U.S. Army Adopts Android App for Mortar Fire Control
The U.S. Army has standardized the Mortars App, an Android-based fire control application for M32A2 mortar units, as of March 2026. Developed by DEVCOM Armaments Center at Picatinny Arsenal, it replaces two legacy systems from 2003 and 2004. The app runs on smartphones and tablets, eliminating dedicated laptop hardware. Tested by the 82nd Airborne Division with minimal training, it features a modular, update-friendly architecture. The modernization began in 2015 with a Marine Corps request and finished ahead of schedule.
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Army mortar crews replace legacy laptops with new smartphone app for fire control
The U.S. Army has officially approved and released the Mortar App, a new smartphone and tablet application that replaces two-decade-old software systems used by mortar crews to calculate firing data and ballistics. Approved in March 2026 after roughly three years of testing and six years of development, the app runs on Android devices and was designed by Julia Gustafson, a computer engineer at the Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center. Soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division reportedly used the app effectively with minimal training. The app evolved from a 2015 Marine Corps request and is now in its fourth iteration since its initial 2023 release. It replaces the Mortar Fire Control Software (2003) and the Lightweight Handheld Mortar Ballistics Computer (2004), offering easier updates and a modern, user-friendly interface while retaining the legacy workflow for experienced crews.
Army TimesUS Army mortar crews replace legacy laptops with new smartphone app
The US Army has officially approved the Mortar App for all mortar units, replacing two-decade-old software systems used for calculating firing data and ballistics. Developed over six years and tested for three, the app runs on Android smartphones and tablets, offering a modern, user-friendly interface. Project lead Julia Gustafson noted that soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division used it effectively with minimal training. The app retains the workflow of legacy systems like the Mortar Fire Control Software (2003) and Lightweight Handheld Mortar Ballistics Computer (2004), easing the transition. It evolved from a 2015 Marine Corps request and is now in its fourth iteration, with easier update capabilities. The shift from laptops to mobile devices marks a significant modernization of fire control for Army mortar crews.
Military TimesArmy mortar crews trade laptops for phone app
The U.S. Army has officially replaced its 20-year-old mortar fire control software with a new smartphone application called the Mortar App, approved for release to all Army mortar units in March 2026. Developed over six years and tested for three years by the Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center, the app runs on Android devices and allows soldiers to calculate firing data and ballistics using smartphones or tablets instead of legacy laptops. Project lead Julia Gustafson noted that soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division used the app effectively with minimal training. The app evolved from a 2015 Marine Corps request and is now in its fourth iteration, offering easier updates and a user-friendly interface while retaining the workflow of the legacy Mortar Fire Control Software and Lightweight Handheld Mortar Ballistics Computer systems from 2003-2004.
Army TimesArmy mortar crews replace legacy laptops with new smartphone app for fire control
The U.S. Army has officially approved the 'Mortar App' for all mortar units, replacing two-decade-old software systems (Mortar Fire Control Software from 2003 and Lightweight Handheld Mortar Ballistics Computer from 2004). Developed over six years and tested for three, the Android-based app runs on smartphones and tablets instead of laptops. Project lead Julia Gustafson, a computer engineer at the Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, said soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division used it effectively with minimal training. The app retains the legacy workflow for intuitive transition. It evolved from a 2015 Marine Corps request and is now in its fourth iteration since its 2023 initial release. The app allows easier updates and modernizes mortar fire control calculations.
Army TimesArmy mortar crews trade laptops for phone app
The U.S. Army has replaced its 20-year-old mortar fire control software with a new smartphone application called the Mortar App. Approved for release to all Army mortar units in March 2026 after three years of testing and six years of development, the app runs on Android devices, allowing soldiers to use smartphones and tablets instead of laptops. The app was developed by the Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center, led by computer engineer Julia Gustafson. Soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division used the app effectively with minimal training. The app retains the workflow of the legacy system for intuitive transition. It evolved from a 2015 Marine Corps request and is now in its fourth iteration, with easier update capabilities compared to the previous Mortar Fire Control Software and Lightweight Handheld Mortar Ballistics Computer systems from 2003-2004.
Military TimesUS Army mortar crews replace legacy laptops with new smartphone app for fire control
The US Army has officially approved the Mortar App, a smartphone and tablet application that replaces 20-year-old software used by mortar crews to calculate firing data and ballistics. Developed over six years and tested for three, the app was released to all Army mortar units in March 2026. Project lead Julia Gustafson, a computer engineer at the Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, said the app is modern, user-friendly, and responsive. Soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division used it effectively with minimal training. The app runs on Android devices, replacing the Mortar Fire Control Software and Lightweight Handheld Mortar Ballistics Computer from 2003-2004. It evolved from a 2015 Marine Corps request and is now in its fourth iteration, with easier update capabilities than its predecessors.
Military TimesUS Army Adopts New Android Mortars App for Fire Support
The US Army has officially approved and begun rolling out a new standardized mobile application called the Mortars App, designed to help soldiers adjust mortar fire using Android smartphones and tablets. The app received final clearance in March 2026, with the rollout announced in early June. It replaces the Mortar Fire Control Software and Lightweight Handheld Ballistic Computer, systems that have been in use for two decades and relied on outdated hardware and code bases. Developed by the US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Armaments Center, the app has been tested by units including the 82nd Airborne Division, who adopted it with minimal training. The app is modular, intuitive, and designed for easy updates, marking a modernization of mortar fire control technology. The article also notes historical context, including Syrian rebels using an iPad app for similar purposes, and mentions ongoing military efforts to automate mortar systems with GPS guidance.
Task & PurposeU.S. Army Adopts New Android Mortars App for Fire Support
The U.S. Army has officially approved and rolled out a new standardized mobile application called the Mortars App, designed to help soldiers adjust mortar fire using Android smartphones and tablets. The app received final clearance in March 2026 and was announced in early June. It replaces the aging Mortar Fire Control Software and Lightweight Handheld Ballistic Computer, which had been in service for two decades. Developed by the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Armaments Center, the app has been tested by units including the 82nd Airborne Division, which adopted it with minimal training. The app is modular, intuitive, and runs on Android devices, with potential for porting to other operating systems. It represents a modernization effort to replace outdated hardware and software that relied on different code bases and aging developer expertise. The article also notes historical precedent, such as Syrian rebels using an iPad app for mortar aiming, and mentions ongoing military tests of GPS-guided automated mortar systems.
Task & PurposeU.S. Army Adopts New Android App for Mortar Fire Control
The U.S. Army has officially approved and rolled out a new standardized mobile application called the Mortars App, designed to enable accurate mortar fire using Android smartphones and tablets. The app received final clearance in March 2026 and was announced in early June. It replaces the aging Mortar Fire Control Software and Lightweight Handheld Ballistic Computer, which had been in service for two decades. Developed by the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Armaments Center, the app has been tested by units including the 82nd Airborne Division, which adopted it with minimal training. The app is modular, intuitive, and can be updated more easily than its predecessors. It is currently approved for use with the M32A2 mortar fire control device. The article notes that using digital technology for mortar fire is not new, referencing Free Syrian Army use of an iPad app during the Syrian Civil War.
Task & PurposeU.S. Army Adopts Android App for Mortar Fire Control
The U.S. Army has standardized the Mortars App, a smartphone-based fire control application, for all M32A2 mortar units as of March 2026. Developed by engineers at Picatinny Arsenal's DEVCOM Armaments Center, the app replaces two legacy software systems: the Mortar Fire Control Software (MFCS) from 2003 and the Lightweight Handheld Mortar Ballistics Computer (LHMBC) from 2004. The app runs on Android phones and tablets, eliminating the need for dedicated laptop-class hardware. The 82nd Airborne Division reportedly learned the system with minimal training. The app is built on the Common Fire Control Framework, a modular, device-agnostic architecture. Version 4.0 completed formal testing in January 2024. The modernization effort began in 2015 with a U.S. Marine Corps request, and active planning for the app started in 2020, finishing ahead of schedule in 2023.
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