Ordnance Development Division
Good crews are built, not bought...
The Ordnance Development Division (ODD) of Freedom Forge Armory is a specialized indirect fire research, testing, and training organization focused on the safe, disciplined, and effective employment of mortar systems in lawful operational, training, and research environments.
Founded and operated by combat veterans and experienced firearms, mortars, artillery, and aviation professionals, ODD bridges the gap between historical mortar knowledge, modern fire control technology, and practical field application. The Division was established to address a growing lack of institutional knowledge surrounding crew-served indirect fire systems, particularly within civilian, contractor, historical, and defense-adjacent communities where access to formal doctrine-based instruction is often limited or nonexistent.
ODD combines real-world gunnery principles, structured crew procedures, live-fire testing, and modern digital systems to deliver professional-grade instruction and technical insight grounded in actual operational methodology rather than entertainment or hobbyist practices. Our focus is not simply on firing mortars, but on developing disciplined processes, repeatable standards, and safe operational capability.
The Division supports lawful civilian destructive device owners, defense contractors, training organizations, private military and security companies, historical weapons programs, and specialized research efforts requiring expertise in indirect fire systems, mortar gunnery, and ballistic evaluation.
Our work centers around six core areas:
Safety, Compliance & Risk Management
Safety is foundational to every ODD operation. All activities are conducted within applicable federal, state, and local regulations with strict adherence to established range safety procedures, operational risk management principles, and controlled live-fire protocols.
ODD incorporates formalized:
- Risk mitigation procedures
- Ammunition accountability systems
- Maintenance tracking
- Operational planning
- Range safety standards
- After Action Review (AAR) processes
Our operational philosophy emphasizes disciplined preparation, procedural compliance, and continuous improvement to reduce unnecessary risk while maintaining realistic and effective training environments.
Mortar Gunnery & Fire Direction Training
ODD operates a doctrine-based mortar gunnery and indirect fire training program emphasizing safety, communication, crew coordination, and disciplined firing procedures. Instruction ranges from introductory familiarization for lawful civilian owners to advanced fire direction, observer procedures, and coordinated indirect fire operations for professional organizations and defense-adjacent customers.
Training programs focus heavily on:
- Crew-served weapons discipline
- Fire direction procedures
- Observer operations
- Safety T development and enforcement
- Mission planning
- Adjustment of fire
- Ammunition handling and accountability
- Chart verification and manual gunnery methods
- Integration of digital fire control systems
Our philosophy is built around the understanding that effective indirect fire operations are fundamentally a process-driven discipline requiring technical understanding, communication, and repeatable standards rather than guesswork or improvised methods.
Ordnance Testing & Evaluation
ODD conducts controlled live-fire testing and technical evaluation of mortar systems, inert ammunition, ignition cartridges, increment charges, and related components under realistic field conditions. Testing is designed to evaluate ballistic consistency, muzzle velocity, dispersion patterns, system wear, reliability, and operational limitations.
Using modern observation methods, structured data collection, and doctrine-informed firing procedures, ODD generates practical performance data intended to support safer operation, improved consistency, and more informed development decisions. Unlike static laboratory-only analysis, our testing programs are designed around the realities of field use, environmental conditions, crew operation, and live-fire execution.
Digital Fire Control Development - I3-FIRES
ODD is the development home of I3-FIRES, a modular digital fire control and mission management platform designed specifically for mortar systems and decentralized indirect fire operations.
Developed through extensive field testing and iterative feedback, I3-FIRES combines traditional gunnery principles with modern digital workflows to provide intuitive target processing, ballistic computation, mission planning, environmental integration, and firing solution management in both structured and austere operating environments.
Unlike legacy military systems designed around large institutional infrastructures, I3-FIRES was built from the ground up with a focus on:
- Simplicity
- Speed
- Modularity
- Human verification
- Degraded operations capability
- Real-world usability under field conditions
The system is designed to support, not replace trained personnel by maintaining manual validation procedures and doctrinal workflows alongside automated ballistic tools.
Development of Training Aids & Systems
ODD works to improve the training aids and systems available to civilian destructive device owners, defense contractors, training organizations, private military and security companies. Our efforts in this field include:
- Reusable and configurable mortar training ammunition and components.
- Realistic UXO training aids.
Consulting & Technical Support
ODD provides consulting and technical support services for organizations and individuals requiring specialized knowledge related to mortar systems, indirect fire operations, range development, testing procedures, training programs, and ammunition evaluation.
Support services may include:
- Range planning and safety consultation
- Mortar system familiarization
- Training program development
- Ballistic data collection
- Ammunition compatibility assessment
- Operational procedure review
- Historical mortar system support
- Indirect fire capability development
First Responder UXO & Hazard Recognition Training
ODD also provides specialized awareness-level instruction for Fire & EMS, law enforcement, emergency management personnel, and other first responders who may encounter unexploded ordnance (UXO), military munitions, or explosive hazards during emergency operations.
This training is focused on recognition, scene safety, hazard identification, and proper response procedures prior to the arrival of qualified Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) personnel.