The UK Department of Defense has ordered Boomerang Warrior-X wearable detectors for field testing due to urgent operational requirements. For the first time in the history of military affairs, a soldier will receive a compact individual device for detecting a camouflaged enemy firing small arms.
After numerous field tests of various wearable shot detection systems, the British military chose the Raytheon Boomerang Warrior-X system as the most appropriate for the requirements and conditions of the battlefield. The device has demonstrated less than one percent of false alarms and the ability to detect more than 95% of all supersonic munitions.
In many respects, the success was determined by the successful application in Iraq and Afghanistan of a similar Boomerang III system, which was deployed on more than 5 thousand vehicles. It allows the crew to quickly determine where the fire is coming from and adequately respond to the threat. Due to the use of this detector, combined with the significant superiority of the coalition forces in firepower, the rebels virtually lost the opportunity to conduct prolonged shelling from disguised positions with impunity.
Boomerang detects a bullet in a supersonic wave and almost instantly calculates and gives the direction to the enemy firing point and also indicates its height. Thus, the operator of the system knows the approximate location of the sniper, even before he leaves the position.
However, until now, the foot soldier remained practically unprotected against shelling from a long distance - it is sometimes very difficult to detect the direction of fire, and in the conditions of mountains, cities and shooting from several directions, it is almost impossible to neutralize the enemy in time or take cover. The vulnerability of foot patrols has been proven by the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The problem with roadside bombs was partially solved with the help of explosion-proof MRAP machines, but the soldier still has a long time, under fire, trying to determine where the enemy is hiding.
The Boomerang Warrior-X is a compact system that attaches to standard tactical vests. The set of equipment weighs about 311 grams. The included system, in the event of a flying bullet is detected, gives a warning signal to the headphones and instantly displays detailed information about the shooter's location on a display the size of a matchbox. The system is also able to compensate for the movement of the soldier and constantly updates the location of the threat. The coordinates of enemy firing points can be overlaid on the map and give the unit commander full situational awareness of enemy positions.
Overall, the Boomerang Warrior-X delivers reliability and the same performance and functionality as the Boomerang III vehicle mount systems.
Wearable shot detectors significantly expand the soldier's capabilities and reduce his dependence on powerful surveillance systems on military equipment. The Boomerang Warrior-X should significantly increase the effectiveness of infantry operations and reduce losses.
