318:. Fixing the weapon in an LAV does not require a separate mount; its towing carriage can be converted to an LAV mount in five minutes. After deployment, the crew can control the weapon system from a remote station. In operation, it is designed to be fully automatic: loading, computing firing solutions, aiming and firing automatically. From an unloaded condition, the weapon is capable of loading, completing a firing solution, aiming, and firing the first round within 18 seconds of receiving an order. The weapon is also capable of being operated manually in the event of failure of an automatic system. Because the Dragon Fire II contains its own GPS positioning system and pointing system (the Honeywell 5000HG Ring Laser Gyro) and on-board SINCGARS FM radio, it was also capable of controlling other like weapons, with the potential of one designated "Master Gun" controlling multiple other Dragon Fire Mortars in a synchronized manner.
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31:
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converted to become a full-time LAV mortar system for the Marine Corps. This funding was removed in 2009 and the weapon is currently in storage at
Picatinny Arsenal. It was proposed to develop a "fire on the move" capability for the Dragon Fire II - Light Armored Vehicle (LAV-M) as the first artillery system to fire accurately from the moving vehicle but the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab ended long-term development projects and all technology funding was cut.
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The new Dragon Fire II was half the weight of the first Dragon Fire, 1,565 kg (3,450 lb) versus over 3,175 kg (7,000 lb). It was capable of receiving a fire mission over its on-board radio, processing the fire mission, aiming the weapon, loading and firing in any direction within
337:
types of rifled and smoothbore 120 mm mortar ammunition. However, the USMC awarded
Raytheon a contract to design, develop and demonstrate a new 120 mm long-range, guided-mortar munition for use with the M327 mortar. The new Precision Extended Range Munition (PERM) is expected to be ready
269:
made it known that it would be looking for an "off the shelf, commercial system" for the EFSS requirement, the system specifications for the Dragon Fire II were de-scoped to
Concept Demonstrator and the budget was reduced. ARDEC contracted with General Dynamics to design the new electric actuators
257:
for the initial air-delivered elements of an expeditionary operation. The Marine Corps
Warfighting Lab initiated a follow-on project called Dragon Fire II, which was to be a government-designed, government-produced weapons system and it would incorporate the "lessons learned" with the first Dragon
293:
was modified to accept the Dragon Fire internally as a modular artillery weapon. Over the next months opposition to the Dragon Fire II and to MCWL's involvement in long-term experimentation increased. Funding was first reduced and then cut completely. As a last attempt to use this system, it was
210:(MCWL) started a Concept Demonstrator project in 1997. They wanted a "mortar in a box," that is a weapon that could be remotely emplaced and fired unattended on a future battlefield. In late 1997, MCWL accepted a proposal by the army's Program Manager, Mortars (PM Mortars) and
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for a live-fire demonstration by the summer of 2015. The 120 mm rifled mortar PERM round will give the EFSS a reach of 17 kilometres (11 mi), with a CEP of 20 m (66 ft). The prototype PERM rounds have a GPS antenna and small fins,
233:
The project completed the experimental weapon, now called the Dragon Fire, in 17 months. It was used in a series of firing experiments beginning in
September 1998. During 1999–2002, the Dragon Fire was used during the Limited Object Experiment (LOE)
218:, New Jersey to design and build a firing system to fulfill the design objectives. An early requirement was that the system had to be a 120 mm system to give sufficient lethality and range. Ultimately, the design team picked parts of the French
350:. In December 2015, the Marine Corps awarded a five-year contract to Raytheon Missile Systems to deliver about 4,300 rounds. Each round, weighing 16 kg (35 lbs) each, costs $ 18,000 each, about $ 16,000 more than the non-precision rounds.
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chassis, this project aimed for the added option to lift the entire weapon assembly, including the semi-automated loading mechanism and the computerised fire control system, out of the carrier vehicle and put it on a carriage to be towed by a
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18 seconds. The Dragon Fire II was incorporated into testing with the
Counter Rockets, Artillery, and Mortars (C-RAM) project while it was still undergoing engineering and safety tests at
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for elevation, traverse, loading and firing and despite some difficulties in that contract, the finished Dragon Fire II, now known as the XM-326 120mm
Automated Mortar, was rolled out at
265:
The project was initiated in 2002, but, not long afterwards, TDA dropped out of the project because of issues concerning sharing of design information and their price, and when
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207:
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Following successful testing, the Marine Corps initiated a
Requirement Document for an Expeditionary Fire Support System (EFSS) to fill the gap in the availability of
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368:
342:, that provide lift and extend the range of the weapon. The Marine Corps acquisition program performed a shoot-off of the prototype mortar rounds developed by
30:
818:
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136:
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250:, aiming and loading of a medium-range firing system substantially reduced fire mission response times and resulted in accurate, efficient fire.
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167:. The USMC eventually dropped the Dragon Fire II project and instead opted for the baseline MO-120-RT mortar, which it called the
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282:. It fired in support of C-RAM's demonstrations and was responsive and accurate, with most rounds landing within a
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https://www.forcesoperations.com/belgique-feu-vert-pour-des-griffon-mepac-et-des-caesar-supplementaires/
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in addition to a loading system. Its 120 mm rifled ammunition promised greater accuracy and range.
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The advanced fire control system is fully compatible with the US Army system, to reduce the risk of
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The original Dragon Fire prototype, using the TDA (France) upper portion of the 2R2M mortar system.
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Fire. PM Mortars/ARDEC was again designated to do the design work and to modify the M95 Mortar
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field-tested a mortar system derived from the 2R2M in the early 2000's under the project names
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246:-mounted firing system. These experiments showed that the concept of automating the
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262:(MFCS) to provide the advanced fire control and weapon control for the new system.
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and several follow-on experiments, and the French-made 2R2M mortar mounted in a
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190:), an evolution of the 2R2M was selected by France and will equip a dedicated
286:(CEP) of 15 m (49 ft) at a range of 5,600 m (18,400 ft).
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17 km (19,000 yd) with
Precision Extended Range Munition (PERM)
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562:: To be mounted on the Common Tactical Wheeled Vehicle, based on the
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222:(TDA) experimental 2R2M mortar because it had a usable power driven
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154:. More than just an adaptation of the 2R2M system to the USMC's
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12,850 m (14,050 yd) with rocket-assisted projectile
739:"Japan's Wheeled Vehicle Programmes Race for the Finish Line"
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The Dragon Fire mortar system can be deployed mounted in an
772:
DRAGON FIRE I - II Expeditionary Fire
Support System (EFSS)
767:"Dragon Fire mortar system test successful", press release
676:"Marines to Receive Precision-Guided Mortar Round in 2018"
596:"Marines Get Improved Precision Extended Range Munitions"
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The Dragon Fire system is designed to be able to use all
649:"Raytheon Test-Fires New GPS-Guided Mortar for Marines"
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Dragon Fire II being set up for Engineering Tests, YPG.
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Armament Research, Development, and Engineering Command
787:
The Dragon Fire Experiments, Marine Corps Gazette 2009
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Dragon Fire II Experimental system NDIA briefing (PDF)
622:"EFSS/ITV: The US Marines' Mobile 120mm Mortar System"
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towed mortar. The 2R2M is in service with 5 nations.
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8,140 m (8,900 yd) with standard projectile
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The Dragon Fire II in its LAV-M configuration, 2009.
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422:Malaysian Army ACV-300 Adnan 2R2M mortar carrier.
127:) is a vehicle-mounted, rifled 120 mm heavy
628:. Defense Industry Daily, LLC. 26 September 2013
8:
242:vehicle served as a surrogate for a mobile,
410:USMC High explosive round showing rifling.
18:
188:Mortier Embarqué Pour l'Appui au Contact
737:Team, ESD Editorial (1 February 2023).
587:
352:
35:The 2R2M mortar in Italian service (on
602:. Space Media Network. 25 January 2013
208:US Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory
682:. The Military Advantage/Military.com
674:Seck, Hope Hodge (16 December 2015).
655:. The Military Advantage/Military.com
545:: To be incorporated in the upcoming
528:: To be incorporated in the upcoming
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819:United States Marine Corps projects
135:of France. It is derived from the
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647:Osborn, Kris (18 December 2014).
177:Expeditionary Fire Support System
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100:Effective firing range
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777:Dragon Fire II fact sheet (PDF)
727:Forrest Lindsey Project Manager
718:Forrest Lindsey Project Manager
709:Forrest Lindsey Project Manager
362:The Dragon Fire II at Quantico.
95:4 rounds per minute (sustained)
73:16–18.7 kg (35–41 lb)
700:Forrest Lindsey Project Manage
125:Rifled Recoiled Mounted Mortar
110:Maximum firing range
93:10 rounds per minute (maximum)
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809:Mortars of the United States
626:www.defenseindustrydaily.com
267:Marine Corps Systems Command
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220:Thomson-Daimler Armements
55:Place of origin
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325:(fratricide) incidents.
202:History (Dragon Fire II)
284:circular error probable
182:In December 2019, the
89:Rate of fire
310:, or air deployed by
291:Light Armored Vehicle
244:Light Armored Vehicle
192:self-propelled mortar
680:Military.com Network
280:Yuma Proving Ground
274:in September 2005.
272:Rock Island Arsenal
260:Fire Control System
312:CH-53 Sea Stallion
175:, for their EFSS (
504:: Mounted on the
483:: Mounted on the
466:: Mounted on the
449:: Mounted on the
433:Current operators
216:Picatinny Arsenal
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289:During 2007, a
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161:tractor vehicle
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502:Saudi Arabia
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248:fire control
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196:VBMR Griffon
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131:produced by
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49:Heavy Mortar
16:Heavy Mortar
743:euro-sd.com
659:29 December
632:17 December
606:17 December
489:AV8 Gempita
468:Freccia IFV
316:V-22 Osprey
214:(ARDEC) at
169:M327 mortar
148:Dragon Fire
37:Freccia IFV
803:Categories
761:References
163:such as a
686:8 January
428:Operators
298:Operation
228:elevation
137:MO-120-RT
748:28 March
570:See also
487:and the
481:Malaysia
344:Raytheon
224:traverse
564:Type 16
543:Belgium
340:canards
79:Caliber
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540:
526:France
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304:LAV-25
156:LAV-25
133:Thales
129:mortar
83:120 mm
58:France
582:Notes
560:Japan
464:Italy
308:HMMWV
184:MEPAC
165:HMMWV
69:Shell
750:2024
688:2016
661:2014
634:2014
608:2014
576:AMOS
506:M113
447:Oman
346:and
335:NATO
226:and
206:The
150:and
142:The
121:2R2M
119:The
45:Type
451:VAB
348:ATK
179:).
805::
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678:.
651:.
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186:(
123:(
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