Image source: topwar.ru
The US Marine Corps has shown testing of an automated guidance system for standard rifles, which, according to the developer, will allow fighters to defend themselves from the growing threat from drones.
The FCS fire control system, created by the American startup ZeroMark, includes an automatic adjustment mechanism to accurately adjust the aiming point. Currently, this SLA is being tested in the 3rd Marine Division in Hawaii.
The system uses advanced machine vision technology with electro-optical cameras and LiDAR sensors to detect and track targets. Its distinctive feature is a movable motorized stock that adjusts the angle of the rifle to optimize shooting accuracy, allowing the fighter to hit drones more effectively.
Unlike existing analogues, such as the SMASH 2000 series from the Israeli company Smart Shooter, ZeroMark's FCS uses advanced computer vision algorithms to control the barrel of a weapon and is able to correctly perform small angular adjustments to achieve maximum shot accuracy.
Image source: topwar.ru
The SLA includes a small computer and a motorized buttstock, which creates a conditional fulcrum between the shoulder and the rifle, allowing you to adjust the trajectory of the shot within a small range and compensate for deviations caused, in particular, by the movement of the drone and the shooter. Installing the SLA on any rifle takes only 30 seconds.
- explained in the startup.
His supervisor Joel Anderson, a former US Navy serviceman, says that the idea of a new SLA came to his mind when he was driving a Tesla with autopilot and wondered why such technology was not available to soldiers.
According to him, he does not want an AI weapon, "which never misses," to end up in the hands of the police. To prevent potential misuse of it, the company has implemented remote management and license-based activation functions.
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FCS devices are already being used by private security firms to protect facilities such as ships from threats related to piracy. ZeroMark is negotiating the supply of SLA to Ukraine and is discussing with the Pentagon the possibility of testing and evaluation, which may lead to large orders.
In addition to the homing capabilities, Anderson suggests that the software from ZeroMark can be used to solve other tasks, for example, installing it on cameras to determine the types of UAVs, their accessories or the payload placed on drones.
In the long term, he plans to integrate the system into displays or auditory interfaces of fighters to provide soldiers with important information in real time.
Anderson said.
