120-PM-43

• Name — M1943 Mortar • Origin — Soviet Union • Type — Mortar • Is Artillery — yes • Service — 1943-present • Used By — Soviet Union • Wars — Eastern Front (World War II) Korean War Vietnam War Cambodian Civil War Rhodesian Bush War Portuguese Colonial War Lebanese Civil War Soviet–Afghan War Gulf War South Sudanese Civil War • Manufacturer — Uralmash • Weight — 275 kg • Crew — 6 • Caliber — 120 mm • Rate — 9 rpm maximum, 70 rds/hr sustained • Velocity — 272 m/s Frag-HE & HE • Range — 5700 m maximum, 500 m minimum • Breech — muzzle loaded • Elevation — +45° to +80°

• Shells specifications • Shot index — Shell index — Shell weight, kg — Mass of explosive, kg — Area of manpower destruction, m² — Area of damage to equipment, m² — Maximum firing range, km • HE • 53-VF-843 — 53-F-843 — 16,2 — 3,93 — 4,1 • HE/FRAG • 53-VOF-843 — 53-OF-843 — 15,9 — 3,0 — 5,7 • 53-VOF-843А — 53-OF-843A — 15,9 — 1,58 — 5,52 • 53-VOF-843B — 53-OF-843B — 16 — 1,4 — 1200 — 200 — 5,7 • 3VOF3 — 3OF5 — 15,6 — 1,25 — 5,35 • 3VOF53 — 3OF34 — 16,1 — 3,43 — 2250 — 1200 — 5,7 • 3VOF57 — 3OF36 — 16,1 — 3,16 — 1700 — 700 — 5,7 • Incendiary • 53-VZ-843A — 53-Z-843A — 17 — 1,359 — — — — — 5,47 • 3VЗ4 — 3-Z-2 — 16,3 — 1,94 — — — — — 5,7 • Smoke • 53-VD-843A — 53-D-843A — 16,44 — 1,6 — — — — — 5,5 • 3VD5 — 3D5 — 16,6 — 1,65 — — — — — 5,8 • 3VD16 — 3D14 — 16,1 — — — — — 5,4 • Illumination • 53-VS-843 — 53-S-843 — 16,28 — 0,875 — — — — — 5,4 • 3VS24 — 3S9 — 16,28 — 1,28 — — — — — 5,4

This muzzle-loading mortar can be easily broken down into three parts – barrel, bipod and baseplate – for movement over short distances or towed by a GAZ-66 truck on a two-wheel tubular carriage. The baseplate mounting permits all-azimuth firing; however, as with most Soviet mortars, it was difficult to turn rapidly over a wide traverse. It could accommodate small-angle shifts of up to 6 degrees without having to shift the baseplate though.

It was copied in China as the Type 53 mortar. A more robust but heavier version, the Type 55, was developed by Norinco. Egypt also produced a locally modified variant, the Helwan Model UK 2. An improved version called the 2B11 Sani was also produced by the Soviets and, in combination with the 2B9 Vasilek, was being used to phase out the M1943 from service.

• Illustration — A map with nations that use the 120-PM-43 mortar in blue • Afghanistan • Albania • Algeria • Bangladesh: Type 53 variant •: 6 •: 12 * •: 6 •: 12 in store • China: Manufactured as Type 53 and Type 55 •: 28 * • Czech Republic • Egypt: PM-43 and Helwan Model UK 2 * •: 8 •: 18 • Hungary: 1 As of 2016 • Iraq • Kazakhstan * * * •: 8 •: 12 •: Type 53 variant • Nepal •: 24 •: Type 53 variant * • Russia • Slovakia • South Sudan: Type 55 • Sudan • Sri Lanka • Syria • Tanzania: Type 53 variant • Vietnam: PM-43, Type 53 and Type 55 •: 6

• East Germany • Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam • South Yemen • Soviet Union • Federal Republic of Yugoslavia