[4] What was needed to overcome the deadlock and give attackers an advantage was light, portable, simple, and inexpensive heavy firepower.

[5] Inspired by the success of the French Mortier de 240 mm introduced in 1915 the Imperial German Army's Ingenieur Komitee (Engineering Committee) or "IKO" submitted the design for a closely related heavy mortar.

Great Britain, Italy, the United States, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire also produced their versions of the Mortier de 240 mm.

The IKO mortar entered production in 1917 and was produced by a number of German companies such as Maschinenfabrik Germania, Oberschlesische Eisenbahn-Bedarfs-AG, and Wolf Netter & Jacobi.

[2] Like the Mortier de 240 mm the IKO was a smooth bore mortar that used separate loading propellant charges and projectiles.