G5 Ragnarok 120mm Mortar Unveiled at DSEI 2025 in London

Defense Feeds – G5 Ragnarok 120mm Mortar was unveiled at DSEI 2025 in London as Germany’s Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft (FFG) presented a tracked ACSV G5 fitted with Rheinmetall Norway’s MWS120 Ragnarok mortar system.

This was the first public showing of the pairing, demonstrating how the modular G5 chassis can host heavy indirect-fire systems without needing a full redesign.

Ragnarok Mortar System: High Rate of Fire and Mobility

The Ragnarok 120mm mortar, known officially as the Mortar Weapon System 120 (MWS120), first appeared in 2019 and was designed for simple operation and fast deployment.

Unlike some fully automated mortar carriers, the system remains manually loaded but still achieves impressive firepower.

Rheinmetall reports that skilled crews can fire up to 18–20 rounds per minute, with battlefield demonstrations showing that a typical four-shot fire mission can be completed in less than sixty seconds.

The weapon relies on electric drives for azimuth and elevation, supported by mechanical brakes as a backup.

Its total weight ranges between 650–1,000 kilograms depending on configuration, making it light enough for integration on heavy tracked vehicles, lighter wheeled carriers, or even towed trailers.

Technical features include automatic laying from digital fire-control data, rapid alignment even on uneven terrain, and a user interface that supports quick target engagement with published accuracy under 2 mils.

A dual recoil-absorbing mechanism ensures the mortar can fire maximum charges without transmitting excessive force into the host platform’s structure.

This protection allows integration on lighter vehicles without compromising safety or service life.

Importantly, the system does not require a bespoke fire-control computer, meaning it can connect to existing NATO-standard ballistic computers and command networks used by customers.

Rheinmetall has also emphasized logistic flexibility: most standard 120mm smoothbore or rifled mortar barrels in service worldwide can be used with the system, simplifying adoption and sustaining firepower in coalition or expeditionary operations.

Before its debut on the tracked G5, the Ragnarok module was trialed in several forms. In 2022, it was mounted on Hungary’s Gidran 4×4 armored vehicle, later demonstrated on the widely used Boxer 8×8 platform, and displayed as a towed trailer version tested during cold-weather exercises in Sweden during 2022–2023.

The trailer platform features a built-in power supply and lowering baseplate, making it deployable by light tactical vehicles while still enabling rapid set-up and withdrawal.

In all formats, crews retain the option to remove the barrel for traditional ground-mounted operations, ensuring continuity with legacy doctrine when necessary.

The ACSV G5: A Modular Combat Support Vehicle

The ACSV G5 is part of FFG’s multipurpose tracked vehicle family aimed at modern armed forces seeking adaptable support solutions.

Weighing more than 20 tonnes, it is powered by an MTU six-cylinder engine producing 460 kW, paired with a ZF automatic transmission enabling high maneuverability including pivot turns.

Running on Soucy composite rubber band tracks, the G5 reduces ground pressure, vibration, and acoustic signature compared to steel tracks, while still offering road speeds above 70 km/h and a range exceeding 600 kilometers.

G5’s design philosophy centers on modularity. The platform features a mission deck sized to fit 10-foot ISO container modules with standardized data, electrical, and hydraulic interfaces.

This allows military units to swap mission packages in the field, converting the same base vehicle to serve in roles such as armored personnel carrier, command post, recovery vehicle, radar carrier, engineer support, or weapons platform.

The Ragnarok mortar shown at DSEI 2025 was fielded on such a containerized mission module.

By adopting common interfaces and ISO container compatibility, the system reduces lifecycle costs for operators through shared spares, unified training, and simplified maintenance.

This approach ensures vehicles can be rapidly reconfigured to meet operational demands instead of requiring a separate fleet for each specialized role.

International Interest and Operational Potential

Norway is the first confirmed operator of the ACSV G5, ordering around 50 vehicles across support variants including transport, engineer, radar, and counter-rocket, artillery, and mortar (C-RAM) platforms.

The Netherlands has committed to 45 tracked air defense variants on the G5 chassis, including the NOMADS and Skyranger 30 systems, with deliveries scheduled from 2028.

Dutch defense planning documents also reveal interest in up to 150 general-purpose combat support vehicles where the G5 is considered a lead candidate.

The vehicle shown in London bore markings of both confirmed customers—Norway and the Netherlands—as well as a Ukrainian flag, which industry observers interpreted as either a marketing gesture or a hint of ongoing discussions.

No official announcements of delivery to Ukraine have been made, but the symbolism highlights wider European interest in modern mortar and support vehicle concepts that prioritize mobility and survivability.

From an operational standpoint, marrying the G5 and Ragnarok mortar system gives NATO armies a mobile, protected high-volume fire support option.

Unlike traditional foot-mobile mortars relying on baseplates in static positions, the self-propelled mortar can fire and move rapidly, reducing exposure to counter-battery radars and enemy precision strikes.

The ability to conduct “shoot-and-scoot” missions enhances survivability, while preserving interoperability by using in-service ballistic software and ammunition.

Conventional bipod-mounted mortars remain cost-effective and will continue to serve frontline units where simplicity and portability matter most.

However, in high-threat theaters where counter-battery systems pose near-instant risk, the G5 Ragnarok adds responsiveness, fire volume, and protection.

By combining modular architecture with a proven high-rate mortar, this new integration reflects a broader shift in European forces towards adaptable, networked support vehicles prepared for contested battlefields.

At DSEI 2025, the debut of the Ragnarok-fitted G5 illustrates not just a new weapon-carrier pairing, but also the rising importance of modular, survivable artillery platforms in NATO doctrine.

With confirmed exports, growing interest, and battlefield demand for rapid indirect fire, the system is positioned to play a significant role in future European and allied operations.