Pickup-mounted machine gun and cannon systems are seen as increasing their prevalence in asymmetrical battlefields.
Northrop Grumman, one of the leading defence companies in the USA, has completed the tests of the 30 mm gun system integrated into the pick-up unmanned turret. The system called M-ACE (Mobile Acquisition Cueing and Effector) was developed for the detection and destruction of unmanned aerial vehicles that are becoming more widespread and becoming an asymmetric threat. In the published images; It was determined that the equipment, which has radar, electro-optical and radio frequency systems, was acting in coordination with Scorpion air defence vehicles with 30 mm M230LF Bushmaster gun. In the trials completed in July, it was stated that the systems used ammunition using proximity fuzes to destroy targets. The next test phase will take place next October.
The M-ACE, which has been developed to shorten kill-chain of target detection, identification, prioritization and destruction from a single source, consists of sensors and weapon devices. It has been announced that the platforms with increased efficiency on the target with ammunition using proximity fuzes are designed to intercept UAVs in the combat environment.
Currently, many armies and asymmetric elements using 12.7 mm or 14.5 mm machine guns mounted behind the pickup, as well as 20 and 23 mm cannon systems, for air defence and fire support to ground units. These platforms; stand out with its high mobility and firepower, as well as being a cost-effective solution.
