Ukrainian Army Uses Steam Deck to Control a Machine Gun Turret
Valve's Steam Deck has been spotted acting as a remote control for a machine gun turret in Ukraine.
As Tom's Hardware reports(Opens in a new window), Ukrainian news company TPO Media posted several images on Facebook(Opens in a new window) of "Sablya," which is described as a "Ukrainian automated remote-controlled fire complex designed for stationary installation on real estate objects or special transport." In other words, it's a machine gun that can be operated remotely when either stationary or being carried along on a vehicle.
One of the images of Sablya reveals a Steam Deck being used as the device to control the gun. A camera forms part of the machine gun, which can be viewed through the Steam Deck. But it also looks as though the gun can be fired using the Steam Deck, and it works up to 500 meters away so the operator can remain safely hidden.
Want more news, reviews, gear, and tricks to level up your game? Sign up for our gaming email newsletter, The Pop-Off.
The turret can be fitted with a number of different guns and is capable of taking out low-flying drones, too. It's automated, but that doesn't suggest the turret can act independently of an operator.
It's unlikely Valve will be on board with the Ukrainian Army using the Steam Deck for this purpose. However, there's little the company could do to stop it because the Deck hardware is a pretty open platform when it comes to running software.
Sign up for What's New Now to get our top stories delivered to your inbox every morning.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
Your subscription has
Read more on pcmag.com
