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Osprey Gatling Gun Uses Xbox 360-like Controller
Posted by Jesus Diaz at 8:45 AM on October 4, 2008
Christian from Defence Tech is at the Modern Day Marine Expo, where instead of having girls in mini-bikinis caressing speedboats and yachts, they have girls in mini-bikinis caressing torpedoes and gatling guns. Like this one on board the Osprey, which uses a controller with the same shape and functionality of an Xbox 360 gamepad.
The GAU-17, as this gatling gun is called, drops from the belly of the Osprey when needed. The crew chief--not the pilot--uses the gamepad and a targeting monitor to fire it. The targeting monitor--which also corrects targeting automatically for angle and speed--is connected to a sensor which houses a CCD camera, IR camera and laser range finder.
The GAU-17 is not limited in one axis, but covers the entire field of battle, moving all across 360 degrees. However, since the Osprey engines move from horizontal to vertical orientation depending on the manoeuvre, the targeting software limits the fire range so the rotors can't get damaged. The pilot can also activate a mode that fixes the gun in a forward configuration, allowing for traditional targeting without having to use the gamepad. [Defense Tech]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
DreDog
Posted 9:01 AM 4/10/08
Glad they're finally arming those things with a real weapon, before they were deployed they removed the nose cannon and they ended up deploying models with only a rear pointed 7.62mm door MG. Without something for the Osprey to clear the LZ and provide covering fire for the marines it sounded like a bit of a death trap.
DreDog
csharms
Posted 8:59 AM 4/10/08
What? I didn't even see the controller!
I know what it is suppose to look like but I'd still like to see the actual thing. :D
csharms
whiteknight
Posted 9:26 AM 4/10/08
OMFG! That is so HOT! I wanna fly the V-22 now!
whiteknight
BigPanda
Posted 9:24 AM 4/10/08
@thefutureisnow: I use something like that to control my 360. I call them my left and right arms. OH YEAH!!!!
:-P
BigPanda
thefutureisnow
Posted 9:13 AM 4/10/08
If only I could get my 360 controller to controll something like that.
thefutureisnow
TheMurderer
Posted 9:47 AM 4/10/08
I really wish I could have SEEN the controller, but I guess I'll just have to believe you.
TheMurderer
newgalactic
Posted 10:14 AM 4/10/08
Why stop with the controller? Lets get high-scores and achievements there too.
/sarcasm, pessimism
Ok, so I understand that war "kills", and the weapons of war have to be "controlled", so why not use a proven form factor like the XB360 controller. But this seems to be the start of removing the "horror" from war. Like cartoon characters on cigarette ad's, just shouldn't be done.
newgalactic
FrankenPC
Posted 10:13 AM 4/10/08
Let me get this straight:
A VTOL aircraft outfitted with a computer controlled Gatling gun.
Where have I seen this...where...where...
FrankenPC
gilamon
Posted 10:04 AM 4/10/08
That's one way to reduce training expenses
gilamon
tegronin
Posted 10:54 AM 4/10/08
hook one of those up with a GAU avenger and i'll be impressed (not that the osprey has a great track record as it is)
tegronin
mastaassmasta
Posted 11:06 AM 4/10/08
[www.joystiq.com]
[www.ps3daily.co.uk]
mastaassmasta
mastaassmasta
Posted 11:02 AM 4/10/08
cause the military wants to use a interface that people from ages 18-25 are already familiar with. So you just need to learn the controls.
mastaassmasta
brutek
Posted 12:13 PM 4/10/08
where? where are the "girls in mini-bikinis?"
brutek
banmojo
Posted 12:56 PM 4/10/08
@csharms: controller? could really not even give a flying .... where were those hot chicks we were hearing 'bout???
dammit.
banmojo
xes
Posted 12:37 AM 5/10/08
I have seen other military tech videos that feature an xbox 360 controller... But COME ON! Don't they know that they can be a million times more accurate and agile with a Keyboard and Mouse, maybe hire Fatal1ty... Instant Win.
xes
Justifan
Posted 12:53 AM 5/10/08
better than the tail gun that was previously slated for use on the osprey. only fire backwards:P
Justifan
MacBandit
Posted 4:00 AM 5/10/08
Anyone else thinking about the VTOL aircraft in terminator that had this sort of gatling gun on it?
It seems that the tech in Terminator is coming true.
MacBandit
MrTaco
Posted 4:43 AM 5/10/08
@xes:
Bah! Beat me to it.
MrTaco
EricAlder
Posted 4:54 AM 7/10/08
Video-game-style controllers go hand-in-hand with the military war game recruitment technique.
(Because everybody knows that being in a REAL war is just like playing "Call Of Duty")
EricAlder
ryusen
Posted 8:21 AM 7/10/08
i call shenanigans... i skimmed through the video and didn't see any hot bikini clad women fondling the gun .(
ryusen
Lindo745
Posted 10:59 AM 7/10/08
@DreDog: For some reason my first reply didn't post.
The MV-22 never had a nose cannon. What you have mistaken for a "nose cannon" is the in flight refueling boom.
The aircraft still has the refueling boom only it's a bit smaller than the flight test air vehicles.
Lindo745
Lindo745
Posted 10:52 AM 7/10/08
@DreDog:
The MV-22 never had a nose cannon.
What you have mistaken for a nose cannon is the in air refueling boom.
The aircraft still has that but it is smaller than the booms on the air test vehicles.
Lindo745