The SWORD Defence Systems (SPUR ™) robotic special-purpose rifle is specially designed to provide accurate fire from unmanned platforms.
As representatives of the American arms company SWORD Defense Systems note in a post on the manufacturer's official website, their development ensures safe and reliable deployment of the weapon system, giving the operator the ability to load and safely use the weapon at a distance, reports ArmyInform.
These features also give the operator the ability to troubleshoot and safely unload the platform for recovery. 6.5 Creedmoor cartridges allow for accurate fire up to 1200 m. SPUR ™ can also use the 7.62×51 NATO cartridge if appropriate ammunition is available. Thanks to its powerful sensors, SPUR ™ can operate in a variety of conditions, both day and night.
The development was called the «Unmanned Special Purpose Rifle» (Special Purpose Unmanned Rifle, SPUR) and is made in the form of a removable module.
The SPUR autonomous gun debuted on the exhibition floor of the main annual’convention of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) in Washington, D.C. The rifle was developed in cooperation with the Vision-60 robot dog developed by Ghost Robotics.
Such robotic four-legged devices are actively introduced to the defense market by companies from different countries and equipped with a variety of weapons. In particular, our editorial team previously reported on the Thermonator robot dog, which is equipped with a compact ARC flamethrower with an electric drive.
Speaking of weapon details, the SPUR is based on a semi-automatic rifle that uses a proven short-stroke piston design. The model is available in two calibers, making it versatile for tasks requiring high accuracy at medium and long distances.
For flexibility, the rifle is equipped with the following key components:
Optics and sensors:
— High-definition day sight.
— Thermal vision module for night vision operations.
These systems allow the rifle to be used effectively at any time of the day and in difficult weather conditions.
The actuators are perhaps the most important part of the SPUR, turning it into an autonomous combat unit. The executive mechanisms provide:
Remote loading of weapons.
— Installing and removing the fuse.
— The shooting process.
— Discharge and eliminate major delays.
The standard magazine has a capacity of 10 rounds. This may seem like a limitation, but this choice is due to the tasks of point use, and not massed fire.
Control is carried out remotely via a secure communication channel. The automatic ballistic system provides accurate calculation of the shot trajectory, minimizing the human factor.
SPUR is not just a rifle, but a system that can be integrated into various carriers. At the NDIA Future Force Capabilities Expo, the rifle was demonstrated on a robot dog, which caused a real stir. Platforms such as quadropods are highly mobile and can be used in urban environments, difficult terrain, or even indoors.
This demonstration highlighted the conceptual flexibility of SPUR: it can be mounted not only on ground robots, but also on unmanned aerial vehicles or stationary systems.
Robotic weapon systems such as SPUR can find applications in a variety of scenarios:
— Strategic asset protection: mounted on a stationary platform, the rifle is capable of monitoring the terrain around the clock and automatically responding to threats.
— Targeted military operations: using SPUR on drones or ground robots minimizes risks to the lives of operators.
— Suppression of sabotage groups: thanks to the autonomous ballistic calculation system and thermal imaging capabilities, SPUR becomes an effective tool for detecting and elimination enemy.
SPUR includes a thermal imaging camera with 30x magnification, which means that in the middle of the night, a remote operator can easily detect living and breathing targets.
The Vision-60 and SPUR tandem is designed to allow soldiers to approach a targets at close range without putting themselves in danger.