Why didn’t anyone tell me that I.W.A. International Inc. had a mortar system? I had to find out about it on Instagram. It looks like it’s a pretty new release and more info is coming, but here’s what I know.
The IWA Mortar System
The IWA Mortar System consists of a mortar launcher, a heat shield, an ammo bandolier, and a variety of munitions. Before you get too excited, we aren’t talking High Explosive rounds. IWA is showing smoke, bang, and cluster bang loadings. Less Lethal or, considering its intended role, non-lethal stuff. Just lots of noise and smoke. Still, that has a lot of fun potential.
IWA’s Mortar itself is 48mm in diameter and 26 inches tall. The tube is made from 1026 DOM (Drawn Over Mandrel) steel. Its base is 8.5 inches wide and 4 inches deep, and it’s made from 1018 carbon steel. Range is listed at 150 to 300 meters. Don’t blame me for the mix of English and Metric measurements; that’s how IWA lists it.
MSRP on the mortar itself is $349.00.
If you know your history, it looks a lot like a WWII Japanese Type 89 grenade discharger. It was also known as the “knee mortar” due to US troops erroneously thinking you could brace the buttplate on your leg and fire it. That proved to be a bad idea. I wouldn’t try it with the IWA Mortar either. If you get one, follow their instructions.
Munitions
There are three types of munitions listed. The first is a Mortar Cluster Bang round. It has a range of 150 – 200 meters. The fuse burn time has a 6-second delay once you light it. It looks like there’s a striker on the back from the pics and the video on Instagram. The lift charge has a sound level of 130 dB.
The Cluster Bang has eight submunitions that each detonate with a 130 dB sound level as well. The fragmentation zone is listed as 10 meters. Presumably, this is just the cardboard casing from the round. More details on that will likely follow. MSRP for a Cluster Bang round is $39.99.
Next up is the Single Bang Mortar round. It too has a range of 150 – 200 meters and a 6-second fuse. It’s a single projectile and has a slightly louder 140 dB sound level when it explodes on target. The fragmentation zone for the Single is 5 meters. MSRP for it is slightly less than the Cluster round at $34.50.
Last up is the Mortar Smoke round. This is the only round currently available, according to the IWEA website. The bang rounds are listed as coming soon. It has the same 6-second fuse as the bangs. When it goes off, it emits smoke for 40-45 seconds. The Sound Level for the lift charge is 130 dB. There is no fragmentation associated with the smoke rounds. Red and White smoke is available for an MSRP of $37.99 each.
Sling and Heat Shield Package
The other accessory that IWA has for the mortar is a sling and heat shield package. It consists of a quick-detach sling with an integrated six-slot ammo pouch. There’s also a barrel wrap that protects you from heat and gives you a place to hold when firing. MSRP on the sling and heat shield is $84.99, and it’s available in Multicam or Ranger Green.
Who is this for, and how do I get it?
IWA says that the Mortar System is intended for military and police training, maritime signaling, the film industry, and paintball and airsoft use. It should work for scaring off wildlife from runways as well. I can definitely see it adding some extra spice to your local airsoft game for sure. Now, although the IWA Mortar is just launching smoke and noise rounds, it still does require that you get a Professional Pyrotechnic Certification.
The nice thing is that it’s free, and you can do it online. It only takes 15 to 20 minutes to take. I did one of these for another company that sells flash bangs. It was pretty easy if you paid attention to the training material. Once you pass your certification test, you also need to be at least 18 to purchase a mortar or munitions for one. IWA recommends you make sure you’re familiar with any applicable local or state laws as well.
The IWA Mortar seems to be a pretty unique product. Hand-held smoke and noise rounds aren’t uncommon, but I can’t say I’ve seen a mortar set up before. I wonder if there’s a chance they’ll do flares, or parachute flares for it down the road as well? If you have a use for one, or can come up with one, it’s a neat training aid or tool. I’m already thinking of how to explain to my wife that I probably need one of these.
