Ukraine turns legacy Kongsberg land turrets into semi-autonomous USV weapons
Video frame of a Protector RWS mounted on Sargan 3000 USV. (Photo: Ukrainian Navy)
The company told Shephard that Ukraine is operating modified Protector weapon stations originally supplied for armoured vehicles, with human operators authorising engagements from hundreds of kilometres away.
Ukraine is operating drone boats armed with legacy Kongsberg Protector Remote Weapon Stations (RWS) removed from armoured combat vehicles and repurposed for maritime deployments. The entire process required only minor physical changes, a spokesperson for the company told Shephard.
Delivered more than 10 years ago, the Protectors were donated to Kyiv over the past few years. The systems retain their original sensor packages but have received technology enabling them to track targets and calculate firing solutions while a remotely located human operator authorises the engagement.
Maritime adaptation also required the use of protective coatings, connector wrapping and additional sealing. “We did
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