Lowering the Risk in Close-Quarter Combat

Lowering the Risk in Close-Quarter Combat

Photo illust US Army
Paratroopers assigned to 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, prepare to enter a building as they conduct close quarters combat training during an air assault mission, Sept. 26.

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Close quarter combat involving physical confrontation is challenging. At night it can involve high risks. A new thermal weapons optic equipped with a red dot is designed for close-quarter combat.
The Close Quarter Thermal (CQT) unveiled recently is Steiner eOptics’ latest thermal camera. ”It’s a full 12-micron thermal camera with a red-dot overlay,” Don Pride from the company told military.com.
The thermal can be mounted on any weapons rail to allow shooters to see the green-glowing heat signatures of potential enemy targets in dark spaces. It’s designed to be most effective in engagements of up to 12 yards.
Red dot is a non-magnifying reflector (or reflex) sight for firearms, and other devices that require aiming, that gives the user an aimpoint in the form of an illuminated red dot.
Several law enforcement agencies and some special operations unit have requested the technology.
“The good part about that is with night vision, you get into a dark room [and] you are constantly switching your head side to side trying to find out where everything is.
“With a thermal mounted on your weapon you step into a room, you maintain your weapon as you swing around; if there is any heat in there, it’s going to pop up really bright in your view and you have your red dot to engage.”
The system is powered by two CR-123 batteries and weighs approximately one pound. There is one setting for red-dot only and one for red dot and thermal. “You can change the pattern of the thermal from a full thermal to an outline mode,” Pride said. “You can also change the red dot from a circle, square, crosshair … the capabilities of this are pretty much unlimited.”