Ukrainian forces use gaming tech to control battlefield turrets

Ukrainians are striving to enhance their security and compensate for the Russians' numerical advantage through technology. They are using gaming equipment, which significantly simplifies the operation of remotely controlled turrets. Here, we explain how it works.

The set in the video below appears to be field tests of the mass-produced remotely controlled turret "ShaBlya," operated using the globally known portable console Steamdeck.

Remotely controlled turrets are very useful during defence, as they allow for the "supervision" of a large area by fewer soldiers if, for example, one supervisor is in charge of several turrets.

The second advantage is the increased protection of soldiers and the ability to safely retreat from trenches under the protection of covering fire. It is worth noting that machine gun positions during firing are easily detectable and become a priority target for destruction by mortar fire, artillery, or aviation using guided bombs such as guided FAB bombs.

In this case, the ability to control a machine gun with a supply of several hundred rounds from a distance of, for example, 50 or 100 meters (165 or 330 feet) significantly increases the survival chances of the operators. Another advantage is the ability to create ambushes.

There are improvised or factory-made solutions on the frontline in Ukraine, which are also expected to be enhanced with artificial intelligence algorithms. However, all these solutions have in common with the use of well-known controllers to gamers. There have been DualShock 4 v2 pads from PlayStation, but the most popular recently appear to be Steamdeck consoles.

The reason for their use is straightforward. If someone is proficient in FPS games on a controller, they can easily handle eliminating real-life opponents on the frontline using "ShaBlya" or similar devices.