Mortars (Research Note 2)

This Research Note is the second in a series from the Small Arms Survey which cover a range of categories of small arms and light weapons, as well as their markets, their users, and their impact on society.

Mortars are indirect-fire support weapons that enable users to engage targets outside of their line of sight. The mortar is one of the oldest forms of artillery, and is thought to have been in use since the siege of Constantinople in 1453. Modern mortars can, however, use revolutionary precision-guided munitions. This raises worrisome proliferation concerns.

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