Aasen mortar

The Aasen mortar (Mortier Aasen) was a 3.5-inch (88.9-mm) gun-mortar (or bomb thrower under the classification of the time). The Aasen was invented in France in 1915 by Nils Aasen, a Norwegian arms designer. It was adopted by the Russian Empire in 1915-1916, and was used during the First World War.^[1][2]

Aasen mortar
Type	Gun-mortar
Place of origin	France
Service history
Used by	Russian Empire
Wars	First World War
Production history
Designer	Nils Aasen
Designed	1915
Specifications
Mass	54.2 lb (24.6 kg)
References

The barrel of the mortar was steel. Aasen mortar was a breech loading weapon so a shell was loaded separately and the bolt action discharging a blank rifle round connected to a barrel. This device was a modified form of the obsolete Gras rifle, which was transferred to Russia by France in substantial numbers. The hoisting mechanism was made of two slats, attached to the rear of the barrel, and rod folding rack. The weight of the mortar in firing mode was approximately 1.5 pood (54.2 lbs).^[3]

Comparison of Russian Front mortars (1915—1917)^{[citation needed]}

Mortar weight	Calibre in mm	Total weight of shell	Explosive shell	Muzzle velocity in meters/second	Rate of fire, rounds/minute	Maximum range (meters)
G.R. 9 cm mortar	91	bomb 3,3	0,7	100	4-5	500
Aasen	88.9	grenade 1,2	0,4	—	—	400
20mm	20	grenade 2,45	0,17	61	—	—
Lihonin mortar	48	bomb 3,0	0,34	16,8	—	500