January29, 2007:
A U.S. firm (Boeing) has combined a ground based sniper detection
system (ShotSpotter) with a UAV (ScanEagle) to provide greater, and speedier,
accuracy in locating where a sniper is. The combined system is called GSAT
(Ground Situational Awareness Toolkit). With the UAV overhead, the commander
down below gets, within seconds, an overhead view of where the snipers shot
came from. Speed is essential when dealing with snipers, and by providing
troops with an easy to comprehend image of where the sniper is, the chances of
taking down the sniper are much higher. Existing, ground based, sniper
detection systems, provide directional information about where the sniper is.
But with the ScanEagele, and its high resolution camera, overhead, and linked to
ShotSpotter, you have a much more useful system. GSAT will be tried out in
Iraq.