M74/M75 mortar

120 mm M74 and M75 Mortars
Type Mortar
Place of origin  Yugoslavia
Service history
In service 1981-present
Used by see operators
Wars Yugoslav Wars
Production history
Designer Military Technical Institute Belgrade
Specifications
Weight 105 kg for M74, 177 kg for M75 in firing position
Crew 5

Caliber 120 millimetres (4.7 in)
Rate of fire 12 rpm for M74, 15 rpm for M75
Effective firing range 6400m for M74, 9056m for M75
Feed system manual

The M74 and M75 are second generation 120 mm caliber mortars built in Yugoslavia.[1]

The M75 model is heavier and deployed to provide fire support in infantry battalions. M75 in comparison to M74 weighs more, but provides greater rate of fire and possibility of longer firing period. On the other hand M74 can be carried and dismantled by three crew attendants.

Mortar M74 is generally deployed for one or two fire strikes with 15 to 20 shells, while M75 is deployed in artillery for 60-minute firing periods. Both mortar models entered serial production in 1981.

Mortars in former Yugoslavia were considered to be very important arms as they are very effective and simple to use weapons deployed in fire support role.

Today they are produced by Serbian company PPT Namenska,[2] and BNT[3] form Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Purpose

Deployed as infantry support for destruction of personnel and enemy firing positions, for opening routes through barbed wire obstacles and mine fields, for demolition of fortified objects, for destructing infrastructure elements, illumination and deploying smoke screen.

Ammunition

HE Mortar Shell[4]

Smoke Mortar Shell[5]

Illuminating Mortar Shell[6]

Operators

Map with M74 operators in blue with former operators in red

Current operators

Former operators

References

See also

External links


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