The US Army has awarded Tampa-based Global Military Products a USD 12.9 million (EUR 11 million) contract for the procurement and integration of Scorpion Light mobile mortar systems under the Department of Defense Ordnance Technology Consortium (DOTC) Other Transaction Authority (OTA) framework, the company announced on 3 September 2026.
The award supports the integration of Scorpion Light 81 mm mobile mortar systems with US Army digital fire control technologies and government-furnished M253 mortar barrels onto the US Army’s new Infantry Squad Vehicle–Utility (ISV-U) platforms.
The Scorpion Lights are the first auto-lay mortar systems to be delivered to the US Army.
Designed to enhance expeditionary indirect-fire capabilities, the next-generation Scorpion Light system “delivers a highly mobile, digitally enabled mortar platform capable of rapid emplacement, autonomous targeting and precision engagement in support of distributed operations”, the company stated. “The integration of advanced fire control architecture significantly accelerates the sensor-to-shooter kill chain, enabling faster target acquisition, digital fire mission processing, and rapid engagement of multiple targets with reduced crew workload and increased survivability.”
“The enhanced capabilities provided by the next-generation Scorpion mobile mortar system directly support the army’s Transformation Initiative and its transition toward smaller, more agile and highly lethal combat formations prepared to address emerging threats in complex operational environments,” James Knight, director of Global Military Products, was quoted as saying in a company press release. “Over the past two years we have worked closely with army stakeholders and soldiers to continuously evaluate, iterate and refine the Scorpion platform based on operational feedback. This contract award reflects the success of that collaboration and our commitment to delivering a fully integrated mobile mortar capability that increases lethality, improves operator safety, and provides unmatched tactical mobility for the warfighter.”
Over the past two years, the US Army and Global Military Products have collaborated through Soldier Enhancement Program (SEP) initiatives and Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) efforts to refine, test and incorporate direct soldier feedback into the development of the Scorpion Light mobile mortar system. These iterative efforts “have significantly advanced the platform’s mobility, lethality, survivability and operational effectiveness”, the company stated.
The latest evolution of the system integrates advanced digital fire control capabilities and the Nett Warrior (NW) networked communications architecture, enabling rapid target acquisition, precision fire missions and near instantaneous re-aiming with minimal crew intervention.
“This fully digital architecture streamlines and accelerates the sensor-to-shooter kill chain by enabling seamless target handoff between systems, digital fire mission processing and autonomous mortar engagement capabilities,” asserted Global Military Products. “For the first time soldiers can rapidly prosecute multiple targets with a highly mobile, digitally enabled autonomous mortar platform, significantly increasing responsiveness, accuracy and operational tempo in contested environments.
Most recently, soldiers assigned to the Multi-Purpose Company, 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, evaluated the ISV-based 81 mm Scorpion Autonomous Engagement System during Exercise ‘Balikatan 2026’, which took place in the Philippines from 20 April to 8 May. During live-fire operations, soldiers successfully fired 20 rounds from two separate systems in under two minutes, demonstrating the platform’s speed, precision and ability to deliver responsive indirect fires in support of distributed combat operations.
