Red7272 said:

You do know mortar bombs detonate so you don't actually have to hit them with it? 

Wait, what?  Are you saying that mortar rounds are explosive???  Gosh, and here I've been thinking they are solid projectiles, like big bullets with fins.

Red7272 said:

And are we talking Olympic sprinters or something because 8 seconds is not a long time over a non running track carrying various things for your average person.

True, but in case you didn't notice, that 8 seconds was for a mortar firing at rather short range.  As range increases, so will time of flight.  Here's an instance where ToF is nearly double (14 seconds):  https://youtu.be/TfzyFvZzIH0?t=45

Red7272 said:

And lets not ignore them lethal radius of the 81 mm mortar bomb being 30ish metres. So our mythical runner might have gone 50 metres and that is also the blast radius of the bomb.

81mm mortars, you say?

Apparently you know little about 81mm mortar operation.

Unless we're talking about an 81mm mortar in a fixed position on a firebase, 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

Then there's the  matter of aiming.  You can't aim an 81mm mortar like a rifle or grenade launcher.  It's much more complex, and involves more than one man.  Add another minute to your engagement time:  https://youtu.be/cLtgggPulu8?t=29  0:29-1:29

By the time you finally get to fire, the insurgent will be relaxing at home...  

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)