From 7 to 9 October GMV took part in the acceptance tests of the last four units of the light-vehicle-mounted mortars, providing support for the members of the testing team. The tests were held in the San Gregorio maneuvers camp in Zaragoza.

The light-vehicle-mounted mortar system is fitted with the TALOS command and control system for artillery-, mortar-, naval- and aerial-fire-support. In particular GMV has adapted the system to interact with the system’s sensors and activators, enabling it to receive the weapon’s position- and orientation-data and also send system commands for automatic aiming; all this is done with the ballistic calculation results carried out by TALOS.

The configuration installed in the vehicle-mounted mortar comprises two terminals, for which the Mortar Chief carries out all technical calculations and keeps up the information exchange with the rest of the unit. The aimer inputs aiming information and firing data while also providing all information on navigation system signals and automatic aiming. The Mortar Chief’s terminal can be configured as a standalone element or as a center directing and coordinating a (configurable) number of other systems.

With these capabilities the firing procedure is carried out very efficiently and effectively, allowing for rapid data calculation and quick and precise aiming of the weapon, also providing aiming-precision feedback for the operator.

The four tested units complete the group of ten purchased by the Spanish Army, incorporating diverse improvements in view of the results of the first six (tested and delivered in 2012).

Some of the delivered units have accompanied Spanish troops in Afghanistan. According to the operators they have been assigned to, these units have been providing troops with extraordinary fire power and protection. These troops have also been receiving GMV’s direct technical support during use of the equipment in the operations zone. Furthermore, both the operators and the main contractor have stressed the user-friendliness of the TALOS system, which ensures rapid and efficient management of mortar fire support.