Its turret mount gave it continuous traverse and, unlike muzzle-loading infantry mortars, it could engage targets of opportunity at close range that could not otherwise be suppressed with indirect fire.

The CM60A1 was unique in that it was the first turret-mounted, breech-loading, dual-purpose mortar to be mass-produced. This turret could store about 43 mortar projectiles. AML-60s were fitted with an HE-60-7 turret developed by the Compagnie Normande de MГ©canique de PrГ©cision (CNMP), which mated the CM60A1 mortar to twin co-axial machine guns or a single co-axial 20mm autocannon. The result, the Panhard AML-60, entered service in 1961. A number of French defence contractors took up the challenge of creating yet another new vehicle of similar dimensions to the Ferret but carrying a mortar, which was regarded as more effective than a large gun system at breaking up ambushes and suppressing dispersed FLN positions. Nevertheless, Ferrets could only be armed with a single general-purpose machine gun, and were regarded as inadequate for offensive purposes. The French Army wanted a much lighter, more efficient vehicle that was easier to maintain and initially adopted the Daimler Ferret for this purpose. However, these vehicles had been designed for conventional combat on European battlefields and proved poorly suited to Algerian conditions their heavy anti-tank armament also risked collateral damage and was of limited usefulness in fighting off guerrilla raids. France had initially favoured the deployment of swift, lightly armoured cars against the Algerian National Liberation Front (FLN), including the M8 Greyhound and Panhard EBR. The Brandt Mle CM60A1 was developed as a result of French counter-insurgency experiences during the Algerian War.

St etienne mle 1907