Elbit Wins ORCWS Turret Orders

ORCWS-30, firing(click to view full) A number of countries buying new armored personnel carriers, or refurbishing old ones, are abandoning conventional turrets and/or top-mounted machine gun stations in favor of unmanned turrets with multi-spectral sensors (zoom camera, infrared/thermal, night vision, et. al.) and launchers for smoke grenades et. al. – all controlled from within the vehicle using a joystick and screen. While there are many competitors at the lower end of the Remote Weapons System field, Israeli firms RAFAEL (RCWS-30, wins include Czech Republic) and Elbit Systems (ORCWS-30, wins include Belgium) have also fielded higher-end offerings that pack 30mm autocannons with 7.62mm coaxial machine guns, and can add anti-armor and/or anti-aircraft missiles for extra punch. These systems add less weight than conventional turrets, don’t offer the same profile exposure, and can even fold flat for air transport. On July 25/07, Elbit Systems announced a pair of contracts worth $55 million with Eastern European countries for its ORCWS systems… Contracts ORCWS on Piranha(click to view full) Note that ORCWS stands for Overhead Remote Controlled Weapon System. July 25/07: Elbit Systems announces a contract to supply overhead remote controlled weapon stations and unmanned turrets, as well as other electronic and electro-optical systems […]