Philippines signs contract for M113 120mm Mortar Carriers with Israel's Elbit Systems

Elbit Systems Land & C4I will supply 15 M113A2 tracked armored vehicles equipped with the Soltam Cardom 120mm vehicle-mounted mortar system. to the Philippine Army.

The Philippines' Department of National Defense (DND) concluded a contract with Israel's Elbit Systems Land and C4I last 6 February 2019, to supply 15 units of M113A2-based 120mm Self-Propelled Mortars for the Philippine Army (PA), Philippine defense page MaxDefense Philippines reported today.

The mortars are centred on Elbit's 120mm Soltam Cardom vehicle-mounted autonomous recoil mortar system, while also supplying refurbished M113A2 tracked armored vehicles as platforms, and associated accessories including the Combat NG Battlefield Management System.

The deal is part of the Philippine Army's Horizon 2 modernization program, which covers the year 2018 to 2022. Expected delivery would be made in the second half of 2020.

No expected delivery date was provided although MaxDefense Philippines believes it could be completed by the 3rd quarter of 2020.


Prior to this new order, the Philippine Army is already expecting a batch of Soltam Cardom 81mm vehicle-mounted mortars it ordered in 2018 as part of a PHP1.05 billion (US$19.7 million) contract to supply 44 units of Remote Controlled Weapon Systems for 12.7mm heavy machine guns and 5 units of vehicle-mounted 81mm mortars. These would be installed on existing PA M113A2 tracked armored personnel carriers.

Elbit also supplied 28 units of M113A2 tracked armored vehicles to the Philippine Army in 2016, with different configurations including Armored Personnel Carrier equipped with the Elbit Dragon 12.7mm RCWS, Infantry Fighting Vehicles armed with the Elbit UT25 25mm unammed turret, armored recovery vehicles, and Fire Support Vehicles armed with 76mm guns sourced from retired Philippine Army Scorpion armored vehicles.



[1] MaxDefense Philippines
[2] MaxDefense Philippines
[3] Israel Defense