Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1407425
covering the R&D effort. As a result, the below description may contain errors, as it has been based on OSINT analysis. Design ZSSW-30 is an unmanned, remote control turret, utilizing a closed design, with its armored shell protecting the internal components. As time has gone by, we can see that adoption of this design was optimal. Most of the modern turrets utilize the aforesaid design layout. And why is that? Covering all of the critical assemblies with the use of the turret armor, and with sealed, armored bulkheads protects the turret mechanisms from exposure to flammable substances (such as napalm, thermite, Molotovs), weather (mud, snow, rain, dust), or accidental damage that may be caused by collision with trees, road signs, gates, and so on. Thus, design as such is more reliable in everyday use and tough conditions. The ballistic protection levels, however, remain the primary aspect here. Open turrets (RCWS-30, UTD-30, or RWS-LW-30) have the ammunition guides, motors, optoelectronics, or even the power supply cables left all exposed. Thus, it is very simple to eliminate such a system - fragmentation, or intense small arms fire is enough to leave a turret as incapacitated. What is even worse, turrets using this design layout offer a smaller modernization potential - when it comes to enhancements in the armor, active protection systems departments. It is also difficult to carry out malfunction/ failure mitigation procedures, without exposing the soldiers to potential threats. Open-design weapon stations are used when a requirement emerges for the turret system to weigh between 800 and 1,600 kilograms, due to the payload capacity constraints from which the carrier platform suffers. The general layout of the ZSSW-30 system is as follows: Orbital ATK-44 Bushmaster II gun takes the central part of the turret, along with the coaxial UKM-2000C machine gun (on the right). The brass is extracted above the Bushmaster's barrel. On the right of the gun mount/mask, a spare sight has been placed. Its optics are protected by an armored www.fragoutmag.com