M106 mortar carrier

M106 mortar carrier
M106 mortar carrier
Type	Mortar carrier
Place of origin	United States
Service history
Used by	see operators
Wars	Cambodian Civil War; Vietnam War; Lebanese Civil War[citation needed]
Production history
Manufacturer	FMC Corp.
Variants	XM106, M106, M106A1, M106A2
Specifications
Mass	12.9 short tons (11.7 t)
Length	16.2 feet (4.9 m)
Width	9 feet (2.7 m)
Height	7.3 feet (2.2 m)
Crew	6
Armor	5083 Aluminum
Main; armament	M30 4.2 in (106.7 mm) mortar
Secondary; armament	M2 Browning
Engine	Detroit Diesel 6V53T; 210 horsepower (160 kW)
Payload capacity	88 rounds (HE, Illumination, White Phosphorus)
Transmission	Allison X200-4 series
Ground clearance	16.5 inches (42 cm)
Fuel capacity	90 US gallons (340 L)
Operational; range	250 nautical miles (460 km)

The M106 mortar carrier (full designation: Carrier, Mortar, 107 mm, Self-propelled) was a tracked, self-propelled mortar carrier in service with the United States Army. It was designed to provide indirect fire support to primarily infantry, units, but could also provide support to any unit under attack within range. It was replaced with the M1064 mortar carrier.^[4]

History

Interior view of mortar, hatch and stowage

The M106 is a variation of the M113 armored personnel carrier that carried a 107 mm M30 mortar. It was introduced in 1964, alongside the similar M125 81 mm mortar carrier, and deployed in Vietnam.^[5] Three variants existed: the M106, the M106A1 and the M106A2. 862 M106 (including 841 for US forces), 1,409 M106A1 (including 990 for US forces) and 350 M106A2 (including 53 for the US forces) were produced.^[4]

After intensive trials in 1988, the US Army chose to replace it with the 120 mm Soltam K6. Some of the M106 carriers were upgraded to the M1064A3 configuration by replacing the 107 mm mortar by a 120 mm mortar.^[4]

Operators

Argentina: 25 M106A2^[6]
Egypt: 65 M106A1 and 35 M106A2^[7]
Greece^[8]
Peru: 24 M106A1^[9]
Libya^[10]
Morocco: 32-36 M106A2^[11]
Norway: 24^[12]
Portugal: 18^[13]
Taiwan: 90 M106A2^[14]
Ukraine: 10 M106A2^[15]
Vietnam: Captured from Vietnam War

Former operators

Khmer Republic (Cambodia): 17 M106A1 with a 107 mm mortar.^[16]^[17]
North Vietnam:Captured from Vietnam War.
Switzerland: M106 with a 120 mm mortar, known as 12 cm Mw Pz 64 (Minenwerferpanzer 64) and 12 cm Mw Pz 64/91. 132 bought, retired from service in 2009.^[18]^[19]
United States^[20]
Italy: M106 with a 120 mm mortar

References

^ Sutsakhan, The Khmer Republic at War and the Final Collapse (1980), p. 182, Appendix C (Army Item).
^ Conboy and Bowra, The War in Cambodia 1970–75 (1989), p. 43.
^ Defense Industry Bulletin, August 1967, p. 33.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Foss, Christopher F. (27 November 2001). "United Defense LP M113 armoured personnel carrier family". Jane's Armour and Artillery 2002-2003.
^ Prenatt, Jamie (30 Nov 2017). M113 APC 1960–75: US, ARVN, and Australian variants in Vietnam. New Vanguard 252. p. 10. ISBN 9781472817464.
^ International Institute for Strategic Studies (February 2016). The Military Balance 2016. Vol. 116. Routlegde. p. 376. ISBN 9781857438352.
^ The Military Balance 2016, p. 324.
^ Tsiliopoulos, E. (November 10, 2014). "US granted armored vehicles arrive in Greece". New Greek TV.
^ The Military Balance 2016, p. 410.
^ The Military Balance 2016, p. 342.
^ The Military Balance 2016, p. 345.
^ The Military Balance 2016, p. 125.
^ "Viaturas Militares Portuguesas: Auto Blindado Lagartas M106A1/A2 m/1978/1980/1989 c/morteiro 107 mm". Viaturas Militares Portuguesas. 2018-08-18. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
^ The Military Balance 2016, p. 291.
^ "Ukraine Army receives 10 M106 self-propelled mortars and 2 M577 comman". 14 November 2022.
^ Sutsakhan, The Khmer Republic at War and the Final Collapse (1980), p. 182, Appendix C (Army Item).
^ Conboy and Bowra, The War in Cambodia 1970–75 (1989), p. 43.
^ "120 mm Model 64 mortar in M106 mortar carrier". Jane's Infantry Weapons 1994-1995. 27 April 1994. pp. 4523–4524.
^ Oetterli, Markus (September 2018). "Indirekte Feuerunterstützung auf kurze Distanz" (PDF). Allgemeine Schweizerische Militärzeitschrift (in German). pp. 24–25.
^ Foss, Christopher F. (15 June 1998). "Inventory - Armour and artillery in service, United States of America". Jane's Armour and Artillery 1998-99.

Bibliography

Kenneth Conboy, Kenneth Bowra, and Mike Chappell, The War in Cambodia 1970–75, Men-at-arms series 209, Osprey Publishing Ltd, London 1989. ISBN 0-85045-851-X
Sak Sutsakhan, The Khmer Republic at War and the Final Collapse, U.S. Army Center of Military History, Washington D.C. 1980. – available online at Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4.
Simon Dunstam, Terry Hadler and David E. Smith, The M113 series, Vanguard series 34, Osprey Publishing Ltd, London 1983. ISBN 0-85045-495-6

External links

Media related to M106 mortar carriers at Wikimedia Commons

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[1] Sutsakhan, The Khmer Republic at War and the Final Collapse (1980), p. 182, Appendix C (Army Item).

[2] Conboy and Bowra, The War in Cambodia 1970–75 (1989), p. 43.

[3] Defense Industry Bulletin, August 1967, p. 33.

[Janes-4] Foss, Christopher F. (27 November 2001). "United Defense LP M113 armoured personnel carrier family". Jane's Armour and Artillery 2002-2003.

[5] Prenatt, Jamie (30 Nov 2017). M113 APC 1960–75: US, ARVN, and Australian variants in Vietnam. New Vanguard 252. p. 10. ISBN 9781472817464.

[6] International Institute for Strategic Studies (February 2016). The Military Balance 2016. Vol. 116. Routlegde. p. 376. ISBN 9781857438352.

[FOOTNOTEThe_Military_Balance_2016324-7] The Military Balance 2016, p. 324.

[8] Tsiliopoulos, E. (November 10, 2014). "US granted armored vehicles arrive in Greece". New Greek TV.

[FOOTNOTEThe_Military_Balance_2016410-9] The Military Balance 2016, p. 410.

[FOOTNOTEThe_Military_Balance_2016342-10] The Military Balance 2016, p. 342.

[FOOTNOTEThe_Military_Balance_2016345-11] The Military Balance 2016, p. 345.

[FOOTNOTEThe_Military_Balance_2016125-12] The Military Balance 2016, p. 125.

[13] "Viaturas Militares Portuguesas: Auto Blindado Lagartas M106A1/A2 m/1978/1980/1989 c/morteiro 107 mm". Viaturas Militares Portuguesas. 2018-08-18. Retrieved 2021-01-17.

[FOOTNOTEThe_Military_Balance_2016291-14] The Military Balance 2016, p. 291.

[15] "Ukraine Army receives 10 M106 self-propelled mortars and 2 M577 comman". 14 November 2022.

[16] Sutsakhan, The Khmer Republic at War and the Final Collapse (1980), p. 182, Appendix C (Army Item).

[17] Conboy and Bowra, The War in Cambodia 1970–75 (1989), p. 43.

[Janes_2002-18] "120 mm Model 64 mortar in M106 mortar carrier". Jane's Infantry Weapons 1994-1995. 27 April 1994. pp. 4523–4524.

[19] Oetterli, Markus (September 2018). "Indirekte Feuerunterstützung auf kurze Distanz" (PDF). Allgemeine Schweizerische Militärzeitschrift (in German). pp. 24–25.

[20] Foss, Christopher F. (15 June 1998). "Inventory - Armour and artillery in service, United States of America". Jane's Armour and Artillery 1998-99.

[4]