REMOTE WEAPON STATION deFNder Medium

Remotely Controlled Operated Weapon System FN Herstal Belgium

deFNder medium FN Herstal Remote Weapon Station Belgium Belgian defense industry 925 001

Description

The deFNder Medium is a Remote Weapon Station (RWS) designed, developed, and manufactured by the Belgian firearms Company FN Herstal. Taking advantage of its long-standing firearms expertise, FN Herstal designed and developed a complete family of remote weapon stations called deFNder™. The deFNder Medium can be armed with FN M2/M3 12.7mm caliber as well as a 40mm grenade launcher. The deFNder Medium can be integrated into all types of tracked or wheeled armored vehicles as well as light tactical vehicles allowing firing under armor of the vehicle. Recently, the turret has been testes using a 30mm automatic cannon mounted on UGV (Unmanned Ground Vehicle). The deFNder™ Medium is capable of fulfilling a wide range of missions such as self-defense, infantry fire support and combat missions - also in an urban environment - when mounted onto a light, medium or heavy vehicles, surveillance and observation, escort, checkpoint, perimeter defense and more.

Land Remote Weapon Station variants:

- deFNder™ Light with MINIMI 5.56 light machine gun
- deFNder™ Light with MINIMI 7.62 machine gun
- deFNder™ Light with MAG machine gun
- deFNder™ Medium with M2 heavy machine gun
- deFNder™ Medium with M3P heavy machine gun


Technical Data

Design
As for the deFNder light, the deFNder™ Medium FN Herstal is composed of two major subassemblies. The first one is the above deck, with an armament module, including a 7.62mm machine gun, sight module, ammunition box, mast with azimuth and elevation actuators, and slip ring. The second part is the below deck, with the operator's console, including a display for target visualization and engagement, and the control handle for aiming, firing and sight selection. The deFNder™ Medium provides the best ratio depression/elevation range [-42°; +73°] (depending on weapon type) versus height (633mm). The deFNder™ Medium is the only remote weapon station capable of integrating the exclusive FN Herstal M3P machine gun, which has a unique firing rate of 1,100 rounds per minute.
Weapon Systems
The deFNder™ Medium is the medium weight Remote Weapon Station (RWS) of deFNder family. The deFNder™ Remote Weapon Stations provide optimized remote firing capability while keeping the operator completely under armor protection in order to meet today's operational requirements. The deFNder™ Medium has been designed with a low silhouette "above deck", less than 640 mm high, with a total weight of less than 120 kg without weapon and ammunition. The deFNder™ Medium weapon station is also designed with soft recoil mount and universal cradle which increases hit probability. The soft recoil cradle is optimized for firing performance and reduced level of shocks and vibrations. The RWS can be configured for a variety of weapons including the MINIMI 5.56 (M249), MINIMI 7.62 (MK48), MAG (M240), M2HB, M2HB-QCB, M3P machine gun and 40mm AGL Automatic Grenade Launcher. 
Command and Control
To control the deFNder™ Medium weapon station, there is an operator console and control handle. Fire control and weapon management functions include single shot and adjustable length burst options, fired round counter and end-of-belt cut-off. The operator interface features a display console for target identification and engagement at 8,500m; 3,400m and 1,750m, along with a single handle that controls sight selection, aiming and firing. 
Accessories
The standard version of deFNder™ Medium weapon station is equipped with and IR thermal uncooled camera which can be used for day and night combat operations mounted at the right side. One ammunition box is mounted at the left side with a capacity of 200 rounds of .50 caliber.
In option, the deFNder™ Medium weapon station can be equipped with a full range of accessories as:
- IR thermal cooled cameras
- LRF + ballistic computer
- Two-axis gyroscopic stabilization
- Add-on modular ballistic protection (STANAG 4569 Level 1 or level 2)
- Higher ammunition box capacity up to 500 rounds of .50 cal
- Smoke grenade launcher kits
- Interface with various sensors (e.g. SADLS, LWR)
- Weapon protective cover
- Target tracking and autoscan

Specifications

Weapons Integration Soft Recoil Cradle
MINIMI 5.56 (M249), MINIMI 7.62 (MK48),
MAG (M240), M2HB, M2HB-QCB, M3P and
40mm AGL on a universal cradle, cannon up to 30mm
Optimized firing performance and reduced level of
shocks and vibrations
Traverse Angle Elevation Angle
360° -40° + 70° depending on weapon type
Traverse Speed Elevation Speed
90°/sec maximum 60°/sec maximum
Above deck height Above deck weight
Less than 640mm Less than 120 kg, excluding weapon and ammunition

Details View

FN Herstal deFNder Medium 925 001
   
 deFNder Medium Remote Weapon Station RWS Belgium defense industry right side 315 001
 deFNder Medium Remote Weapon Station RWS Belgium defense industry left side 315 001

Pictures - Video