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French Company Arquus has developed a family of Hornet Remote Weapon Station (RWS) designated Lite and Standard on the company’s E-xpo virtual defense exhibition. The development of ARQUUS RWS includes three types of weapon stations including T1, T2, and T3. At Eurosatory 2018, ARQUUS has showcased three variants of its remote weapon stations under the new commercial name, the Hornet, the Hornet Lite, and the Hornet S (Standard).
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ARQUUS Hornet Remote Weapon Station RWS mounted on French Army Griffon 6x6 armored vehicle. (Picture source Army Recognition)
The basic version, called Hornet, is stabilized only in 3 axes. It can be armed with a 7.62 mm or a 12.7mm machine gun as well as a 40mm automatic grenade launcher. The sighting system is mounted to the right of the main armament that includes a TV camera, thermal channel and laser range finder. The ammunition box is fitted to the left side of the turret with 300 12.7mm rounds, or 1,000 7.62mm rounds or 64 rounds of 40mm grenades. The lower part of the turret is also equipped with the Galix electrically operated grenade launchers systems with a bank 8 smoke grenade dischargers.
The Hornet is electrically powered with a traverse of 360° and elevation from -20° to +60°. The turret is controlled from inside of the vehicle using a screen control panel and joystick. The Galix is a passive countermeasures system developed and manufactured by the French company Lacroix. The system is able to detect a threat and launches smoke grenades to hide the vehicle. It can work in manual or autonomous mode.
The ARQUUS Hornet Remote Weapon Station is selected to be fitted on the new Griffon 6x6 armored vehicle which is now in service with the French armed forces.
The family of Hornet RWS shares common elements to reduce through-life cycle costs. All of these Hornet RWS have common features including electrical firing, automatic cocking, round counter, and expended cartridge case and links recovery. They are connected to the electronic architecture of the platform and have embedded simulation compatibility.
The Hornet range of RCWS is highly dependable and delivers optimum connectivity, with the tactical situation being displayed on a screen. Arquus delivers all the component parts: high-precision mechanics, secure electronics, optronics and image processing, dynamic control.
ARQUUS Hornet Lite RWS Remote Weapon Station. (Picture source Army Recognition)
The Hornet Lite is the light version in the family of Hornet Remote Weapon Station (RWS). It can be fitted with one 7.62mm machine gun, but it can carry only 400 ammunitions of 7.62mm. This turret features can be operated in automatic and manual mode.
The 7.62mm machine gun is mounted in the center of the weapon station, with the optic sight on its right and the ammo box on its left. The optic pod includes day and infrared cameras as well as laser range finder.
The Hornet Lite is electrically powered and stabilized in two axes. She has a traverse of 360° and elevation from -20° to 60°.
ARQUUS Hornet S Remote Weapon Station RWS mounted on French Army Jaguar 6x6 armored vehicle. (Picture source Army Recognition)
The Hornet S (Standard) is the most sophisticated version in the ARQUUS Hornet RWS (Remote Weapon Station) family. The turret can be armed with one 7.62mm machine gun with an ammo box of 550 rounds of ammunition ready to fire.
The machine gun of the Hornet S RWS is mounted in the center of the weapon station while a panoramic sight is located to the left side with the ammo box. The Hornet is fitted with the PASEO sensor POD manufactured by the French Company Safran. Relying on its unique expertise in inertial and infrared technologies, Safran Electronics & Defense designed PASEO, the latest-generation of advanced panoramic sight to improve the survivability and fighting capabilities of the Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV) and Main Battle Tanks (MBT). Highly versatile, PASEO is perfectly suited to 30-125 mm Gunner and Commander's applications as well as Forward Observation Artillery. Effective day and night, it provides a true "fire-on-the-move" capability, with a high first-round hit probability, whether on static or moving targets. Designed to meet the various requirements of modern warfare, symmetric and asymmetric, PASEO provides unique features to increase the situation awareness for armored and surveillance vehicles In option, the PASEO can be fitted with a ballistic computer, line of fire management, and an automatic scanning and target tracking capability.
The Hornet S is electrically powered and stabilized in three axes. She has a traverse of 360° and elevation from -20° to 60°.
The Hornet S is selected by the French to be mounted on the Jaguar 6x6 armored reconnaissance and combat vehicle that will enter in service with the French army in 2021/2022.
