81 mm mortar ammuniton, 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, Operation JANUB ZILZILA, Zabul, Afghanistan, 2008

Digital photograph by Sergeant Ian Houlding, Royal Logistic Corps, 2008.

81 mm mortars are mobile support weapons and can fire high explosive, smoke or illumination rounds that provide infantry and airborne forces with much-needed support, with a maximum range of 5,650 metres.

In 2008 elements of 16 Air Assault Brigade, including the 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, were deployed to the mountainous province of Zabul, near the border with Pakistan. The proximity of the border with Pakistan made the area an ideal location for Taleban forces to rest and recuperate. British forces were tasked with securing a supply route and confronting any insurgents in the area.