L16A1

The L16A1 is an 81mm medium mortar developed in the United Kingdom, designed for infantry support. It is a man-portable, muzzle-loaded, high-angle-of-fire weapon used for indirect fire against personnel and light fortifications.

Developed in the late 1950s as a joint venture between the United Kingdom and Canada to replace the aging World War II-era 3-inch mortar, the L16 entered service with the British Army in 1965. Its successful design, featuring a unique blast attenuation device, led to its adoption by numerous global militaries, including the United States where it was designated as the M252. The weapon saw extensive combat deployment during the Falklands War, where its portability proved decisive in rugged terrain, as well as in later conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Today, the L16A1 remains a standard-issue support weapon for the British Armed Forces and several international partners, celebrated for its enduring reliability.