120mm Mortars

Cardom battle proven

System has already proven successful among U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan with more than 150,000 mortar rounds
After completing its extensive field tests, the Israeli Defence Force recently debuted full operational use of

Israeli Soltam System’s Cardom, the first autonomous 120 mm self-propelled recoil mortar in the world.
The Cardom is already in use with U.S forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, and has been sold to European armies, NATO forces, and African countries. More than 150,000 rounds of mortar fire have already been fired by forces around the world, showing with unprecedented high precision.
"Israeli army artillery units who operated in the Gaza Strip during operation 'Cast Lead', as well as forces who took part in the Second Lebanon War in the summer of 2006 also reported substantial improvement and lower Circular Error Probability (CEP), compared to traditional 120-mm mortar systems previously in use, said David Marsiano, Managing Director of Soltam Systems. "These battle proven capabilities are a result of the Cardom’s use of a fire control system and its recoil capabilities, as well the fact that it is vehicle-mounted."
Cardom is a computerized autonomous recoiling mortar that integrates American fire control and command and control systems, the result of the cooperation between Soltam Systems and an American company, which provides a response to the current need for "pocket artillery". Target data are entered via the command and control system directly to the commander officer's computer and automatically to the laying system. Data about the location and angle of the weapon system are provided by the advanced navigation system. All these help provide an extremely quick response, with the first bomb being fired about 20-30 seconds after the vehicle stops. The version supplied to the IDF includes the improved Electric Drive System (EDS), which enables the barrel an automatic point-to-target.
The Cardom has a 120 mm caliber with a high fire rate of 16 bombs per minute to a range of 7.2 km and 10 km with advanced ammunition. The Cardom is unique in that it can fire from the vehicle in any condition and to every angle (360 degrees). These capabilities would not have been possible with older mortars models, which were installed on ACVs (Armored Combat Vehicles).
The system is installed on light military vehicles like the American Stryker or Hammer APCs (Armored Personnel Carriers). It is a used as the only autonomous artillery weapon that has been adapted to the conditions of the modern battlefield, which demands fast deployment and movement capabilities of infantry, motorized, and special commando forces.
The Cardom is aimed automatically via a ballistic computer integrated with an advanced navigation system. It is operated by a crew of two people and can store between 30 and 50 bombs. A single Cardom system is as effective as four conventional mortars.
The Cardom is the only system of its type that received Type Classification Test approval from the US Army after firing 30,000 bombs under extreme temperature and other environmental conditions, from the desert in the south of the US to the snowy areas of Alaska in the north.
As well as being a leader in the development and manufacture of artillery systems, Soltam Systems, a subsidiary of Mikal Group, also leads in the upgrading of East-European type armored combat vehicles into Cardom carriers. As such, Soltam has already won numerous contracts with many more in the pipeline.