Desert T-ATV
If the mission is desert border patrol and open area security, Sand-X Motors has a mobility solution targeted to that environment. In cooperation with Swiss Arms AG of Switzerland, the company has produced what it claims is the perfect solution with their tracked all-terrain vehicle.
Weighing about 463 pounds, the Sand-X 800 T-ATV has a maximum speed of about 115 miles per hour and a range of more than 217 miles. The liquid-cooled two-cylinder 800cc Rotax engine is also fuel-injected.
Operated much like a motorcycle, the front wheels are spread far apart for stability with the Kevlar-composite rear track providing the propulsion. The operating payload is about 660 pounds.
The version that SOTECH observed and photographed was only designed for a single operator. It is not clear if a larger version is or has been considered.
Jordanian UGV
The King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau (KADDB) has been the leading innovator of defense systems in the Middle East for several years. They have led several unmanned programs in the past, including a relatively new version of its unmanned ground vehicle. The 6x6 UGV is designed to fulfill missions in both military and civil security roles. The all-wheel electric-drive utilizes skid steering, can carry a 242-pound payload and can be tele-operated at a range of about 0.6 miles.
Operating subsystems include a day/night camera, ultrasonic and infrared systems, a meteorological sensor and a drive camera. The UGV has also been shown in several armed configurations including 7.62 mm machine gun or twin anti-tank guided missiles.
Missile Launcher Sight
Tula (Tulatochmash) of Russia has released information on a sighting device for a single-use “grenade” launcher. The proposed grenade launcher comprises a launcher tube accommodating the grenade with jet engine, trigger mechanism and sight fitted on the tube side and representing a post with dioptrical holes. The launcher is equipped with the sighting device to put rounds on target and used in conjunction with the weapon’s front sight.
The latter represents a hollow rectangular section plate with dioptrical holes attached to turn vertically and horizontally relative to the launcher tube axis. These turns are allowed for by a spring-loaded joint of appropriate lugs to the plate. There is also a rotary rod fitted on the axle with a spring-loaded cam that locks the plate vertically and horizontally. The cam with the spring is located in the box formed by the forge of clamp mounted to the launcher tube. The plate features horizontal cuts with vertical triangular teeth, which correspond to particular ranges of fire. The values of the ranging cuts are marked on the plate open side. There is a plate attached to the tube side to form a pocket for the folded aiming plate. ♦