Remotely-controlled weapons systems have drastically reduced the number of Soldiers needed for perimeter security at an expeditionary base camp here.
“Every Soldier I have assigned to securing the perimeter is one I don’t have that can execute support missions,” said Lt. Col. Raphael Heflin, commander, 142nd Combat Service Support Battalion, or CSSB, 1st Armored Division.
At a conventional combat outpost, it takes four to six Soldiers doing eight- or 12-hour shifts to man one weapons system on the perimeter, he said.
Using relatively new remote control weapons systems, he said, pointing to a series of unmanned, weaponized towers at the edge of the razor wire, two Soldiers inside the base camp tactical operation center can do the security work once done by 10.
The 142nd CSSB is among the many Army and other military service units – along with a 14-member coalition from mostly NATO nations – participating in Network Integration Evaluation 16.1, also called an NIE. The evaluation runs from Sept. 25 to Oct. 8. In all, about 9,000 participants are evaluating new and emerging network solutions.
Capt. Robert Scott, officer-in-charge of the 142nd CSSB’s base defense operation center, explained how the remote-control weapons system works.
The systems, including the expeditionary towers atop which they’re mounted, are known as containerized weapons systems, he said.
One expeditionary tower “can be put together by six Soldiers in less than an hour, with minimal training,” Scott said. When it’s time to pack up and leave, everything fits neatly back inside the container.
While just about any gun system can be mounted on the tower, the two Scott pointed out were fitted with a Browning M-2 50-caliber machine gun and a 338 Lapua sniper rifle.
The weapons can be raised, lowered, rotated by 360-degrees and fired remotely, he said.
Scott introduced the operators who ran the systems. They sat inside a container with multiple large screens in front of them. To control the weapons, they used software called the Joint All Hazard Command Control System, which Scott said serves as the brains of the “Tower Hawk System.”
On their screens were views outside the perimeter, including normal video feeds as well as thermal and infrared views. Scott said that the weapons systems are even more effective at night. “Anything moving at night we see long before they see us,” he said, adding that “they” refers to the bad guys.
The system even differentiates between good and bad guys. Once the enemy is detected, the system plots coordinates, allowing the operator to take out the target, be it personnel or vehicles.
Read more:Â Remote-controlled weapons augment Soldiers on perimeter at NIE 16.1
The Latest on: Remote-controlled weapons
[google_news title=”” keyword=”Remote-controlled weapons” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Remote-controlled weapons
- ‘Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver’ Review: The Second Half of Zack Snyder’s Sci-Fi Debacle Is Almost as Disastrous as the Firston April 19, 2024 at 12:00 am
Any hope for the second part of Snyder's Netflix epic has been dead since December, but it's still shocking just how lifeless this movie feels.
- How Israel and Iran went from ‘best friends’ to arch-enemies on the cusp of all-out waron April 18, 2024 at 8:23 pm
When Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini launched an Islamic revolution in Iran in 1979 and overthrew the country’s pro-Western leader, one of the first things he did was cut ties with Israel.The two ...
- How the US Army botched a $1 billion upgrade of the Stryker armored vehicle's gunon April 18, 2024 at 2:28 pm
Fearing its Stryker armored vehicles risked being outgunned, the US Army rushed to arm them with a 30-mm autocannon.
- How America Can Prevent War Between Iran and Israelon April 17, 2024 at 9:44 pm
Six months of grueling war and dire humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip have strained U.S. domestic politics and decision-makers’ bandwidth, and so Washington has little appetite to address ...
- South Wales explosion: Firefighters rush to BAE systems military weapons factoryon April 17, 2024 at 10:38 am
A military weapons factory has been rocked by an explosion. The incident has taken place at BAE Systems Glascoed in Monmouthshire, south Wales. South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: "At 10.49am on ...
- BAE Systems: Explosion at military weapons factory in Monmouthshireon April 17, 2024 at 9:27 am
South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said the incident happened at the BAE base in Glascoed, Monmouthshire on Wednesday morning. | ITV News Wales ...
- Philippine Navy tested Spike NLOS anti-ship missile fitted with Acero class fast assault interdiction crafton April 15, 2024 at 7:33 am
Developed by Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the Spike NLOS missile system is equipped with advanced electro-optical and infrared sensors, offering day and night operational ...
- Rheinmetall to supply Mission Master SP UGVs to Japan for testingon April 7, 2024 at 5:00 pm
and a remote controlled weapon station – to the JGSDF in January 2025. The contract also includes a long-term support and training programme, as well as spare parts, Rheinmetall added.
- Australian Army tests remote firing capability of uncrewed APCon April 3, 2024 at 5:00 pm
The uncrewed M113, equipped with EOS' R400 remote weapon system (RWS), “successfully” engaged targets at distances of 300 m and 600 m during the exercise, EOS added. The RWS integrated on the M113 APC ...
- Novator AFV With New Ukraine-Made Remote-Controlled Turret Completes Testson March 12, 2024 at 8:10 am
The Tavria-14.5 turret is a remote-controlled unmanned turret, armed with a 14.5 mm machine gun (KPVT) with an ammunition set of 200 rounds. The highest-end unique weapon controller, which ...
via Bing News