Remember the sentry robot from the famous James Cameron movie "Aliens"? In one of the episodes of this very aggressive and sentimental fantastic action movie, two robotic sentries (they had the UA 571-C index) repulsed the attack of aliens who were trying to get through the tunnel to the defended residential module. An automatic, remotely controlled machine gun on a tripod in 1986 looked futuristic - it looked like an element of the distant future, in which they would fly to other planets and fight there with all sorts of alien monsters.
So, we have it now. We are talking about the BM-3 combat module, which first appeared at the exhibition in 2016, and has now been put into service. Well, progress in armaments is faster. We already have a remotely controlled weapon station, and we still fly into space on "kerosene stoves" and so far cannot even reach the neighboring planets of our solar system, let alone the planets of other stars.
Like the recently appeared "Marker" robot, I liked the new combat module at first sight. Lightweight, compact, powerful. In the published performance characteristics, more attention was paid to fire capabilities; I'm more interested in the weight of the product. Apparently, the mass of the entire module is small and in the equipped form it is unlikely to exceed 60 kg. This opens up very wide opportunities for the use of such modules. The dimensions of the module were also not published, but from a photograph its dimensions can be estimated at approximately 0.8 meters in length and height and 0.9 meters in width. Finally, the 12, 7-mm Kord machine gun.
In my opinion, the development is successful. There is not much to criticize about it. With small modifications that do not affect the design as a whole, you can significantly expand the scope of such a remotely controlled large-caliber machine gun.
Developers from the Chelyabinsk NPO Elektromashina paid most of all attention to the placement of the new combat module on various equipment. The module was adopted as part of the Typhoon-U armored vehicle. However, for such a successful development, this is too highly specialized application, which can interfere with widespread and mass use. Why limit yourself to armored vehicles only? Let's think more broadly.
Active module for combat robots
BM-3 can be installed on the already considered combat robot "Marker". Apparently, BM-3 is lighter and more compact than the existing module. Less weight allows the module to be raised to fire from cover. The central location of the machine gun (in the original "Marker" module the machine gun is located on the right) in the BM-3 will give greater accuracy in firing.
An interesting question: is it worth equipping combat robots with grenade launchers? In many projects, this has been implemented, and we can say that this is a kind of consensus in robotics. In principle, it has been experimentally proven that a grenade launcher or even an ATGM can be installed in the combat module of the robot and it will be a workable design. However, there are also arguments against it. Their essence lies in the fact that for a combat robot of the "machine gun with a motor" format, that is, operating together with the infantry and built into the structure of a motorized rifle company, grenade launchers in the combat module, firstly, are unnecessary, and, secondly, they are dangerous for their own infantry. Superfluous, because they are clearly not enough against heavy armored vehicles, and with lightly armored vehicles (a typical enemy is armored vehicles such as Humvee or its analogues), the robot will cope with a large-caliber machine gun. The grenade launcher is a melee weapon, up to 300 meters, while the "Kord" allows you to hit targets at a distance of 1000-1500 meters, if the visibility and capabilities of the combat module's instruments allow, which allows you to hit from afar - this is more profitable. They are dangerous because the jet stream does not go anywhere. The infantry accompanying him has no connection with the robot, the designers did not provide any signal for warning, and this signal in battle can simply not be noticed. An infantry grenade launcher will fire suddenly and may hit someone with a jet stream. In the heat of battle, the robot operator can easily fire a grenade launcher without making sure that there is no one behind. What looks great in polygon conditions is not always suitable for combat.
Therefore, I believe that a BM-3 with one machine gun can be installed on the Marker, provided that the designers modify it in terms of increasing the ammunition load. 250 rounds for a robot is not enough. Better than 1000 or 2000 rounds. Of the modifications for installation on the robot, armored shields are also needed.
Portable combat module
BM-3, in my opinion, can be used as a portable heavy machine gun, if you add to it a wheeled machine, for example, a machine similar to the machine gun SG-43.
The main tactical advantage of the BM-3 mounted on a wheeled machine is that the calculation of the machine gun can fire, completely hiding in cover. Having installed the machine gun in position, you can control it from a dugout or from a deep trench or slot. This significantly reduces the likelihood of being hit by enemy response fire. In any case, enemy machine gunners and snipers will no longer be able to reach the hidden crew. They will need at least mortars. In addition, they still need to find out where exactly the crew of the combat machine gun module took refuge, and this will not be easy.
In general, BM-3 can be used to create field defense, placing them in wood-ground or reinforced concrete firing points. It doesn't have to be just a front-line defense. This can be a position at a commanding altitude, a firing position, or a roadblock. In well-fortified positions, such as defended buildings or roadblocks, the capabilities of the portable weapon station are further enhanced. In my opinion, it would be advisable to provide for the possibility of controlling a group of modules from one control panel. Then one operator controlling 3-4 modules can conduct surveillance (let's not forget that BM-3 devices can be used for this purpose as well) and fire in a fairly large defense sector.
This application will also require some work. First, the machine. Secondly, a battery must be installed on the machine to power the systems of the combat module. Thirdly, you will need a cable with a length of about 30-50 meters. Fourthly, we also need a barrel temperature sensor so that the operator knows when the barrel is overheated and can pause in firing.
In general, I would suggest that the designers do not dwell only and exclusively on the large-caliber machine gun. For a number of tasks, for example, for a robot sentry, a 12-7 mm machine gun is clearly redundant, and you can get by with a smaller caliber. It could be 7.62mm PKT.
Anti-aircraft module
In my opinion, on the basis of the BM-3 it is quite possible to make an anti-aircraft modification capable of firing at both ground and air targets. The need for this is underscored by the fact that in recent years, many small, low-flying targets, such as reconnaissance and attack drones, have begun to appear on the battlefield. There are still no adequate anti-aircraft weapons to defeat them.
The modified module, in which the machine gun has a large elevation angle (about 80 degrees), the software added functions for tracking an air target and calculating a lead, as well as automatic firing at it, may well be a good answer to drones.
If you make such a module that can confidently hit a low-flying air target with a burst, then with its help you can hit a lot of air targets. For example, you can shoot down a cruise missile that is approaching a target at low altitude. An anti-aircraft module with a large-caliber machine gun will be very dangerous for helicopters, including shock ones. With their help, you can fight light-engine attack aircraft (such as EMB-314 Super Tucano).
In any case, any motorized rifle platoon, which will have a BM-3 with anti-aircraft functions, will no longer be a target for helicopters and will be able to repulse them. "Marker", equipped with such a combat module, turns into a very good mobile anti-aircraft gun for dealing with low-flying targets.
In general, the BM-3 is a very good development, with the potential for further improvement and modifications.
