Since 1997 the US Marine Corps Warfighting laboratory is experimenting the Dragon Fire, Expeditionary Fire Support System – a mortar based system that designed to provide mobile fire support for expeditionary forces. Dragon Fire I system demonstrator that utilized a 120mm rifled, recoiling, self-loading mortar, that can fire rifled or smoothbore ammunition. The original system had a weight of 7,000 pounds, but the new version, Dragon Fire II weighs only 3,200 pounds, and will be capable of deployment in a towed, heliborne and mounted versions. Dragon Fire II is the follow-on experimentation phase of the program, which utilizes a towed by a tactical vehicle (such as the HUMMV) or internally mounted on a LAV The mortar has a range of 8,200 meters (13,000 m’ with rocket assisted projectiles). It can fire 10 rounds per minute for 2 minutes, or four rounds per minute sustained fire. The system has an on-board digital communications, navigation and computation facilities to enable effective precision fire at a closed “sensor-to-shooter” loop. The USMC Warfighting Lab is also experimenting with remote control capability and stabilization that will enable fire on the move for improved agility and responsiveness. The system can be deployed from amphibious ships, internally, in CH-53 helicopters and MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. Dragon Fire II EFSS systems transitioned into a spiral acquisition with the award of the program to General Dynamics Ordnance & Tactical Systems (GD OTS) in October 2004. GD OTS is cooperating with TDA Armaments SAS, a joint venture between Thales and EADS Deutchland, to produce ammunition for these mortars.
DefenseTech Weekly Brief
This edition of the DefenseTech Brief covers the week of April 21-27, 2025, a period marked by significant developments across multiple defense technology domains. Key highlights include the US Army's critical decision to move...
DefenseTech Brief | April 21, 2025
This week’s DefenseTech Brief captures a defense landscape in flux—driven by urgent needs for missile defense, advanced autonomy, and sovereign production capabilities. Across domains and continents, governments and industries are accelerating the integration of...
Rocket Systems & Production Dynamics: Meeting Surging Demand
This article is part of our weekly DefenseTech Brief.
The critical role of long-range precision fires, particularly Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS), demonstrated in recent conflicts, continues to drive significant activity in production and international...
UK Military Tests Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapon System for Anti-Drone Defense
The British Armed Forces have successfully tested a revolutionary Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapon (RFDEW) capable of neutralizing drone swarms at a fraction of conventional defense costs. The system, developed by a UK-based consortium led by Thales, can disable multiple unmanned aerial systems for as little as 10 pence per engagement.
Greece’s Land Forces to Get Switchblade Loitering Weapons and Advanced Rocket Launchers
Greece is actively modernizing its military capabilities with two significant procurements. Firstly, the Government Council for Foreign and Defense Affairs, known as KYSEA, has approved the purchase of approximately 590 U.S.-made Switchblade loitering munitions,...
