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10/08/2012
Richard de Silva - defenceiq.com
Colonel, from what we understand, Italy has announced a €16 million investment into the purchase of 81 mm mortars which is a programme, of course, that’s avoided the cutbacks found
elsewhere in this year’s Italian defence budget. To start off, can I ask why is this such a priority for your forces at this time?
Well, we had identified long ago, in fact, a gap in our infantry with another role that we did with a task organisation, a regiment task organisation, years ago we had slashed the 81 mm in favour
of the 120 mm and then down to the 60 mm. However, it was clear very soon, and particularly during the operations, that we really have... within a certain range we had a lack of precision
fire available to both the company commander and, indeed, the battalion commander and therefore we have decided to introduce that and in doing so we’ve also looked at how we organise our infantry
battalion and basically SIA is now available, say, from platoon level all the way to the battle group. There is the capacity of each of these commanders to have their own fire base.
The platoon would be only... would be reliant on 60 mm, the company would be reliant on 81 mm and then the battle group will have also 120 mm. That will give us a range of options and
obviously, as most infantrymen know, it is important to have your own base of fire and therefore this is why we went into 81-millimetre again.
Can you go into any more detail perhaps into how recent operational experience influenced the decision and, of course, the intangible requirements of the new equipment? And are you
looking at all at any specific advance features for your mortar systems such as automation, as we’ve seen with the CARDOM from Israel?
No, we have kept to traditional mortars. Indeed, the gap, as I said... You know, we were in, particularly by the fact that we were not able to have a precision fire at these levels,
like one-kilometre range, where the 60 mm would not give us precision, would not give us the capacity to effectively conduct a planned fire and... But we went for a more traditional
approach, keeping these mortars that we consider are probably more friendly for a platoon. They might not be as fast but certainly would be quite capable weapons in the hands of any good
old infantryman and can be transported, you know, with various solutions available to platoons and to companies.
Some other international forces are talking of a possible trend in the 81 mm at battalion level with families of 60 mm. How then in that sense is the capability prioritised for the
current Italian army strategy, both now and looking ahead into the future? For instance, is precision more a concern for you than high volume or lightweight munitions? Is there a way
that you’re able to balance or address the value of each of those?
Well, precision is certainly a concern, particularly the ever-present need to avoid any damage to friendly – and also, indeed, to civilian – units in the battlefield and particularly in
Afghanistan, you know, I myself as a commander of a taskforce have had to fire very close to areas where civilians were present and therefore you really are striving for precision. Now, the
way we’ve done it, we’ve certainly overhauled aims and optics in order to make the most of the mortar. We have not gone down to precision munitions so far. We’ve also
automated... Together with the new mortars we get the computers and that, of course, in itself is another way to avoid lack of precision. But we are sticking with normal
ammunition. With regards to prioritisation, what we have, really, are layers. We have 120 mm rifle barrels. Those were bought years ago and they offer to us a good base, we
think. Whilst the 60 mm we don’t think is something that the infantry would do without. In fact, we are looking at maybe extending the number of weapons that a platoon might have
available. However, we go really for a stacked approach and at this moment we are now committed to reintroducing the 81 mm as our main priority.
Something I didn’t ask was actually how the procurement process for that is going to work from start to finish and to what timeframe you are working…
Well, the contract is operating since 2011 and we’re looking at four years stealth for the consignment of the mortars which will go off to the army and the navy with a landing force. So,
obviously we have similarity of equipment. And that is for the whole package. That includes ammunitions, the hand-held computers and the barrels.
And moving away perhaps from the specifics of that particular programme, if we could have your prediction perhaps as to what the long-term future outlook for mortar systems, not only in
Italy but also across the board on an international level and what can you tell us perhaps from your opinion what we should be looking out for as the years roll on and is there any aspect running
through the global mortars community that you feel perhaps that we particularly need to discuss together?
Right. I mean, not to minimise the very precious characteristics of the mortar, which to me is a weapon that allows every level of infantry to have their own firepower. It is always
available to the commander. It might not be as precise as others but it’s there. You know, a good old weapon. I don’t think the mortar is going to go away, it’s here to
stay. Certainly I would look at precision as one added value for that weapon. You have really situations where you have to restrain yourself from firing just in order not to cause
damages and that can be punishing at times. So, certainly the ability to have precision fire in your mortar would be great. Additionally I think the integration with ISA
assets... We have in my taskforce used very successfully a combination of mini UAVs and PGSS, the balloons. Obviously, to be able to have a bird’s view of what you’re doing rather
than relying on observer is another added volume. So, I think integrating the mortar fire in a whole suite of ISA will probably be of great benefit to the infantry.
Very good point. And, of course, speaking of joint joint forces, and also of the fact that you’re presenting at this year’s Future Mortar Systems event, can I just ask, to round
things off, why you’ve chosen to take part this year and also what you’re most looking forward to learning from the rest of our speaker panel or those attending?
Well, I think what I look forward to is really to share experiences and views with other colleagues and other subject matter experts in this field. I think the last 15 years, really they
coincide. A good number of my operations has seen a revival of the infantry as a capable and yet very difficult capability to develop and to maintain, therefore every aspect of infantry, be
it fire, be it movement, be it concealment is certainly one thing that I look forward to expand, particularly in the field of mortar fire in particular, which is something that I think we have
really discovered big style in the last few years in operations, particularly in Afghanistan.
/http%3A%2F%2Fjdb.marine.defense.gouv.fr%2Fpublic%2Fcdg%2F2012%2FPEAN2%2F.Avions-GAE-exercice_m.jpg "Les appareils du GAE participent aux exercices, , , oct. 2012")
/http%3A%2F%2Fjdb.marine.defense.gouv.fr%2Fpublic%2Fcdg%2F2012%2FPEAN2%2F.Appontage-Merlin-Italien-CDG_m.jpg "Appontage d'un Merlin Italien sur le Charles de Gaulle, , , oct. 2012")
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