Ukrainian military adopts "ShaBlya" remote turrets, slated for 2023 deployment

The Ukrainians are leveraging technology to neutralize Russia's numerical superiority and mitigate the casualties suffered by their troops. During defensive operations, the use of remote-controlled turrets armed with machine guns or occasionally grenade launchers proves particularly effective.

Traditionally, positions manned by rifle or machine gun shooters are high-priority targets that often draw intense fire support, such as mortar strikes or nearby tanks. This puts operators of weaponry, like the PKM machine gun or the large-caliber Browning M2, at higher risk than their counterparts.

To counter this, Ukrainians are increasingly turning to both improvised remote solutions operable from distances of 100 meters, and professional ones designed by numerous defense startups. The "ShaBlya" module, whose initial batch has been commissioned as announced by the Ukrainian Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov on Telegram, falls into the latter category.

The "ShaBlya" turret is a design mounted on a tripod base with a firearm holder. Outfitted with a daytime camera, thermal imaging, and a laser rangefinder, it is available in two versions: a heavier 397-pound variant armed with a DShK-type heavy machine gun and a lighter one compatible with a PKM and similar firearms.

The test model has been demoed multiple times using a Steamdeck console as its controller. Capable of rotating at 90 degrees per second, the Ukrainian turret's operational range in elevation spans from -13 to 75 degrees and provides 360-degree coverage in azimuth. A cable connects the "ShaBlya" to its control unit, rendering it resilient to electronic warfare measures.