British Army gets drone-killing rifle sights

[The Heretic]

British Army gets drone-killing rifle sights

To help counter the increasing threat of micro and mini drones, the British Army has shelled out £4.6million (US$5.8 million) to equip the infantry's SA80 A3 assault rifles with the SmartShooter SMASH Smart Weapon Sight Fire Control System, which is a special sight that allows a soldier to…

newatlas.com

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[Alexx1401]

Interesting idea. Anyone know if they actually work?

 

[Hueco]

When the sight is properly aligned, the gun is then allowed to fire,

I don't think I'd feel comfy putting a computer between me and the bang switch.

 

[The Heretic]

Interesting idea. Anyone know if they actually work?

Hopefully it works better than the rifle they are putting it on

 

[ma96782]

Yeah. That is.....IF......the drone didn't move since getting a good sight picture.

But then.....will the drone zig or will it zag? Or maybe.....the intent, is to fill the sky with .223 and pray?

Hummmmm......sort of like watching those WW2 films where the ships are being attacked by enemy aircraft and every anti-aircraft battery is trying to defend the ship. Only the flight path was a little more predictable (back then).

Aloha, Mark

 

[The Heretic]

I don't think I'd feel comfy putting a computer between me and the bang switch.

This is the future for military weapons; a sight that lets the rifle fire when the rifle points at a designated target.

 

[The Heretic]

Yeah. That is.....IF......the drone didn't move since getting a good sight picture.

Aloha, Mark

I think the idea is that you hold the trigger back and then scan the area for the drone. When the sight crosses the drone the rifle fires. There are variations of this for other targets/sights.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Might be cheaper/better to outfit a soldier or two with a Mossberg 590A1....loaded with some #6 birdshot.
Andy

 

[Alexx1401]

Might be cheaper/better to outfit a soldier or two with a Mossberg 590A1....loaded with some #6 birdshot.
Andy

I was thinking the same thing but, then some contractor would not make millions selling some new system.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I was thinking the same thing but, then some contractor would not make millions selling some new system.

That is so true.
I have no doubt some contractor for the Roman Army made a few nummus aureus with his better than before pilum...
Andy

 

[ma96782]

I think the idea is that you hold the trigger back and then scan the area for the drone. When the sight crosses the drone the rifle fires. There are variations of this for other targets/sights.

So then, probably a SG type approach.
BUT, But, but......the average SG might lack the range.

So......mount the sight on a good "cannon" (w/smart exploding type of projectile) and you might have something.

Example: The 5" Naval cannon (w/proximity fuse) did a pretty good job (back in the day). Of course, you wouldn't want to haul around that sucker.

Aloha, Mark

PS....Yes, there are systems already on the battlefield, though costing millions. So yeah.....the NEW gun, would have to be cost effective too. And, NOT take years and millions to develop.

 

[The Heretic]

So then, probably a SG type approach.
BUT, But, but......the average SG might lack the range.

So......mount the sight on a good "cannon" (w/smart exploding type of projectile) and you might have something.

Yeah, the 5" Naval cannon did a pretty good job (back in the day).

Aloha, Mark

I think the idea is to have a man portable weapon - in this case an infantry rifle.

I would suppose they would allow the sight to be turned off so the weapon could be used at will for regular uses.

They also may have one or more of these sights for designated "drone killers" and the rest not - or maybe all of them (I suppose it would depend on cost/weight/size/etc.). The article doesn't say how what the tactics might be - I am just assuming. Having 2-3 "drone killers" in a squad would allow several infantry rifle persons to try targeting a drone in the hopes that one of the shots would take the drone down.

Certainly drones will increasingly become an issue. Other articles have said the US military doesn't really have a solution.

 

[Yarome]

It looks like it's able to identify UAV's, calculate the flight path and gives adjusted aiming cues based on speed, distance and trajectory.

Kinda cool actually. Drones can be all different sizes so difficult to judge distance and leading a moving target at a guesstimated distance that can travel at 30-40mph+ isn't easy. Basically having a personal auto targeting system taking all the guess work out... cool indeed!

Standard field optics integrated so no need to have dedicated "drone hunters". Seamless switching between 2 legged and UAV targets.

 

[MTpockets]

Home - smart-shooter

Smart Shooter develops state-of-the-art Fire Control Systems for small arms that significantly increase weapon accuracy

www.smart-shooter.com

https://www.youtube.com/@smartshooter_ltd

VORTEX has a variation

Edit to add:

AUDS...Drone defeating system...employs multiple options.

This Army fires experiment covers detection, jamming, drone kill chains and new ways to shoot artillery

Industry experts bring a variety of solutions for Army fires problems.

www.armytimes.com

 

[ma96782]

Yup.....man portable.
Or maybe perhaps an area defense system (used by a small "anti-aircraft" unit).

Though sexy.....missiles.....just cost too much. And anyway.....production is backlogged. But of course, RTX, AJRD, and who ever else.....would love more contracts for the "Military Industrial Complex".

I'm thinking more of an "off the shelf" system.

Aloha, Mark

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Batteries die or get lost....bad weather interferes with the aiming / guidance system...
No thanks...
I'd rather train with existing firearms and more basic , simple tech ...and adapt it to work.
Andy

 

[ma96782]

Certainly drones will increasingly become an issue. Other articles have said the US military doesn't really have a solution.

U.S. Marines jam an Iranian drone in the Gulf, destroying it

The U.S. “took defensive action” against a drone that had “closed into a very, very near distance,” Trump said.

www.nbcnews.com

BUT, But, but....perhaps it's too expensive or just impractical (for now/at this stage) and of course we wouldn't want the "enemy" to capture one and share the "secrets". Not to mention, that it's probably NOT "man portable".

Aloha, Mark

PS.....BUT, But, but......things are getting smaller.

The system is comprised of two vehicles — one a "command node," and the other a "sensor node." The vehicles are outfitted with radar sensors, cameras, and radio frequency detectors and jammers. Once the crew is able to detect a threat, they use the jammer to disrupt the signals from the drone.

Taken from:

A US Navy ship used a new drone-defense system to take down an Iranian drone

The first-known ‘kill’ by an energy weapon

www.theverge.com

 

[slimmer13]

Might be cheaper/better to outfit a soldier or two with a Mossberg 590A1....loaded with some #6 birdshot.
Andy

I'm guessing most drones operate at altitude that's out of shotgun range.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I'm guessing most drones operate at altitude that's out of shotgun range.

That could be true.
However the article mentions smaller ones that are being used...so....maybe it should be many drones...not most drones..?
Andy

 

[ma96782]

Yeah...."drones" come in all shapes and sizes. Not to mention, the different tasks that they carry out.

Carry a camera for surveillance?
Carry a grenade or several?
Carry a missile or big bomb?

But yeah......the OP's example was probably meant for the smaller sized stuff.

Aloha, Mark