Israeli Elbit Systems To Supply 120mm SOLTAM SPEAR Mortar Munition Systems For Montenegro’s JLTVs
Elbit Systems, an Israeli defense firm, announced on May 15 that it had been awarded a contract worth approximately 20 million Euros ($21.75 million) as part of a defense export agreement signed between the Ministries of Defense of Israel and Montenegro to acquire Elbit Systems-made weapons such as mortar munition systems and training equipment. The contract was signed at the IMoD Headquarters in Tel Aviv by Brig. Gen. Yair Kulas, director of the Israel International Defense Cooperation Directorate (SIBAT), and Colonel Vladan Martic, logistics director of the Montenegrin Ministry of Defense.
Under the contract, Elbit Systems will provide SOLTAM SPEAR 120mm mortar munition systems that can be mounted on 4×4 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTV) that Montenegro has purchased from US vehicle manufacturer Oshkosh Defense. Montenegrin soldiers and officers will also be trained at the Elbit-IMI Academy in Israel. Previously, the Israeli company was awarded a $35 million contract to supply Remote Controlled Weapons Stations (RCWS) for Montenegro’s Joint Light Tactical Vehicles. Training and supervision for the Montenegrin military and defense ministry, as well as systems and replacement parts, were included in the contract.
SUBAT Director, Brigadier General (Res.) Yair Kulas, said in a statement regarding the contract, “This marks the third agreement with our partners in Montenegro since bolstering our defense relations in 2019 and is a great expression of confidence in the Israeli defense industry. Montenegro is a partner and ally of Israel and faces complex security challenges like other European countries. Israeli defense industries are able to provide them with technological solutions of the highest standard.”
Elbit Systems Land General Manager Yehuda (Udi) Vered stated, “Elbit Systems is proud to take part in partnership between Israel and Montenegro. Elbit’s solutions provide the optimal response to the growing needs in Europe. We are committed to providing both products and professional service at the highest level to our partners and customers.”
SPEAR is a fully autonomous, vehicle-mounted 120mm soft recoil mortar system designed for high mobility platforms, according to Elbit Systems. The SPEAR is equipped with a recoil reduction system that reduces the mortar’s firing loads from 30+ tons to as low as 12-15 tons. The “soft recoil” allows the SPEAR to be mounted on a variety of high-mobility light tactical vehicles such as HMMWVs, jeeps, and other high-mobility rapid deployment wheeled platforms, as well as larger wheeled or tracked platforms.
SPEAR, a second-generation development of the battle-proven CARDOS system, is outfitted with computerized aiming and navigation systems that allow the mortar system to operate autonomously and aim without the need for external reference points. SPEAR is easily integrated with various C4I or Battle Management Systems (BMS) and can fire accurately with a circular error probability (CEP) of 30 meters. The system, which takes two or three crewmembers to operate, can be set up in about one minute and has an initial rate of fire of 15 rounds per minute.