The U.S. Army standardized the Mortars App across all mortar units in June, replacing two fire control software systems that had been in service since the early 2000s, the Army announced June 4.

Developed at the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Armaments Center at Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey, the app received clearance for M32A2 mortar fire control in March 2026.

It replaces the Mortar Fire Control Software (MFCS), fielded in 2003, and the Lightweight Handheld Mortar Ballistics Computer (LHMBC), fielded in 2004, consolidating both programs into one Android-based application that runs on smartphones and tablets.

Both legacy systems ran on separate code bases and were locked to specific hardware, meaning any device transition required rebuilding the software entirely. The Mortars App is built on the Common Fire Control Framework, a device-agnostic architecture designed to port to future operating systems without starting from scratch, the structural fix its predecessors lacked.

“We created the solution that had such an impact on the [Fire Control Systems and Technology] Directorate and Soldiers, and were able to provide something modern, user friendly and responsive,” said Julia Gustafson, software project lead and computer engineer at DEVCOM’s Armaments Center at Picatinny.

The 82nd Airborne Division adopted the app with minimal training, the Army said. Development began in 2020, rooted in a 2015 Marine Corps request for an Android LHMBC. An initial version launched in 2023. The current 4.0 iteration completed formal testing in January 2024.

Further advances are in development, Gustafson said, with updates requested on accelerated schedules. “I’m really proud of the team I work with. Everyone on my team, they’re as enthusiastic with everything on the App as I am. I’m blessed with a great team, and this wouldn’t have happened without the smart, dedicated people here,” she said.