Moldova Armed its Army with Scorpion Self-Propelled Mortars

The Moldovan military has received a batch of American Scorpion self-propelled mortars to replace outdated systems.

The country’s Defense Ministry said that the purchase was made as part of the army’s modernization.

The Scorpion is actually a localized version of the Spanish 81 mm or 120 mm Alacran self-propelled mortar from Global Military Products.

The system is equipped with a fully digital fire control system that provides automatic aiming and re-aiming after each shot, ensuring a deviation of up to 2 meters per 1 km.

The strength of the system is its high mobility due to the fact that it is mounted on off-road vehicles. The wheelbase ensures quick change of positions on its own.

The complex can be deployed in just 30 seconds, and after firing, the crew can leave the position in less than 20 seconds. It also has an electronics cabinet that houses the mortar’s angle and direction control systems, communication systems, and an autonomous battery.

On the opposite side of the Scorpion’s frame is another cabinet responsible for pneumatics, which contains the compressor, storage tanks and solenoid valves that control the folding and unfolding operation.

The fire control system can be operated from a computer screen and keypad in the vehicle’s cab, thus protecting the operator from the mortar’s firing range, or it can be controlled from similar control panels outside the vehicle.

The base plate of the Scorpion system rests on the ground, distributing the recoil so as not to put stress on the chassis and suspension of the vehicle on which it is mounted. The on-board ammunition can hold up to 72 rounds of 81 mm or 40 rounds of 120 mm. The maximum range for each of these munitions is 6500 meters and 8000 meters, respectively.

“The changes are noticeable: we are gradually moving from outdated artillery systems to modern ones. The new equipment means efficiency, accuracy, mobility and, above all, safety for all personnel,” said Moldovan Defense Minister Anatolie Nosatîi.

Ukrainian forces have been using these American Scorpion self-propelled mortars in combat for several years.

Earlier, Moldova also received Israeli ATMOS self-propelled artillery systems to strengthen its artillery.