In December 2024, Babcock, in collaboration with ST Engineering and Supacat, conducted a firepower demonstration of the 120mm Ground Deployed Advanced Mortar System (GDAMS) mounted on the Supacat Jackal high-mobility transporter in South Africa’s Northern Cape. The demonstration was aimed at showcasing the system’s capabilities to potential UK customers, and the GDAMS fired conventional, smoke, and precision munitions, achieving a three-round grouping of 1.1 meters at a range of 5.5 kilometers.
The 120mm GDAMS is adaptable to various vehicle platforms, including the Jackal, Coyote, and Foxhound, as well as lightweight commercial vehicles.
This event followed the official unveiling of the Ground Deployed Advanced Mortar System (GDAMS) at the Defence Vehicle Demonstration (DVD) 2024, held at Millbrook in September. Developed jointly by Babcock and ST Engineering, the 120mm GDAMS is a vehicle-mounted mortar system designed to address the UK Armed Forces’ requirements for modernized indirect fire solutions. Production is planned at Babcock’s Devonport facility in Plymouth, incorporating a UK supply chain. The project includes re-establishing domestic barrel manufacturing in partnership with Perfect Bore in Andover. If selected for the UK’s indirect fires program, it is expected to create 70 skilled roles locally and contribute economic benefits to the South-West region.
This new mortar system incorporates advanced fire control and targeting mechanisms that enable rapid adjustments and includes a patented blast diffuser to reduce noise exposure. It supports both drop-fire and lanyard-pull firing modes and can transition between deployment and stowage in 15 seconds. The 120mm GDAMS is adaptable to various vehicle platforms, including the Jackal, Coyote, and Foxhound, as well as lightweight commercial vehicles. Its platform-agnostic design ensures compatibility with existing systems and supports a range of munitions, including high explosive, illumination, infrared-illuminated, and smoke rounds. It also offers precision and extended range capabilities up to 9 kilometers. The system integrates digital fire control for quicker, more accurate targeting and mission execution while reducing human error.
The GDAMS’ lightweight and modular construction enables rapid deployment in high-tempo operations. Its blast diffuser minimizes noise and gas exposure, enhancing crew safety. The system can fire up to 15 rounds per minute for three minutes, with sustained operations at four rounds per minute. Additionally, GDAMS supports integration with 81mm barrels, further increasing its operational flexibility.