Marines with Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion 4th Marines, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit fires a 120mm Rifled Tower Mortar. USMC photo by SSgt Matt Orr

US Marines order guided mortar rounds

30/01/201616/02/2017 Posted by Brian Hartigan 4266 Views 0 Comments 120mm, mortar, PERM

The US Marine Corps has awarded a $98 million contract to build a new precision guided extended-range mortar round, called PERM, which will double current ranges and provide GPS accuracy to mortar teams.

Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, was selected to make the munition.

Raytheon was awarded a five-year, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract that will include production verification and technical documentation, and production orders.

PERM is being developed for the Expeditionary Fire Support System – the ship-to-objective maneuver element’s primary indirect-fire-support system.

The new 120mm PERM will increase the range of the EFSS, enabling Marines to hit targets up to 10 miles (16km) away compared to the current range of five miles.PERM also expands EFSS’ abilities to conduct expeditionary operations while minimising collateral damage and increasing first-round effects against high-value targets.

EFSS can be deployed aboard amphibious ships with a small logistics footprint or inserted vertically by the MV-22 Osprey.

Once ashore, EFSS provides sustained, responsive, 24/7 artillery support with a highly lethal suite of munitions.Currently in testing, PERM is expected to be delivered in fiscal year 2018 with a total munitions requirement of 3113 rounds.