The crossbow-DM module was first shown at the Victory Parade on May 9, 2016, and its prototype was previously shown at an arms show in Nizhny Tagil. Already in 2017, it entered service with the Russian army on the basis of the Tigr-M armored vehicle for special forces. Crossbow combat test was conducted in Syria.
“The Crossbow-DM complex is robotic, but a person controls it, setting up programs for detecting and destroying targets. The module tower itself is located on top of the armored vehicle (in addition to the Tiger, these can be Typhoon, Volk or MT-LB armored vehicles) and the crew are hiding inside. The attributes of the “Robot” consist in the use of a television camera capable of detecting and recognizing targets at a distance of up to 2500 meters. The module also has a thermal imaging camera that detects not only equipment, but also people. After capturing the targets, the system no longer excludes them from the field of view does not take off and waits for a command to use a firearm.The laser rangefinder gives an almost one hundred percent guarantee of defeat, ”Sergei Belousov, a member of the College of Military Specialists, explained to socialbites.ca.
The main weapon of the crossbow-DM module is the 12.7 mm Kord heavy machine gun, the abbreviation of which stands for “Kovrov Degtyarevtsy gunsmiths”.
This machine gun was developed to replace the Utes machine gun produced in Kazakhstan. Russia began to produce these weapons on its territory – only at the Kovrov Plant. Degtyarev. The new machine gun entered service with the Russian army in 2001 and was used as an anti-aircraft weapon, especially on the T-90S tank.
“12.7 mm caliber is large-caliber and allows you to pierce the armor of both armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles. In Afghanistan, there was an “Abyss” located in each unit, its weight was about 25 kilograms, and there was also one more machine for 17 kilograms – it was difficult to drag it manually from the mountains, ”the former commander of the Air Force, Colonel General Georgy, told socialbites.ca Shpak . – At the same time, each commander tried to have such a large-caliber machine gun, which allowed to close targets at a distance of up to three kilometers – this is a very good distance and good caliber. “Crossboat-DM” with the same firepower is mobile and this module can be moved to any point, it is also possible to have additional ammunition.”
The Russian army receives the Arbalet-DM robotic machine gun systems in rather large quantities. Special forces and army units have similar modules. For example, the “Brave” group of the Central Military District of the RF Armed Forces uses them when clearing liberated settlements on the territory of Ukraine in the northern direction.
“This is a very effective way to clean up cities. Tanks are not needed for such combat work, but armored vehicles capable of detecting the enemy, including closed facilities, turned out to be in demand, ”adds Belousov.
As part of the crossbow-DM robotic module, a 7.62 mm machine gun with a similar accuracy of fire, while having a higher rate of fire and a larger supply of ammunition, can also be used. A new Crossbow is now being tested with the combined use of two calibers, 12.7mm and 7.62mm, a source at Rostec told socialbites.ca. The module will retain both anti-aircraft qualities and the ability to destroy ground targets at any time of the day and in weather conditions.
“Robotic military equipment is becoming more and more popular among the Russian military and is successfully used in real combat operations. In addition to the well-known Crossbow-DM module, the standard Vikhr module is used, which is used for remotely controlled fully robotic infantry fighting vehicles. This system works on both ground and air targets – guidance is carried out automatically, ”the Rostec tells socialbites.ca.