Singapore Airshow 2020: ST Engineering pushes updated Adder Micro RWS for UGV integration

Singapore-based defence prime ST Engineering unveiled its updated Adder Micro remote weapon station (RWS), which has been optimised for unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) applications, at the Singapore Airshow 2020 exhibition held from 11–16 February.

According to company specifications, the Adder Micro RWS weighs less than 50 kg and is equipped with a servo-driven twin weapon cradle that can accommodate a variety of small arms, although the version showcased at the event is armed with two 5.56 mm Ultimax 100 light machine guns (LMGs). Each weapon is fed by a 100 rd drum magazine.

The Adder Micro remote weapon station seen armed with two Ultimax 5.56 mm light machine guns and integrated to a locally developed tracked unmanned ground vehicle chassis. (Jane’s/Kelvin Wong)

The weapon station can traverse a full 360° in the azimuth and elevate at angles of -20 to 60°. It is also equipped with a sighting system that traverses independently from the cradle, with a ×30 optical zoom daylight camera as well as an optional 640×480 pixel resolution thermal camera and laser rangefinder.

A tablet-based operator control unit (OCU) supports tele-operation at ranges of up to 500 m via secure tactical radio communications, with target cueing and automatic tracking activated via touchscreen commands.

Siew Kum Wong, executive vice president of international defence business at ST Engineering, told Jane’s that one of the key features of the Adder Micro is the “high quality” human-machine interface that can be easily customised to meet specific operational requirements.