U.S. Air Force test gun that shoots drones out of the sky
On Aug. 14, 2019 the U.S. Air Force has showcased the cutting-edge counter-drone, rifle-mounted fire-control system during a demonstration at Beale Air Force Base, California according to a recent USAF news release. Inspired by missile lock-on and fighter jet HUD technology, the application of SmartShoot mitigates multiple sources of marksman error including mis-aim, trigger jerk and shot setup miscalculation.
The new sighting device, called the Smart Shooter, attaches to the weapon and locks on then fires to neutralize its target with or without movement. It can be attached to the M16 assault rifle, M4 carbine, CAR-15 carbine, or other rifles.
Smart Shooter’s fire control solutions were designed to give soldiers and law enforcement officials a precision edge in any given firefight, but the systems bring a range of additional training and operational benefits, and can be employed in a wide range of roles.
Advanced, real-time scenery analysis and targeting algorithms built into the SMASH fire control system can pick out an elusive target (such as unmanned aircraft system), day or night.
According to a 9th Reconnaissance Wing Public Affairs, Col. Andrew Clark: “The 9th SFS Airmen have been using off the shelf commercial technology to help train and improve how their missions are conducted to protect the installation,”
Apparently the rifle equipped with this device is capable of automatically shooting down drones, in the images provided there are several Syma X5SW a cheap video recording capable drone that can be found online for less than 60 dollars is used as a target.
You simply “tagged” a target from wherever you were, and the gun would deliver the target a bullet from about 1,000 yards away, even if it was on the move. An impressive technical feat, sure, but what would happen when the rifle got into the wrong hands?
Meanwhile Kalashnikov’s REX-2 new anti-drone rifle instead uses radio countermeasures which alter the electromagnetic sensors and communications of the target drone thereby altering the tracking and sensing behavior of the incoming threat the so called soft-kill.
