World Defense Show 2024: Alakran mobile mortar system to be made in Saudi Arabia
An Alakran mortar system on display at World Defense Show 2024. (Photo: author)
NTGS has developed the Alakran 120mm mortar for customers requiring a highly mobile, lightweight self-propelled system to equip rapid reaction units. It is designed to be mounted without reinforcement on any light utility vehicle able to carry a 1,500kg payload.
Saudi Arabian conglomerate ERAF has signed a deal with New Technologies Global Systems (NTGS) which will see the former company manufacture Alakran mobile mortar systems in-country, it was announced at World Defense Show 2024.
Alakran is a vehicle-mounted system which deploys onto a heavy base plate allowing it to fire munitions as large as 120mm and deploy in less than 30secs. The system is already in service with Saudi Arabian and Ukrainian forces and has been purchased by other countries.
A company spokesman told Shephard Media that local manufacture could begin this year but trials needed to take place first as, although in service with Saudi forces, it needed to meet requirements and specifications for different operators.
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Shephard Defence Insight notes that Alakran is an electro-mechanical system that can automatically deploy a 120mm mortar within seconds.
With a total weight of 100kg without the mortar tube, Alakran can be mounted in the rear cargo area of most light utility vehicles without necessitating any major structural reinforcement of chassis or suspension.
The launch order for the Alakran was received in December 2016, when NTGS announced that it had been contracted to supply 100 systems integrated on Toyota Land Cruisers to an undisclosed Arab nation now known to be Saudi Arabia.
It is likely the operator is the Saudi Arabian Border Guard, which was revealed to be in possession of the system in January 2019 and is understood to have received 100 mortars.
Ukraine purchased the Alakran for integration onto its Bars-8MMK mortar carrier vehicle.
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