Patrick Allen/LONDON
UK GUN-SIGHT manufacturer Ring Sights has developed a helicopter gun sight for use in the air-to-ground role which, the company claims, increases significantly a gunner's chance of a first-burst hit, day or night.
The LC-40-100-NVG consists of a solid-glass optic with a reflex collimator sight, which incorporates a lens to focus a graticule to infinity. Range tables and basic computations take into account the helicopter's velocity, air resistance and the amount of lead needed to compensate speed and range.
Looking through the sight, the gunner adjusts the graticule to provide an exact "aiming off point", negating the need to spray the target area with rounds, or to "walk" rounds up to the target.
According to Ring Sights, trials have proved a first-burst capability against a 3m2 target at 800m (2,600ft), from a helicopter travelling at 90kt (50km/h).
For night operations, the optic sight is illuminated with a light-emitting diode array. To help locate the target area, an eye-safe infra-red illuminator is fitted to the top of the sight, which emits a night-vision goggle-compatible beam, helping the gunner locate the aiming point while looking through the graticule.
The LC-40-100-NVG has been procured by the Royal Air Force to equip M60D machine guns fitted to Boeing Chinook helicopters. The sight has also been under trial by the Royal Navy Commando Sea King Training squadron.
Source: Flight International