# Uganda operating ELBIT SOLTAM SPEAR 120 mm Mortar System

- Link: https://www.military.africa/2022/01/uganda-operating-elbit-soltam-spear-120-mm-mortar-system/
- Published: 2022-01-20T16:31:40+01:00
- Author: Sarah Lesedi

The Ugandan People Defence Force is fielding the Israeli-made ELBIT SOLTAM SPEAR
120mm mortar system mounted on Plasan SandCat tactical 4×4 vehicle.

Video showing the Israeli-made 120 mm Plasan SandCat Spear MK-2 self-propelled mortar
and a Chinese-made 107 mm Type 63 multiple rocket launcher systems used by the Ugandan
military in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo surface on Social media earlier
this month.

 * ![](military.africa/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Uganda-operating-SPEAR-MK2-Mortar-
   System-1024x576.jpeg)
 * ![](military.africa/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Uganda-operating-SPEAR-MK2-Mortar-
   System.jpg)

Screenshots of the Spear 120 mm mortar mounted on Plasan SandCat 4×4 tactical vehicle
during a patrol in Easters DRC. (Via Twitter)

ADVERTISEMENT

Israel’s Plasan company, located in Kibbutz Sasa, had earlier announced in May 2020,
that it has delivered to an unidentified customer at least 18 Sandcat light armoured
vehicles configured for the Spear 120mm mortar. It is believed that the customer
is Uganda.

The soft recoil 120 mm mortar system is part of the UPDF deployment to the Democratic
Republic of Congo.

ADVERTISEMENT

The SOLTAM SPEAR 120mm light vehicle-mounted Recoil Mortar System provides ground
forces with improved mobility, lethality and accuracy against a large number of 
threats. The system can be mounted on HMMWVs, trucks, APCs, and other rapidly deployed
wheeled vehicles.

By combining the flexibility and lethality of accurate mortar fire with exceptional
tactical mobility, the weapon system deliver accurate fire support solution.

The 120mm mortar is equipped with a high-performance enhanced tactical computer (
ETC) and a SmarTMR tactical multimedia router and application server. The SmarTMR
system can be integrated with onboard sensors, weapons, and command, control, communications,
computers and intelligence (C4I) systems.

ADVERTISEMENT

The targeting information is relayed to the fire control system (FCS) which computes
the ballistic data and orders the electric drive system (EDS) to position the mortar
barrel to the exact azimuth and elevation. The mortar fire control system (MFCS)
receives feedback from the north finding system (NFS) and inclination gauge units(
IGU).

SOLTAM SPEAR computerized aiming allows for autonomous operations without the need
for external reference points. It can be integrated with a variety of battle management
systems (BMS) and includes technical fire management, scheduled fire plans, a prioritization
target process and an attack result forecast.

The SPEAR Mk 2 mobile mortar systems mounted on Tata LPTA 713TC 4×4 military trucks
has also [been supplied to Zambia](https://www.military.africa/2022/01/uganda-operating-elbit-soltam-spear-120-mm-mortar-system/military.africa/2021/06/zambian-military-parades-new-weapons),
as showcased [during a parade to mark the national defence day on 13 June 2021](https://www.military.africa/2022/01/uganda-operating-elbit-soltam-spear-120-mm-mortar-system/military.africa/2021/06/zambian-military-parades-new-weapons),
to celebrate the founding of its military.

### _Related_