Israel’s new Iron Sting mortar. Photo: Israeli Ministry of Defense Spokesperson’s Office.
JNS.org – Israel’s Defense Ministry announced on Sunday the completion of decade-long project to develop a guided mortar munition.
The “Iron Sting” is a “networked precision fire system” that employs laser and GPS to engage targets accurately and prevent collateral damage, said the ministry in a statement.
The system recently underwent final trials at a testing site in southern Israel, and is now ready to begin production ahead of its integration into the Israel Defense Forces.
“We took a simple munition, the 120 mm mortar, combined it with very advanced GPS- and laser-based technology, thus providing the ground forces … with a simple, cheap munition capable of achieving an accuracy of less than 10 meters (33 feet). In this way, we grant the ground forces the ability to engage quickly, accurately and with minimal collateral damage,” said IDF Brig.-Gen. Yaniv Rotem, head of research and development in the Defense Ministry’s Directorate of Defense R&D.