M-240 (240mm)

Towed Heavy-class Mortar System

Soviet Union | 1970

"Despite its Cold War-era roots, the M-240 240mm heavy infantry mortar continues to see battlefield service today."

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 09/29/2022 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

The M-240 is a Soviet Cold War-era smoothbore, heavy-class, vehicle-towed infantry mortar of 240mm caliber. The weapon fires a massive lethal projectile out to ranges of 9,700 meters (increased with rocket-assisted rounds). The weapon has been in service globally since the early-1970s and continues to be found on modern battlefields as a secondary solution.

The complete system utilizes a single-axle, twin-wheeled suspended carriage that features its own anchor / counter balance, sighting device, and elevation gear. The mounting hardware allows the barrel to take a "muzzle-up" stance when ready-to-fire and traversal of the gun tube is 18-degrees from centerline with an elevation span of +45 to +65 degrees. Due to the size and weight of the weapon and its ammunition, a crew of eleven personnel are required for optimal results. This still restricts the system to a rate-of-fire of just one projectile per minute.

The weapon is cleared to fire a variety of battlefield projectile types including High-Explosive (HE), High-Explosive (3F2 "Gagara"), FRAGmentation (HE-FRAG) (3O8 "Nerpa"), nuclear (3B11), and incendiary ("Sayda") types. Projectiles can weigh as much as 290lb.

The vehicle-mounted version of this same weapon is the 2S4 (SM-240) "Tyulpan" tracked carrier detailed elsewhere on this site.

The system has seen combat service since the days of the Cold War and includes exposure in the Yom Kippur War (1973) with Syria, the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan (1985), the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990), and the Syrian Civil War (2012-Present). Reports have shown the piece is still in use today during the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War of 2022.

The M-240 continues to see operational service today (2022) though in far fewer numbers than at peak. Current operators include Bulgaria, Egypt, Russia, Syria, and Ukraine. Former operators are Czechoslovakia, Lebanon, and Romania.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

September 2022 - Reports have shown first-use of the M-240 heavy mortar system by the Ukrainians in the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War.

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one land system design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the M-240 Towed Heavy-class Mortar System.

None. This is a towed artillery piece.
Installed Power

6 miles
10 km
Range

Structure
The physical qualities of the M-240 Towed Heavy-class Mortar System.

11
(MANNED)
Crew

17.5 ft
5.34 meters
O/A Length

9,149 lb
4,150 kg | 4.6 tons
Weight

Armament & Ammunition
Available supported armament, ammunition, and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the M-240 (240mm) Towed Heavy-class Mortar System.

1 x 240mm caliber gun tube.

AMMUNITION:
Dependent on supply. HE, HE-FRAG, Nuclear, and incendiary types available.

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
Nightvision - NONE.
Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear Protection (CBRN) - NONE.

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the M-240 (240mm) family line.

M-240 - Base Series Designation.

2S4 (SM-240) "Tyulpan" - Tracked, vehicle-based variant mounting the land-based weapon component.

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the M-240 (240mm). Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national land systems listing.

Total Production: 1,500 Units
Contractor(s): State Factories - Soviet Union

[ Bulgaria; Czechoslovakia (former); Egypt; Lebanon (former); Romania (former); Russia; Soviet Union (former); Syria; Ukraine ]

Design Qualities
Some designs are single-minded in their approach while others offer a more versatile solution to battlefield requirements.

FIRE SUPPORT / ASSAULT / BREACHING

SPECIAL PURPOSE

Recognition
Some designs stand the test of time while others are doomed to never advance beyond the drawing board; let history be their judge.

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Going Further...
The M-240 (240mm) Towed Heavy-class Mortar System appears in the following collections:

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