The Ukrainian military has a brand new weapon within the battle in opposition to Russian invaders: Valve’s Steam Deck handheld.
As Vice report, Ukraine’s TPO Media not too long ago posted some movies and images of a brand new variation of the Sabre weapon system on its Fb web page. The Sabre, whose full identify is the Sabre Distant Weapon Station, was constructed from scratch by Ukraine again when Russia first invaded the Crimea, and paid for by a crowdfunding website setup to assist fund Ukraine’s defence.
The Sabre is actually a sentry gun, a remote-controlled weapons platform that may be positioned the place wanted then operated from a distance, with out danger (or with decreased danger) to the consumer. Whereas initially conceived as a defence in opposition to UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Automobiles), it was rapidly discovered {that a} real-life sentry gun was helpful in every kind of battlefield conditions the place a defensive place was required.
The primary version of the Sabre (seen within the video above) was managed with a joystick, and aimed utilizing a separate monitor system, however a 2023 replace is seeing the Sabre outfitted with one thing a bit extra fashionable: a Steam Deck, which is ready to mix each the controls and the display on the one machine.
Right here’s some footage of the most recent mannequin in motion—which as you’ll be able to see has had different enhancements throughout the board, decreasing its measurement and streamlining its design—displaying how the consumer can sit protected in a close-by trench whereas the weapon fires:
This newest mannequin of the Sabre can fireplace a lot of various kinds of ammunition, and might be mounted both on the bottom or a automobile. TPO say the efficient vary of the Steam Deck’s hyperlink to the weapon is round 500 metres (1600 toes), and that along with the direct digital camera feed it additionally comes outfitted with a lot of additional sensors.