China Enters Swiftly into Weapon Station Market – Israel is Concerned

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China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO) has expanded its range of remote weapon stations (RWS) with the development of the UW4A.

NORINCO has moved to widen the range of tracked and wheeled armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs) that it is now offering for export and some of these are now being marketed with different turrets and RWS to meet end users’ specific operational requirements.

Several Israeli companies, mainly Rafael and Elbit Systems, also manufacture such remote weapons systems.

According to janes.com, the UW4A remote weapon station is armed with an electrically operated 30 mm dual-feed cannon and a 7.62 mm co-axial machine gun (MG), and is fitted with two banks of six 76 mm electrically operated grenade launchers on the lower part of the mount.

Weapons are laid onto the target by the operator using a flat panel display (FPD) inside the vehicle. A computerised fire control system (FCS) provides a high first round hit probably under day and night conditions while the platform is stationary or moving.

The RWS carries 120 rounds of 30 mm ammunition and 200 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition in the ready use position, with additional rounds carried in the hull for manual reloading.

The weapon station traverses through 360° at a maximum speed of up to 45° per second and elevates from -5° to 55° at a maximum speed of up to 25° per second.

The UW4A’s sensor pack in installed externally on the right side and consists of a day sight, a colour CCD camera, an uncooled thermal imager, and a laser rangefinder. The latter not only increases accuracy but makes certain that targets are engaged within the effective range of the armament.

At this stage, it has not been confirmed if the new station has been developed to meet the operational requirements of the Chinese army or the export market.