Republic of Korea Army soldiers assigned to the Capital Mechanized Infantry Division, also known as Fierce Tiger Division train with newly-fielded Skyfall 120mm self-propelled mortars on 10 August 2022. Korea Defense Blog reported that the Capital Mechanized Infantry Division received 11 systems in March and fired 150 training rounds as part of an ongoing familiarization training. The division is currently one of the six mechanized infantry divisions in the Republic of Korea Army. It is part of the VII Maneuver Corps, tasked with covering approaches to Seoul from North Korea and counterattack operations.
Republic of Korea Army Soldiers Train with Newly Skyfall 120mm Self-propelled Mortars. (Photo by dema.mil.kr)
The Skyfall 120mm self-propelled mortar is operated by a four-person crew comprising the driver, commander, gunner, and loader and will replace the ageing M30 107 mm rifled mortar that is presently integrated to the service’s K242A1 107 mm self-propelled mortar systems, which are derived from the K200A1 tracked armoured personnel carriers (APCs). The new mortar system – developed by Hanwha Defense and S&T Dynamics – features a computerised fire control system (FCS) and a semi-automatic loading system. Four major local defence companies and around 100 small and medium-sized firms participated in the 120 mm mortar development programme, making it fully indigenous.
Republic of Korea Army Soldiers Train with Newly Skyfall 120mm Self-propelled Mortars. (Photo by dema.mil.kr)
Its automated digital fire control system allows for much faster target acquisition and time-on-target (TOT) firing. These aids enable the mortar crew to launch a variety of mortar bombs at a sustained rate of fire of up to 3 rounds per minute, or a maximum rate of fire of up to 10 rounds per minute for up to 3 minutes. The rifled mortar weighs 1,400 kg and is mounted on a turntable that can traverse 360° and can elevate between 45° and 70°, engaging targets as far as 8 km away with standard high-explosive projectiles or up to 13 km away using rocket assisted projectiles. The 120 mm self-propelled mortar is a core asset that elevates the operational capacities of South Korean mechanized units.
Republic of Korea Army Soldiers Train with Newly Skyfall 120mm Self-propelled Mortars. (Photo by dema.mil.kr)
The K200 KIFV (Korea Infantry Fighting Vehicle) is a South Korean armored personnel carrier, originally produced by Daewoo Heavy Industries as a domestic replacement for older armored personnel carriers, such as the M113. A total of 2,383 K200 vehicles of all configurations were produced between 1985 and 2006, among which are 111 K200A1 vehicles exported to Malaysia. Since 2009 the K200 has been supplemented by the K21. K200A1 is an upgraded variant of the base K200 with more powerful engines and transmission. The upgrade also added NBC protection and automatic fire extinguishing system.
Republic of Korea Army Soldiers Train with Newly Skyfall 120mm Self-propelled Mortars. (Photo by dema.mil.kr)
