Spot On

Written by Adam Baddeley

Attention: open in a new window.

SOTECH 2010 Volume: 8 Issue: 1 (February)

Put the Spot on the Target and You
Will Also Put the Round on Target

With accuracy comes greater effect; for small arms, that means giving every soldier the right lightweight optical sight to engage both moving and static targets quickly and instinctively. For the majority of users, that has to be done without impairing situational awareness in the close fight. However, long arms also need the ruggedization hitherto associated with much smaller sights, but still must possess the long range excellence so necessary for the sniper and designated marksman. Various approaches and combinations of sight and technology are being explored, each offering their own advantages, with the operator and mission often determining the preferred solution.

AIMPOINT

Aimpoint is the originator of the red dot sight, and essential design has changed little, except for continued reductions in terms of size, weight and power. Kyle Harth, military national sales manager for the company, outlined the core design. “Battery life and rugged construction are really what we pride ourselves on, and we have gone the extra mile in both those directions to ensure that soldier has that kind of optic.”

Battery life is enhanced by the use of Micro-LEDs, which Harth contrasts with competitors, who he says use a standard sized small pinhole mask. “Our latest M68 close combat optic [CCO] for the Army runs on a single AA battery for 80,000 hours, which is well over eight years. Just by taking that single AA battery and making it last eight years, we remove a huge logistics burden from the battlefield.” Discussing the line’s durability Harth said, “We can take our sights off the gun systems, throw them 30 to 40 yards across a room, have somebody throw them back and still have the same point of aim and point of impact.”

Aimpoint’s largest customer is the U.S. Army for the M68 CCO, which represents several versions of the CompM sight. The original contract was for the CompM, followed by a second for the CompM2, with a further award for the smaller CompM4, which uses a single AA battery. The latest contract, signed in mid-2009, was for 560,000 CompM4s. Whatever the version, all are designated the M68 by the Army.

Harth said, “Once we have delivered that, we will have approximately 1.25 million sights in the inventory in the Army alone. That will fill the Army’s requirement for an optic for every servicemember.”

Aimpoint has won every M68 CCO contract. Harth said, “None of the other manufacturers have ever passed the durability testing. Aimpoint actually had several optics in the competition, all of ours made it through.”

The original M68 was also in the SOPMOD Kit Block 1 issued across the SOF community. Aimpoint sights are also part of SOPMOD Block 2 and the company is competing for Block 2.5 currently.

Harth commented that a key requirement from the SOF community was lighter-weight sights. The company’s MicroT1 sight, for example, weighs just four ounces and gets five years of life out of a watch battery. The technology is also creating interest within the Army and Marine Corps’ respective efforts in terms of lightening the load.

Discussing other applications for the sight, Harth said, “The Asymmetric Warfare Group (AWG) has been working on a project for a little over a year now, issuing units deploying out with our MicroT1 with our 3x magnifier behind it for longer shooting, in lieu of the M68 CCO. All they have to do is rotate the 3x magnifier in and out behind the MicroT1 and they are able to perform close quarters engagement out to medium range engagement. That is part of an SOF movement through the AWG to provide that combination into the mainstream Army.”

At the other end of the scale is the MPS-3 sight, built with a ballistically compensated mount that is specifically tailored for the M2HB. Harth described it as “a giant CompM4s.”

Aimpoint is currently working on sights for low velocity 40mm grenade launchers, regardless of manufacturer, with several working prototypes that have completed testing for a number of European NATO countries with subsequent orders. The U.S. Army is currently conducting their own testing.

“Our red dot system becomes your reference dot for aiming the system. When you aim it, you hit a button and it lases a target. When the target is lased, it puts that back into the system, and it instantaneously acquires get a range to target and you get a second dot. That second dot allows you to elevate that up to strategy and it becomes your aiming dot for your grenade. We are achieving about 300 percent increase in hits. The ranging is good for calling in air strikes, not just for your 40mm.”

A similar system is being developed for the Carl Gustav. A further throwaway system is being developed together with Saab Bofors for use with the AT-4 that can’t be picked up and used on another weapon systems once discarded.

TRIJICON

The central concept behind Trijicon’s advanced combat optical gunsights (ACOG) is the Bindon aiming concept, which enables the use of the magnified optics with both eyes open, targeting multiple targets reflexively.

Shaun M. Rategan, manager, domestic programs at Trijicon’s Military & Law Enforcement Division explained the science behind it: “You have a boldly illuminated reticle and your shooting eye behind the optic sees that, and it stores that image in your brain just like we see anything else. Your non-shooting eye also sees the target environment and the brain will merge those two images, so that you see the reticle in your target environment seamlessly.”

As complicated that sounds, Rategan explained that it only takes about 10 minutes to be trained to do this. “What it does is allow you to use that magnified optic with both eyes open so that you retain situational awareness. You can also use it reflexively so you are not limited to looking through the tube of the scope as you would in a traditional sniper type scope. You see 100 percent of your vision as if you had both eyes open; you can locate, identify and recognize targets that you would otherwise not be able to with a 1x sight.”

The ACOG’s recent history shows a decisive move into machine gun optics, adding to their success in other infantry small arms. The Marine Corps have just adopted a variant of the ACOG for their M249s, known as the Squad Day Optic, which is a 3.5x ACOG with the company’s ruggedized miniature reflex sight on top. For the Marine Corps’ M240 inventory, a 6x ACOG designated the Medium Day Sight has been selected.

Numerically, the largest number of ACOGs is the M150 Rifle Combat Optic with roughly 130,000 in service with the Army.

Army units are also buying a scaled up version of the ACOG for use with the .50 cal M2, using unit specific funds. A competitive formal program of record for such a capability is being actively considered by the Army with an RFI expected this year.

Rategan explained, “That is a 6x ACOG with a large ocular lens and large objective lens, built specifically for a machine gun and compensated for the effective ranges of the weapon. It’s difficult to look through a magnified optic while moving in a vehicle or boat, simply because of the terrain and the lack of tolerance in the mounts. So, we put large reflex sight on top of the ACOG so that when you are moving you have a reflexive sight and you have the ability to locate, recognize and identify targets and increase hit probability substantially.” An integrated laser rangefinder is also provided with this heavy weapons sight that actually shows the range inside the field of view.

Trijicon is also looking at providing a red dot sight to replace or augment iron sights on pistols, providing shooters with a single focal plane collimator sight, making it much easier and much faster to acquire targets. Rategan reported that several pistol manufacturers are looking at the concept.

ELCAN

While there are many providers of small arms red dot and reflex sights, ELCAN considers their SpecterDR sights to be technically outside that classification. David Dalrymple, manager of global marketing at the company, believes that the development of their new SpecterDR dual-role combat sight renders previous red dot technologies effectively obsolete. Dalrymple said, “The urban combat environment for the dismounted infantry soldier puts an [almost] insurmountable challenge on the sighting system for small arms. On the one hand, a sight has to be fast with a wide field of view for close quarters combat. That is ideal for a red dot sight.

“However, it must also enhance the shooter’s accuracy and target identification at ranges beyond 50 meters. This is the benefit of a magnified optic. If you want to support the soldier’s mission, which sight will you provide and train them with? Or do you give them both, and expect them to switch sights under enemy fire? How much extra expense, weight and training do you burden the soldier with in order to give them the right piece of [equipment]?”

The SpecterDR provides the user with a dual field of view, allowing the user to switch instantly between a 1x close quarter battle with a very wide field of view and a 4x magnified sight with a generous field of view and long eye relief. The sight provides identical eye relief and cheek weld in both modes, quite unlike any other combat sight. Dalrymple explained that because of ELCAN’s heritage of developing customer solutions for the military, the company opted to develop what he describes as a radically different approach.

“As state of the art goes, however, SOCOM and elite forces have moved on to selectable magnification as a more flexible sighting system. The pivotal feedback we get is regarding the inability to ID targets at longer range with red dot and reflex sights. At 150 meters, even at dusk, any soldier worth his salt can hit a target with a RD [red dot] sight. But, is it a man with a gun or a woman with a broom? To a professional soldier, reliable ‘kill/no kill’ identification is a paramount issue.” At dusk or early dawn the target is actually brighter through a good magnified sight than it is to the naked eye.

ELCAN designed the SpecterDR sight to switch instantly from a 1x red spot sight to 4x precision fire with ranged reticle out to 600 meters. In 1x mode, it has a wider field of view (24 degrees) than most reflex sights. With the throw of a lever it is instantly on target at 4x (6 degrees field of view). It does so with no change to eye-relief or exit-pupil and with the same cheek weld for both modes. This perfectly coincided with the requirements of the U.S. Navy Crane (SOPMOD), and they have adopted this sight as the SU-230/PVS for special operations missions. ELCAN has subsequently developed a 1.5x-6x SpecterDR model that supports both 5.56mm and 7.62mm calibers for designated rifleman roles. According to Dalrymple, “This is an elite warfighter sight intended for missions requiring both near and far targeting capability. There is nothing else like it, and our patented system will ensure that exclusivity for a long time to come.”

ELCAN’s newest red dot sight is for one of the most venerable weapons in the arsenal, the .50 caliber M2HB. The sight in question is the SpecterHR or heavy reflex, a panoramic sight designed to meet the requirement for the Enhanced Combat Optical Sight-Heavy as an alternative to conventional red dot sights.

optic sees that, and it stores that image in your brain just like we see anything else. Your non-shooting eye also sees the target environment and the brain will merge those two images, so that you see the reticle in your target environment seamlessly.”

Numerically, the largest number of ACOGs is the M150 Rifle Combat Optic with roughly 130,000 in service with the Army.

ELCAN

Dalrymple explained that because of ELCAN’s heritage of developing customer solutions for the military, the company opted to develop what he describes as a radically different approach.

SCHMIDT AND BENDER

One of the most important U.S. military programs for Schmidt and Bender (S&B) is the precision sniper rifle (PSR) expected to begin in earnest this year, a new sniping platform based on lessons learned from Iraq and Afghanistan. Based on the .338 Lapua round, the PSR requirement is to be capable of ranges of up to 2 kilometers. S&B hopes to compete with their new configuration of the proven 5-25 x 56 PM II riflescope.

Sylvia Ehinger from S&B said, “There are only a handful of scopes with the quality and magnification that will match that .338 caliber requirement out to 2 kilometers.”

The stringent PSR requirements state that the weapon and sight must be submersible to up a depth of 75 meters, a requirement that has hitherto been limited to just 3 meters. S&B have recently completed testing in which the sight was submerged to 82 feet/25 meters for a period of four days. Such a capability would allow the weapon system to be carried by divers when leaving a submarine.

Ehinger said, “This scope will feature a patented locking turret technology and more tactile click (MTC) elevation turret, allowing the user to quickly determine the zero point and subsequent adjustments by feel, even in the dark. The windage turret also includes one MTC at zero position.”

The 5-25 x 56 PM II is now being offered in a variety of Mil-Std colors, including the ceramic-based, extremely durable Cerakote.

All product development is performed at S&B’s headquarters outside of Frankfurt, Germany. In order to support the growing U.S. customer base, S&B Inc, USA has expanded their offices to include a new service and production facility in Portsmouth, N.H. The new facility is operational as of January 2010. The facility is co-located at the Wilcox Inc building with other European companies such as Heckler & Koch and Vectronix.

Schmidt and Bender has a long tradition of supplying high precision riflescopes for military/law enforcement professionals worldwide. S&B’s sole product line is riflescopes, making them an expert in the high precision optical market. Some of the U.S. military organizations that use S&B scopes are U.S. Army Special Forces, U.S. Coast Guard, Navy SEALs, FBI, Secret Service and many other elite units.

In response to requests from the special forces community, S&B has just introduced the 1-8 x 24 PM short dot. At its lowest magnification it provides a true one-power CQB scope. At the other extreme, a full 8x magnification range allows precision shooting at all but the longest ranges. Ehinger said, “The first focal reticle combined with a second focal plane flash dot makes it one of the most highly versatile and advanced close quarter combat riflescopes on the market.”