town of Yurga, the Kemerovo Region began mass production of M-240 mortars. The gun in this modification was produced until 1958. A total of 329 units were produced, which in the bulk were in service with rifle units of the Soviet Army. Some mortars were delivered to the Middle East.
Main details and design features
The artillery system M-240 was created as the main fire means of strengthening rifle subunits. The gun was charged from the breech with the horizontal position of the barrel.
The powerful caliber allowed the calculation to carry out a cap fire of 130 kilograms of mines at a distance of 800-9650 meters. The main targets for the M-240 mortar were long-term enemy shelters, defenses and bunkers. The fire was conducted by various types of ammunition, designed to destroy long-term military facilities, clusters of equipment, infantry and military technical materials.
Tactical and technical characteristics of the mortar M-240 sample 1950
- Calculation - 9 (11) people.
- Combat weight - 3610 kg.
- The initial velocity of the mine is 158-362 m / s.
- Elevation angle - 45-80 degrees.
- Rate of fire: 1 shots / min.
- The maximum firing range - 9700 m.
- The main types of ammunition: high-explosive fragmentation, active-reactive mines.
- The weight of the high-explosive mine is 130.8 kg.
- Transfer time from traveling to combat: 20-25 min.
- Way of transportation: transported by trucks and ATL.
The mortar was actively used during the 1973 Arab-Israeli conflict - the Doomsday War. In the 80s of the 20th century, the infantry units of a limited contingent of Soviet troops in the DRA used M-240 mortars to combat the shelters of the Mujahideen.
A photo
