Pakistan Promotes New Network-Enabled Mortar Carrier Plus Pro

Reflecting the Pakistani military’s broader aims to further digitize and network its warfighting capabilities, Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) has begun promoting its new Advanced Infantry Mortar System (AIMS), a self-propelled mortar launching platform.

Developed in collaboration with the private Pakistani defence company Comcept, the AIMS provides a wide range of capabilities centered on the goals of rapid deployability and precision-targeting.

The AIMS offers automated mortar laying, multi-caliber support for 81 mm and 120 mm shells, integrated ammunition carrier, sustained fire capability, digital fire control system (DFCS) and network-connected systems, such as command-and-control (C2) integration.

While presented with a lightly armoured pick-up truck, HIT stressed that the AIMS can be configured into a range of 4×4 vehicle options, including heavier and better protected platforms. Without carrying the mortar ammunition, the AMIS system weighs 700 kg.

The AIMS is likely the outcome of a requirement dating back to 2016 when Pakistan reportedly earmarked up to $1.5 billion USD for a new self-propelled mortar system. It is unclear if the Pakistan Army (PA) is still planning to invest as much in such a system, but commissioning a homegrown program implies that AIMS was borne from a substantial PA requirement, i.e., with enough scale to justify a local program.

Thus, the capability goals of the AIMS – i.e., the rapid deployability and precision-targeting – likely weigh more into the requirements of the PA rather than solely market trends.