A mortar is usually a simple, portable, muzzled weapon consisting of a smooth metal tube and a light bipod fixed to the base (absorbing recoil). They launched bombs with high ballistic trajectory. Mortars are commonly used as indirect fire weapons to provide short-range fire support with a variety of ammunition.

The mortar vehicle is the vehicle which carries the mortar as the main weapon. Many vehicles have been used to install mortars, from improvised civilian trucks used by insurgents to modified infantry combat vehicles (such as m3 halftrack and M113 armoured personnel carriers) to vehicles specifically designed to carry mortars. Simpler vehicles carry standard infantry mortars, while in more complex vehicles, mortars are fully integrated into the vehicle and cannot be unloaded from the vehicle. Mortar transports cannot be fired while moving. Some fire tools must be unloaded before firing.

Inside or outside the cabin, there are many AFVs and even MBTS that can be equipped with mortars. Israel's Merkava tanks use 60 mm mortars as auxiliary weapons. Russian troops use the 2s4 tyulpan (tulip) self propelled 240 mm heavy mortar, which is one of the largest mortars currently in use.

Most modern mortar systems consist of three main components: barrel, base plate and bipod. Modern mortars usually range in calibre from 60 mm (2.36 in.) to 120 mm (4.72 in.). However, larger or smaller mortars have been produced.

Modern mortars are weapons with muzzle, which are relatively simple and easy to operate. It consists of a tube into which the gunner can drop a mortar shell. When the bullet reaches the bottom of the tube, it hits a fixed striker, which fires the bullet. The tube is usually set at an angle between 45 and 85 degrees from the ground, and a higher angle produces a shorter horizontal circular track. Some mortars have a moving striker operated by a lanyard or trigger.