Tampa-based Global Military Products (GMP) has been invited to participate in the US Army’s Transformation in Contact (TiC) 2.0 initiative with its Scorpion Light 81 mm mobile mortar system, the company announced on 30 September 2025.
GMP’s participation will come under a Soldier Enhancement Program (SEP) contract with the Product Manager for Artillery Mortars and Precision Systems (PdM AMPS).
TiC 2.0 begins on 20 October in Hawaii, where soldiers will first undergo five days of new equipment training from GMP to achieve the operational knowledge and limited safety release required to live-fire the Scorpion Light system. Soldiers will then participate in an additional 10 days of tactical scenarios and simulated combat operations with the system. Training and experimentation will also include the Scorpion Light’s rapid-fire control system, which is designed to elevate operational efficiency with its ability to auto-lay and auto re-aim.
The Scorpion Light 81 mm mobile mortar system can fire eight rounds and relocate in under two minutes, taking just 30 seconds to fire the first round and 30 seconds to displace after firing the last round. The system’s unique, non-seating baseplate allows the system to emplace and displace rapidly and fire on nearly any surface.
For TiC 2.0 the Scorpion Light system and 72 mortar rounds will be fully integrated on two GM Defense Infantry Utility Vehicles (IUVs), which are a variant of the US Army Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV). The modularity of the system, however, means it is platform agnostic and can be integrated onto other vehicle platforms. Integrations have already been completed on a G-Wagon and on Polaris MRZR Alpha 4×4 and 6×6 platforms.
On 20 August 2025 GMP and Polaris used a Scorpion Light system mounted on an MRZR Alpha 6×6 to participate in a live-fire demonstration on Marine Corps Base Quantico in conjunction with the Marine Gunners Symposium.
The system’s “robust design, rugged construction and resilient technologies make it a durable weapon that can withstand the rigors of combat, extreme temperatures, and harsh conditions, while remaining effective,” GMP stated in a company press release, adding that “The Scorpion Light on the IUV has also been certified in the US to be air-droppable and maintains internal air transportability within a CH-47, supporting expeditionary forces.”
James Knight, senior manager for Defense Systems and Energetics at GMP, was quoted in a company press release as stating, “Soldier touchpoints like the TiC 2.0 serve as an invaluable platform for government and industry to collaboratively review, assess and innovate with the latest technologies. Most importantly, they facilitate the utilisation of soldier feedback to inform requirements and expedite the acquisition process for mortar modernization. As a retired army mortarman, I am intimately familiar with the army’s requirements for mortar modernisation and strongly support the TiC initiative to swiftly enhance the mobility, lethality, operator safety and air transportability of these assets.”
The Scorpion Light mobile mortar system, known internationally as the Alakran, has been combat proven across countries in Europe and the Middle East, which GMP says shows “its reliability and effectiveness in diverse and hostile environments”.
