Thales South Africa introduced its new automated mortar platform Scorpion for the first time at the AAD 2012 exhibition.

The Scorpion is a self-contained direct and indirect automated mortar and rocket fire control system mounted on a palletised platform that can be fired from the back of a vehicle in less than 15 seconds from stopping versus 15 minutes with a conventional system.

The system consists of a motorised mortar and rocket platform providing automated tube laying and correction twinned with an observer sighting system. This includes an angle measurement pedestal to sense the position and attitude of the vehicle. Position sensing is by inertial means supplemented by a global positioning system and distance information.

The pedestal also carries an observer payload that includes the Thales Sophie binocular/thermal imager with laser rangefinder, camera, dismountable digital magnetic compass and a The system can also share target and situational data between observer and launcher vehicles via a datalink or radio or receive such data from “other sources”.