Elbit Systems Ltd. announced that it was awarded a contract worth approximately $190 million to supply its Iron Sting laser and GPS-guided mortar munition to the Israeli Ministry of Defense. The contract will be performed over a period of 2 years. Bolstering the capability of advanced mobile mortar offerings is the effectiveness and survivability offered by precision-guided munitions. Bringing in laser and GPS guidance gives battlefield operators the ability to connect on target with the first round, providing increased survivability and inherent cost savings. To meet customer’s wide range of potential requirements, Elbit Systems offers both the all-up Iron Sting guided mortar round and the Laser/GPS-Guided Mortar Kit, or LG2MK, which can add precision guidance to legacy mortars munitions.
Yehuda (Udi) Vered, General Manager of Elbit Systems Land: “Following the combat experience our cutting-edge guided mortar munition has accumulated, this contract further cements our position as a market leader in precision-guided solutions. With the rise of military conflicts in urban environments, armed forces around the world demand accurate technologies that minimize collateral damage. Elbit Systems’ Iron Sting meets this critical need.”
Iron Sting is a precision-guided mortar munition, launched from a 120mm mortar, designed to accurately target and destroy objectives, utilizing both immune GPS and laser guidance technology. It has a range of up to 12 kilometers. Iron Sting features a seeker laser sensor capable of operating with standard pulse (NATO STANAG 3722) and an encoded CW laser diode. A 120mm precision-guided mortar munition, Iron Sting provides robust capabilities in all battlefield scenarios with three modes of operation: GPS/IMU, SAL+GPS/IMU and SAL+IMU. The laser and GPS-guided mortar munition has a range of 1-12 km, depending on the mortar tube. The warhead is capable of penetrating double reinforced concrete with a blast and fragmentation effect. Iron Sting features a multi-mode fuze with Point Detonation (PD), Point Detonation Delay (PDD) and proximity sensor (PRX) operating modes.
Elbit Systems’ range of high-quality mortar ammunition is used to provide effective Fire Support (FS) to infantry or mechanized infantry at the platoon and company level. The advanced bombs can be fired from all suitable and qualified smoothbore mortars in the customer’s inventory. High-Explosive, Smoke bombs and Mortar round are available in 60mm, 81mm and 120mm calibers, and are equipped with point detonating, proximity and electronic fuzes. Training and illuminating bombs are also available. Elbit Systems is a leading global defense technology company, delivering advanced solutions for a secure and safer world. Driven by its agile, collaborative culture, and leveraging Israel’s technology ecosystem, Elbit Systems enables customers to address rapidly evolving battlefield challenges and overcome threats.
