Description
Smart weapons are military munitions that can be guided using a computer or any other hardware. The use of this technology is expected to increase precision and lethality in terms of military operations. The use of these weapons within battlefield operations is poised to increase the hit to miss ratio. Smart weapons encompass a range of weaponry including precision-guided munition, smart gun, smart bomb, and smart mine.
The overall smart weapons market is segmented by Region, Technology, Platform, and Product. The overall regional segmentation for this market ranges across North America, Europe, APAC, the Middle East, and the RoW. The technology-based segmentation for this market includes Laser, Radar, Sonar, GPS, Infrared, Others. In terms of product, the overall market is categorized into Missiles, Munitions, Guided Projectiles, Guided Rockets, Precision Guided Firearms, etc. The Platform based segmentation for this market ranges across the land, air, naval and airborne vehicles.
On studying the overall market, it is seen that precision-guided munitions account for artillery weapons with a predefined trajectory. The use of this weaponry reduces collateral damage and increases the lethality against the intended target. These weapons were used during the first Gulf War. Precision-guided munitions accounted for 9% of the overall weapons used during this historic event. Roughly 75% of the targets were successfully acquired by these weapons during the same. The use of unguided bombs can cause massive devastation to the area around the battlefield. Therefore, the number of civilian casualties can also increase owing to the use of dumb bombs. However, the use of smart weapons streamlines the target and the operand.
Smart Gun on the contrary is a weapon that can be used only via authorized users. The technology studies its operand thus preventing the weapon to be used by adversaries. The weapon system can hereby be operated only by an authorized user. The technology makes use of RFID chips or other proximity tokens to recognize the user. Some smart guns make use of fingerprint recognition, magnetic rings, or even mechanical locks. The use of this technology is poised to prevent adversaries from gaining access to weapons during closed combat battles.
Another key technology within this market is the introduction of smart bombs. As the name suggests, the munition detonates on precisely reaching the target. The use of this weapon reduces the surrounding damage which could be potentially caused via the use of dumb bombs. Smart mines also account for a key segment of the smart weapons vertical. The use of this technology ensures the self-destruction or deactivation of a land-mine towards the end of a conflict. The use of this technology ensures that the munition remains active only for the required timeframe. Therefore, in the coming future if civilians are to inhabit the same region their safety is hereafter ensured.
