Abstract: A mortar munition includes a mortar tube; an opening in the wall of the mortar tube; a spring loaded valve assembly disposed in the opening in the wall of the mortar tube; a solenoid having a plunger, the plunger being disposed to open the spring loaded valve assembly; and a vacuum source connected to the spring loaded valve assembly.

Abstract: A mortar munition includes a mortar tube; first and second openings in the wall of the mortar tube, the first opening being closer to a breech end of the mortar tube than the second opening; a spring loaded valve assembly disposed in the first opening in the wall of the mortar tube; and a shoe assembly disposed in the second opening in the wall of the mortar tube. The spring loaded valve assembly is connected to a vacuum source. The vacuum source pulls the mortar bomb rearward in the tube. The shoe assembly includes a shoe that bears on the mortar bomb to hold it in place when the tube is in an elevated position.

Abstract: A mortar bomb retention apparatus for retaining a mortar bomb in a mortar tube includes a lever arm; a lever positioner in which the lever arm is rotatably mounted; a generally cylindrical housing having a central opening therethrough, the central opening comprising a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion, the lever positioner being fixed to the housing; a shoe disposed in the central opening in the housing; a compression spring disposed around the shoe in the large diameter portion of the central opening; and a shoe cap attached to an end of the shoe, one end of the compression spring bearing against the shoe cap, a portion of the lever arm contacting the shoe cap wherein rotation of the lever arm is operable to force the shoe downward.