Mortar
The Brandt 60 mm Long Range gun-mortar is a breech loading mortar capable of firing on a flat trajectory. It was developed from the Brandt Mle CM60A1 and resembles a long-barrelled, long-ranged variant of that weapon.[1]
Description
The Brandt 60mm LR gun-mortar was developed directly from the Brandt Mle CM60A1 and retains the same falling block breech mechanism reminiscent of direct fire artillery.[2] The firing pin is automatically withdrawn when the breech is unlocked, reducing the potential for misfire.[2] Like its predecessor, it can be either muzzle-loaded or breech-loaded and was designed to be mounted in the turrets of armored fighting vehicles.[2] The LR gun-mortar was also tested as a deck-mounted support weapon for maritime patrol craft such as the VCSM.[2] It utilizes a hydraulic recoil system.[1] The recoil length is 170mm, maximum recoil thrust is 2,800kg, and the weight of the recoiling mass is 75kg.[2]
The LR gun-mortar has a total length of 1.8 metres.[2] Different variants were produced with electrical or mechanical firing mechanisms.[2]
Ammunition
The LR gun-mortar was designed to fire specialized long range ammunition with an indirect fire range of 5,000 metres and a direct fire range of 500 metres.[2] The standard LR high-explosive projectile possessed a fuze which detonated at any angle of impact.[2] It was manufactured of perlitic cast iron and had unfolding fins.[2] The projectile weighed 2.2kg and had a total length of 367mm.[2] Brandt claimed that its explosive charge possessed an efficiency comparable to that of an 81mm mortar bomb.[2]
The LR gun-mortar could also fire any of the standard 60mm ammunition produced for French infantry mortars, including the Mk 72, Mk 61, and Mk 35/47 high-explosive projectiles, as well as the Mk 63 illumination shell.[2] However, without the specialized ammunition indirect fire range is reduced to 3,000 metres and direct fire range to 400 metres.[2]
