FNSS ACV-15 SPM

     Notes: The ACV-15 SPM (formerly known in development as the TIFV SPM) is a mortar-carrying version of the ACV-15 IFV.  The SPM uses the hull and chassis, deleting the turret of the IFV. Instead of this turret-mounted armament, the SPM has large hatches on the rear deck for operation of the mortar; the mortar, in either case, fires over the rear of the vehicle and can be rotated up to 30 degrees left or right of center.  The interior is filled largely with the mortar and its ammunition and fuzes, along with equipment to use if the MBC fails and fire must be plotted manually such as an aiming circle, equipment like rulers and protractors, grease pencils, etc.  The vehicles also carry aiming stakes; the 81mm version has a baseplate and bipod mounted outside on the left side near the rear to use if the mortar must be ground-mounted.  (The 120mm mortar used cannot be ground mounted or dismounted without major work.)  The vehicles include a Mortar Ballistic Computer and a ruggedized laptop to keep mapping information in.  Also included is a GPS device and secure long-range data-capable radio linked to the laptop.  The combination of computers and GPS allows this vehicle to act without an FDC if necessary. On the front right side is a cupola with a weapon mount (normally armed with a heavy machinegun, though other weapons may be mounted.

     As a variant of the ACV-15, the SPM uses a hull similar to the AIFV, though the armor is a bit better than the AIFV, and some additional attention is paid to belly armor. The hull front and sides incorporate spaced armament with ceramic sandwich panels.  The engine remains a Detroit Diesel 6V-53T developing 300 horsepower, along with a fully automatic transmission along with a conventional driver’s station.  The ACV-300 is fully amphibious, propelled in water by its tracks.  The sides of the hull have two firing ports each, and the rear has two firing ports.  Three seats for the mortar crew are found near the front of the fighting compartment, two on the left and one on the right. The rear of the vehicle has a powered ramp with a door in it; on the SPM, this is normally used for ammunition resupply, with the crew going out of the roof hatches.  This is especially true in the case of the 120mm mortar version, as the mortar used is quite large (and advanced).  The 120mm version, using the 120R 2M recoiling semiautomatic mortar, has a beefed suspension in the center and rear of the roadwheels to help take up the firing shock that the mortar’s own shock absorbers do not.  (The 120R 2M also requires a lot more space in the fighting compartment, due to its huge size.) The SPM has four smoke grenade launchers on either side of the glacis plate near the front fenders; these are mounted in clusters.  The SPM has two long-range radios, one a data-capable radio which is hooked into the laptop.

     81mm SPMs are not as common as the 120mm SPM, due to the heavier bombardment the 120mm mortar is capable of; however, the SPM 81mm can produce more fire without needing a resupply.

     Twilight 2000 Notes:  This vehicle was the bane of Greek, Iraqi, and Russian infantry formations, able to provide a large amount of fire support in a short amount of time. 

*The ACV-15 SPM has a belly AV of 4.

Otokar Cobra Mortar Carrier

     Notes:  This is a light mortar carrier built on the chassis of the APC variant of the Otokar Cobra.  The mortar is lighter than it’s ACV-15 or M-113-based counterparts, as the Cobra chassis itself is smaller than those vehicles.  The turret of the Cobra APC is deleted, and the roof hatches replaced with a new arrangement that has two large hatches in the roof stretching from the rear to the center deck for the mortar to fire out of.  The mortar is mounted on a turntable, and the mortar fires over the rear of the vehicle; the turntable can turn 45 degrees to either side.  The wide suspension of the Cobra means that no stabilizing legs or jacks are necessary, though the suspension is beefed up with additional shock absorption over the APC version of the Cobra.  The commander does have a manually-rotating cupola armed with a light weapon, though the on-board ammunition supply is limited and the weapon is strictly for defense (and careful bursts in most cases).  Alternatively, the weapon can be aimed and fired remotely from inside the hull. To the rear of the turret are two small hatches on the rear deck.

     The Cobra Mortar Carrier has a baseplate and aiming stakes strapped to the right rear side to allow for off-vehicle fire of the mortar; the aiming stakes are to be used if the MBC fails.  Despite its small size, the Cobra Mortar Carrier carries a GPS receiver and laptop computer (with maps and some other specially-chosen programs, and it is rumored, even a few games for crew downtimes). As well as two long-range radios, one of which is data-capable and linked to the laptop. Also carried strapped to the side is a tripod for off-board use of the commander’s machinegun. The driver and commander ride up front, behind bullet-resistant windshields.  They have one bullet-resistant windshield on each side of them.  They have no separate doors; they enter and exit through the crew compartment or the commander’s cupola. There are doors on either side of the hull for crew access, and a large door in the rear of the hull for exit and entrance or replenishment of ammunition.  There are two firing ports in either side of the passenger compartment.

     The Cobra Mortar Carrier is powered by a 190-horsepower turbocharged diesel, coupled to a manual transmission.  The Cobra Mortar Carrier is amphibious, powered by propellers in the water; the driver controls these propellers via joysticks, and can turn them 180 degrees.  The frontal armor is sharply-raked, and the side armor and rear armor is moderately sloped, providing better protection than might be expected from such a light vehicle.  The Cobra has an MRAP hull.  With all hatches closed, the Cobra Mortar Carrier is NBC sealed; with them open, a collective NBC system is used.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This vehicle does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

*Floor AV is 4Sp, and has an MRAP hull.