stancrist said:

you first have to assemble the barrel, bipod, and baseplate before you can even think about shooting at that insurgent who took a few potshots at you.  That process will take you well over a minute.  https://youtu.be/Rcz5unaXwvQ?t=127  2:07-3:17

So your patrol is carrying an 81 mm mortar now? Aren't they already overloaded?  Wouldn't you leave it in a fire base to shoot in support?

Red7272 said:

So your patrol is carrying an 81 mm mortar now? Aren't they already overloaded?

Ever hear of a vehicle patrol?  An MRAP can handle the load.

Red7272 said:

Wouldn't you leave it in a fire base to shoot in support?

Apparently this unit decided they would rather have a mortar with them:  https://youtu.be/TfzyFvZzIH0?t=15

Where is your fire base that’s within 5650m of the insurgents that are 1000m from your patrol?

Why are you patrolling there?

stancrist said:

Ever hear of a vehicle patrol?  An MRAP can handle the load.

Every heard of an AGL why do they need a mortar then?

DavidPawley said:

Where is your fire base that’s within 5650m of the insurgents that are 1000m from your patrol?

Because you are securing the local population from the insurgent interference as part of a hearts and minds campaign with adequate numbers of troops, support and clear goals. 

If you dudes continue to talk about 81mm mortars, I won't resist the temptation anymore and I will start to talk about RPAs / UAS which carry mortar bombs right above heads of the adversaries. Please don't make me derail this thread

poliorcetes said:

If you dudes continue to talk about 81mm mortars, I won't resist the temptation anymore and I will start to talk about RPAs / UAS which carry mortar bombs right above heads of the adversaries. Please don't make me derail this thread

Well that would be an obvious solution but we are talking US army here.

Red7272 said:

Every heard of an AGL why do they need a mortar then?

Well, the most obvious reason to take a mortar is 81mm HE > 40mm HEDP. 

Other possible reasons they might want to have a mortar are firing smoke...

...and illumination.

P.S.  Dismounted use of 81mm mortars in Afghanistan was probably rare, but not unheard of.

81 mm mortar team, 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, Operation JANUB ZILZILA, Zabul, Afghanistan, 2008 | Online Collection | National Army Museum, London (nam.ac.uk)

poliorcetes said:

If you dudes continue to talk about 81mm mortars, I won't resist the temptation anymore and I will start to talk about RPAs / UAS which carry mortar bombs right above heads of the adversaries. Please don't make me derail this thread

LOL.  This thread was derailed more than 100 posts ago when the XM25 and Mk47 were brought into the discussion.