What is an essential pre-firing check for mortars?

An essential pre-firing check for mortars involves confirming the stability of the mortar setup. This is critical because a stable setup ensures that the mortar will fire accurately and safely. If the mortar is unstable, it can lead to misfires, unintended trajectories, or even the mortar tipping over during firing, which poses significant risk to personnel and equipment. Stability checks typically include verifying that the ground or platform is level, that the base is secure, and that all components of the mortar are properly assembled and intact.

While other checks, such as adjusting elevation settings and calculating wind speed, are important for accuracy and precision once the mortar is operational, they do not address the fundamental need for a secure firing platform. Loading new equipment, while necessary for operational readiness, pertains to logistics rather than the immediate safety and effectiveness of the firing process. Therefore, ensuring the stability of the mortar setup is paramount before any firing can be conducted.