{"id":53741,"date":"2023-11-08T06:08:08","date_gmt":"2023-11-08T05:08:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/?p=53741"},"modified":"2024-11-08T00:06:47","modified_gmt":"2024-11-07T23:06:47","slug":"iron-sting-the-advanced-precision-mortar-munition-that-israel-uses-against-hamas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/2023\/11\/08\/iron-sting-the-advanced-precision-mortar-munition-that-israel-uses-against-hamas\/","title":{"rendered":"Iron Sting, the advanced precision mortar munition that Israel uses against Hamas"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mortars have a reputation for being the most rudimentary and least accurate artillery pieces, but Israel has turned that concept around.<\/p>\n

This is the Merkava MkIV of the Israeli Army, one of the most advanced tanks in the world<\/a><\/rel>
\nThe weapons that the Israel Defense Forces have to wipe Hamas off the map<\/a><\/rel><\/p>\n

In the past decade, Israeli company Elbit Systems began developing a new mortar ammunition known as Iron Sting<\/strong>, for use in heavy Keshet<\/strong> automatic mortars. >, mounted on armored vehicles M-113A3<\/strong>, and on modular low-recoil mortars Hanit<\/strong>, generally mounted on tactical vehicles of the Humvee<\/strong> type. Its development took ten years of work.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
The Iron Sting mortar ammunition. The slots they have are those of their deployable fins, which serve to guide these mortar shells (Image: Elbit Systems).<\/div>\n

Elbit Systems reveals<\/a> that the Iron Sting is \"a precise, laser and GPS guided mortar munition\"<\/em><\/strong> of 120 mm caliber, which is specially designed \"to engage targets precisely, in both open terrains and urban environments<\/strong>, while reducing the possibility of collateral damage and preventing injury to non-combatants. Its operational use will revolutionize ground warfare<\/strong> and equip battalions with organic, accurate and effective firepower.\"<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
An Iron Sting after launch, with its fins deployed (Image: Elbit Systems).<\/div>\n

The head of research at the Directorate of Defense Research and Development of the Israeli Ministry of Defense, Brigadier General Yaniv Rotem<\/strong>, noted: \"This laser and GPS- guided mortar munition provides troops with a precise firing capability that has only been implemented in missiles and air munition thus far.<\/strong> This is a very complex program and a groundbreaking system on the international level.\"<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
An Israeli Army M-113A3 with a Keshet heavy mortar (Image: Elbit Systems).<\/div>\n

The Israeli Army has used this ammunition for the first time in its current war against Hamas<\/a>. Its first operational use was carried out by the Sayeret Maglan<\/strong>, a special operations unit integrated into the 89th \"Oz\" Brigade of the Israeli Army, targeting a Hamas rocket launch site in the strip. from Gaza. This ammunition can be used against targets at a distance of 1 to 12 kilometers<\/strong> from the place where the mortar is located.<\/p>\n

You can see here a video from Elbit Systems that shows the tests carried out with the Iron Sting two years ago<\/strong>, from a Keshet mortar mounted on an M-113A3 armored vehicle:<\/p>\n