US Army awards $13M contract to Global Military Products for Scorpion Light Mobile Mortar Systems integrated on Infantry Squad Vehicles.
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Press Release, Tampa FL, 03 September 2026: The US Army has awarded Global Military Products a $12.9 million contract for the procurement and integration of Scorpion Light Mobile Mortar Systems under the Department of Defense Ordnance Technology Consortium (DOTC) Other Transaction Authority (OTA) framework. The award supports the integration of Scorpion Light 81mm mobile mortar systems with US Army digital fire control technologies and government-furnished M253 mortar barrels onto the Army’s new Infantry Squad Vehicle–Utility (ISV-U) platforms.
Designed to enhance expeditionary indirect fire capabilities, the next-generation Scorpion Light system delivers a highly mobile, digitally enabled mortar platform capable of rapid emplacement, autonomous targeting and precision engagement in support of distributed operations. The integration of advanced fire control architecture significantly accelerates the sensor-to-shooter kill chain, enabling faster target acquisition, digital fire mission processing, and rapid engagement of multiple targets with reduced crew workload and increased survivability.
“The enhanced capabilities provided by the next-generation Scorpion mobile mortar system directly support the Army’s Transformation Initiative and its transition toward smaller, more agile and highly lethal combat formations prepared to address emerging threats in complex operational environments,” said James Knight, director, Global Military Products. “Over the past two years, we have worked closely with Army stakeholders and soldiers to continuously evaluate, iterate and refine the Scorpion platform based on operational feedback. This contract award reflects the success of that collaboration and our commitment to delivering a fully integrated mobile mortar capability that increases lethality, improves operator safety, and provides unmatched tactical mobility for the warfighter.”
Over the past two years, the US Army and Global Military Products have collaborated through Soldier Enhancement Program (SEP) initiatives and Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) efforts to refine, test, and incorporate direct soldier feedback into the development of the Scorpion Light Mobile Mortar System. These iterative efforts have significantly advanced the platform’s mobility, lethality, survivability, and operational effectiveness.
into position during a live-fire exercise as part of Exercise BALIKATAN 2026 in the
Philippines, April 2026 [US Army photo: Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Parsons]
The latest evolution of the system integrates advanced digital fire control capabilities and the Nett Warrior (NW) networked communications architecture, enabling rapid target acquisition, precision fire missions and near instantaneous re-aiming with minimal crew intervention. This fully digital architecture streamlines and accelerates the sensor-to-shooter kill chain by enabling seamless target handoff between systems, digital fire mission processing and autonomous mortar engagement capabilities. For the first time, soldiers can rapidly prosecute multiple targets with a highly mobile, digitally enabled autonomous mortar platform, significantly increasing responsiveness, accuracy and operational tempo in contested environments.
Most recently, soldiers assigned to the Multi-Purpose Company, 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, evaluated the ISV-based 81mm Scorpion Autonomous Engagement System during Exercise BALIKATAN 2026 in the Philippines. During live-fire operations, soldiers successfully fired 20 rounds from two separate systems in under two minutes, demonstrating the platform’s speed, precision, and ability to deliver responsive indirect fires in support of distributed combat operations.
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Editor’s Footnote: Scorpion Light is an operationally proven mortar system known on this side of the Atlantic as Alakran.
