| Menon | |
|---|---|
 A triple-barrel Menon ASW mortar mounted in front of the superstructure aboard the Italian frigate Cigno, 1959 | |
| Type | Anti-submarine mortar |
| Place of origin | Italy |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1956–1980s |
| Used by | Italian Navy |
| Production history | |
| Produced | 1956–1960s |
| Variants | Short barrelled |
| Specifications | |
| Crew | 3 |
| Shell | 160 kg (350 lb) |
| Calibre | 305 mm (12 in) |
| Barrels | 3 |
| Maximum firing range | 1,500 yd (1,372 m) |
Menon was an anti-submarine mortar used by the Italian Navy during the Cold War. Introduced in 1956, it was used on the Centauro-class and Bergamini-class frigates and Impetuoso-class destroyers until their retirement in the 1980s.
Description
The Menon system fired a 305-millimeter (12 in) projectile weighing 160 kilograms (350 lb) to a maximum range of 1,500 meters (4,900 ft). It fired 21 rounds in 70 seconds that covered an area of about 90 by 180 square yards (75 by 151 m).
The initial version consisted of a three-barrel mortar in a rotating, enclosed mounting that was usually positioned forward of the superstructure, but aft of the gun mounts. This was replaced by the K 113 weapon with a single 4.6-meter (15 ft 1 in) barrel in the same type of mounting, albeit with a fixed elevation of 45°. By varying the gas vent valves in the three powder chambers, the weapon had a range between 400 and 900 meters (440 and 980 yd). The K 113 fired a seven-round pattern, loaded automatically from a seven-round cylinder.
Short-barreled models were also used, although details are lacking.
Cites
Bibliography
- Archer, Denis, ed. (1976). Jane's Pocket Book of Naval Armament. New York: Collier Books. OCLC 937976566.
- Friedman, Norman (1989). The Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Weapons Systems. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-793-3.