During March 2023, several militias operating in Sagaing Province, in northwestern Myanmar, released documentation of improvised mortar systems they manufactured that have entered operational service in attacks against military and security forces throughout the region. All of the presented mortar rounds were produced by metal casting, a method first employed by the armed groups in Myanmar during the second half of 2022. Every component, down to the smallest part in the fuse, is produced from scratch. In addition, the improvised rounds, which undergo intensive test firing, are almost identical to military ammunition, demonstrated in the design, proportions and high finish level of the munition items produced, and especially the manner of firing, which is different from the unique firing method that has characterized improvised mortar bombs produced by the militias in Myanmar to date. The recently presented items are evidence of a significant step up in the local production of artillery, which, despite the extremely limited means available to the militants, has managed to reach a level that emulates military artillery, and undoubtedly produces more effective results. Improvised artillery is currently one of the most strategic weapons in field warfare employed by the militants against the Myanmar Army, allowing them to take advantage of their control of the field to maximize the effectiveness of their attacks against security forces while maintaining the safety of their operatives, essentially serving as a force booster.
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