Have you seen the extended version of ‘Aliens’? In the longer cut, the surviving Marines who are marooned on LV-426 deploy remote sentry weapons outside their makeshift fortress to hold off the advancing aliens while Bishop the android remote-pilots the backup dropship from the orbiting Sulaco to rescue them.

The robotic guns work beautifully — for a while — until the approaching xenomorph horde proves to be too many for the weapons and exhausts their ammunition supply.

SIG SAUER apparently wants to be the supplier of remote weapons systems for the Colonial Marine forces of the future. Toward that end, they’ve just announced the acquisition of Israeli firm General Robotics, maker of robotic and remote weapons platforms.

Here’s their press release . . .

SIG SAUER is extremely excited to announce the acquisition of General Robotics, one of the world’s premier manufacturers of lightweight remote weapon stations and tactical robotics for manned and unmanned platforms and anti-drone applications.

Ron Cohen, President and CEO, SIG SAUER, Inc. began, “This acquisition will greatly enhance SIG SAUER’s growing portfolio of advanced weapon systems.  The team at General Robotics is leading the way in the development of intuitive, lightweight remote weapon stations with their battle-proven solution.” 


Recently, the U.S. Army selected the SIG SAUER lightweight machine gun (XM250), automatic rifle (XM7), and high-pressure hybrid ammunition for the Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW) program, representing a historic step forward in weapons technology. The NGSW program is currently in the early stages of adoption and the U.S. Army will field the weapons at the squad level in 2023. 
 
“The combination of the General Robotics remote weapons station with SIG SAUER’s lightweight squad weapons and high-pressure hybrid ammunition will revolutionize small arms for military forces worldwide. This acquisition exponentially increases the capabilities of our lightweight weapon systems delivering transformative advancements in mobility, greater lethality and battle tested force protection for today’s warfighters,” continued Cohen.


 “General Robotics and all our employees are honored to join forces with global defense leader SIG SAUER to integrate our platforms into a single solution to support military units around the world,” concluded Shahar Gal, CEO, General Robotics.

 

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36 COMMENTS

  1. Thanks for the heads up about the extended version of the film “Aliens”. What are my favorite movies.

    Just as night vision is now so inexpensive that the ordinary person can attain it. I expect a remote controlled weapons system perhaps, using a handgun, could be marketed to the citizenry for a much less expensive cost.

    A “normal capacity” magazine should be sufficient for most residential areas.

    • “expect a remote controlled weapons system perhaps, using a handgun, could be marketed to the citizenry for a much less”

      you can make your own relatively cheaply.

        • “you can make your own [remote controlled weapon system] relatively cheaply.”

          A pawn shop owner tired of repeated burglaries rigged up a special ‘surprise’ for the next burglar that broke in.

          He got a lengthy prison sentence when it worked as intended… 🙁

        • Geoff:

          As far as I understand, remote control doesn’t fall afoul of the anti-boobytrap laws in much of the USA.

        • There are jokes and stories in movies. Where Leonardo da Vinci or Albert Einstein or Jules Verne. We’re all space aliens, who were just visiting Earth. And dropping suggestions to humans about things, they should show an interest in developing.

          Using 21st century gyro stabilizing technology and counterweights I would think it would be fairly simple to replace a paintball gun with a real handgun. All it takes are the tools, the knowledge, and the $$$.

          I fully expect the government, federal, state, local, or a combination of all the above. To eventually restrict the sale and ownership of the 3D printing machine.

          “The Terminator” I believe came out in 1984. The old flip phone is right out of 1966 “Star Trek”. Science fiction now science fact.

          From 2013
          “Game of Drones: where UAVs meet paintbal”
          l
          https://www.cnet.com/news/game-of-drones-where-uavs-meet-paintball/

        • “As far as I understand, remote control doesn’t fall afoul of the anti-boobytrap laws in much of the USA.”

          There’s no rational or moral reason for anti-boobytrap laws to exist. They should be repealed like all these other laws, that prevent the law abiding, from using deadly force if necessary to protect their private property. Those laws are a perfect example of why, we do not live in a free country.

          If we did live in “a free country” then it would be the dead, booby trapped burglar, and his family, if they even exist. That would be forced to accept, the consequences that go along with, the “messy freedom” that everyone claims they want.

        • “If we did live in “a free country” then it would be the dead, booby trapped burglar, and his family, if they even exist.”

          Chris – You believe a literal death sentence is appropriate for a misdemeanor crime?

          By that logic, a few miles over the speed limit can mean the firing squad…

        • Sorry Chris, but trap guns are illegal not because they kill bad guys, but because even an innocent person can be killed by one, and that is the problem. They have been outlawed for centuries. In using one, you cannot claim that you are acting in lawful defense of yourself or others–there is no imminent threat of great bodily injury or death when you aren’t even there.

        • Geoff and Mark N., I believe Chris was thinking of protecting his property, not speeding and imminent need for self defense. It is much less the case now, but in times past, stealing a man’s horse, or his provisions, was tantamount to causing his death if he couldn’t survive without them. Again, this is much less the case these days, but I believe that is what is behind Chris’ argument.

        • to hawkeye

          Thank you hawkeye. Yes I am referring to protecting private property with booby traps. Which I don’t see any moral or ethical reason against using them. An example is the government uses electrified fences. And post signs on them warning people to stay away. Why is it that the government can use such lethal Force to protect government property?

          But the private citizen cannot use the same tools to protect their private property???

          The so-called “Liberty people” here on TTAG and elsewhere really don’t believe the things that they say. And they are in fact part of the government effort, to talk you out of exercising your civil rights.

          I’m sure there are people who are going to say I am being unfair to them. Then explain to me why the government can use lethal Force to protect government property, and a private citizen cannot use the same lethal Force to protect their property????

          So a property owner has to put up with having their things taken from them. They’re one source of transportation stolen. Their home broken into and ransacked.

          The laws against using deadly force to protect private property should be repealed. But the only thing the “Liberty freaks” complain about are repealing the laws against sod***y, and the laws against using drugs.

          All they care about are the soft things. They don’t care about the things that come from hard work. Like the property you purchased, with the money that you made, with the sweat of your brow.

      • With a sense of gentle disagreement with Hawkeye:
        I do NOT agree that stealing everything a man owns is a petty crime. As I stated before on TTAG, I built a shade cabin, filled it with three solar Panel/Regulator/Battery system, and all my battery tools (w/bits & blades).
        All was wire roped or chained with monster locks. A12-foot double pane window with two opening wings. A veritable FORTUNE in plywood, pressure treat and 2×4’s; including roofing, plumbing, heating, etc. systems. Plus my 220v Onan generator two water heaters and enough hardware for two cabins. $$$$$!
        I’m disabled, but hauled it over rocks to where I was to build my micro-cabin. Add to that all the food, myriad of tools, a full electrical system and even paint and brushes.
        When something costs a man five years of his life plus half his income for that long, then his heart gives out and it’s all stolen, it certainly is a major crime. Heart’s been repaired, but spirit has not.
        I can’t put in hundreds of hours of work, truck loading, gas etc. anymore.
        These thieves stole my life.
        “Stay your hand. I will repay” God says.
        I must be a worse Christian than I thought. I feel that restitution should be the least part of penalty for crime.
        As for set guns, they are illegal.
        But what other recourse is there?
        What IS legal? Becoming a Bounty Hunter?

  5. Wonder how much the CROWS system improved in the last decade or so. The camera (optic and thermal) system with zoom was downright amazing but the laser rangefinder and automatic ballistics calculator made first burst hits at a mile frightfully easy…….except the mk19 that required a bit more effort and lsa.

    • “Wonder how much the CROWS system improved in the last decade or so.”

      Naval CIWS has been refined to act as inbound mortar fire destruction.

      Kinda loud if your tent was near it when it activated… 🙂

      • I thing the airfield had something like that type we were messing with was MRAP/MATV/HMMV portable and apparently used on a few towers (not in our middle of nowhere post)

    • “Game over man! Game over!”

      There’s always one ‘Hudson’ in every outfit… 😉

  7. An auto-turret is pretty simple. One that is target selective is a different story. Specific uniform markers would help but it’d be a constant game of cat and mouse with the enemy always changing them and spoofing them.

    • “…it’d be a constant game of cat and mouse with the enemy always changing them and spoofing them.”

      That’s warfare in general throughout (in)human history…

  8. In spite of the humor, I am actually unimpressed. Our jet fighters as well as the Phalanx CWS use a linkless, recirculating, helical feed system that is a close to 100% reliable as you can get. Why would anyone in their right mind utilize a standard, gas operated, light machine gun as the core of a Remote Weapons Station? Are you intending to disassemble the RWS on the battlefield so you can utilize the weapon when you dismount for an engagement? Just carry another gun! What are you going to do when the gun jams? Are you going to climb up on top of your vehicle to clear the stoppage? You should be using a chain gun or a Gatling gun depending on desired firing rate. That big ammo can and empty case hopper as well as the belt links are a weapons jam just waiting to happen.

    I can easily design a weapon that integrates a helical, linkless, recirculating, ammunition magazine with the actual weapon and optics. No flexible, jammamatic, feed chutes required. It would resemble the vintage Lewis gun but with two, interconnected, “kettle” magazines rather than pan magazines, one on each side of the weapon. The magazines would rotate and elevate right along with the weapon. Since you would be using servos anyway, it would be easy to compensate for the increased moment of inertia.

    • Portability and ease of setup/reloading. If it is the system I think it is think smaller truck mounted.

  9. Thanks for the heads up about the extended cut of “Aliens”. I’ll look for it. I’m also waiting for commercially available ceaseless ammo as was used by the colonial marines.

    FYI… the inventor of the original flip phone credited Star Trek TOS with the design. He wanted to create a communicator similar to the one in that series.

  10. Oh with the Feds and Sig in each other’s pants they aren’t even testing Sig’s guns anymore, just giving them the contracts. They could make Twinkies and the Feds would give them a contract.

  11. unfortunately
    sig is probably deep state now
    we will find out for sure
    and rather quickly
    after the something wicked
    that this way comes
    gets here
    which is probably going to be sooner
    rather than later
    i own some sig products
    and im now determined
    that im not going to feed that beast anymore
    not until im sure that its instincts
    arent to devour me
    it may eventually devour me anyway but:
    1 it wont do it with any more of my resources
    and
    2 it wont do so for a lack of me shooting back

  12. Sig is about to be one of the most powerful companies in the world.

    They got just about every single small send contract with the US military, including optics, and now this.

    Not sure how I feel about it personally but who ever is in charge of Sig right now is one hell of a goddamn businessman.

  13. My only problem with Automated Weapons Platforms is who is making the decision to engage. If it’s a living, breathing, thinking man or woman, then I’m OK with it. If it’s some type of Artificial Intelligence program/entity, then I’m not OK with that, simply because it can be hacked, and the parameters for engagement are not being controlled by a rational, thinking about the consequences person.
    Simply put, a Human needs to be making the Threat Assessment, and not a computer, simply because if it can be programmed, it can and will be hacked. Self Automonous Control isn’t a good idea.
    Frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if we dug into the topic, that SIG might be the first manufacturer to actually acquire a Robotics Firm, but other large manufacturers most likely either have an in house Robotics Division, or are collaborating with outside Robotics firms for integration of their compatible platforms.
    The real world applications of such systems, lethal and/or non-lethal are numerous. I can just see such platforms at government, military bases and embassies being employed. Reducing the number of guards needed to protect the staff of those sites.

    Booby Traps, especially Lethal, will always be regarded as Illegal and premeditated murder in most Societies. Though traps that are deterrent based and non lethal are ideas that should be explored and legal IMHO.
    Just imagine, a Booby Trap Tasing the burglar, notifying LE, and continuing to deliver shocks until the PoPo pick the Perp up. That would be a Hoot and a Half made just for YouTube video.

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