General Dynamics has teamed with Israeli company Elbit Systems to supply unmanned turreted mortar systems to a European military customer.
The $53-million contract stipulated the Crossbow 120-millimeter soft recoil weapon, a solution unveiled in 2023 as part of Elbit’s mortar portfolio.
It was designed to integrate into 6×6 and 8×8 ground vehicles as well as other tracked platforms.
The Crossbow is offered with a 3-meter (9.8-foot) barrel with a maximum range of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles).
The mortar can fire bullets from the NATO-standard 120-millimeter shells in illuminant, explosive, or smoke configurations to the Iron Sting guided munition.
Crossbows can fire 360 degrees and up to 10 rounds per minute. In addition, users can integrate the weapon with four levels of armor protection.
For Pandur Personnel Carriers
According to Elbit, the deal supports General Dynamics’ ongoing project to mount armaments for the undisclosed customer’s Pandur 6×6 armored personnel carriers.
The company wrote that this is the first contract received for the Crossbow mortar since the system’s debut last year.
“We are proud to receive the first order from a leading international customer for our state-of-the-art Crossbow Unmanned Turreted Mortar System,” Elbit Systems Land General Manager Yehuda Vered remarked.
“The turreted mortar, with its precise guided round, reaffirms our commitment to developing and providing innovative and advanced land systems as solutions to the evolving needs of the modern battlefield.”
Military Vehicles for Austria
General Dynamics’ European Land Systems signed a contract in February to supply 225 Pandur 6×6 vehicles to Austria.
The order was facilitated under a 1.2-billion euro ($1.3 billion) framework the company had signed with Vienna in 2016.
Shipping will include eight different variants of the Pandur system, all of which will receive mortar combat systems, mobile air defense, and electronic warfare systems, according to the firm.
