The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is testing the effectiveness of its new MantisX weapons accuracy tracking system.
Soldiers from the ADF 7th Brigade are undergoing a four-week training program with the new device to see if it can be officially adopted into service.
Capable of being mounted on rifles, pistols, and shotguns, the MantisX provides real-time data for each shot made, allowing soldiers to improve their shooting precision.
It has a sensor that tracks barrel movement, trigger pressure, and the overall stability of the weapon to aid in providing an accurate shooting precision score.
Apart from accuracy, the system can reveal the precise actions of a soldier’s body during firing, which can help in improving shooting form.
The effectiveness of the MantisX will be determined by how much soldiers’ shooting skills have improved. With that, the brigade is expected to undergo further evaluations after the month-long trials.
Potential for Defense
The MantisX’s introduction to the ADF began in 2019 when Warrant Officer Class Two Mark Biviano bought the system to help improve its small arms firing ability.
He then realized its potential for defense so he ran a proof-of-concept with the 13th Brigade.
“The users demonstrated a significant improvement very quickly because of that very short learning loop; you press the trigger and you see feedback,” he said.
The tracking system was soon introduced to the Defence Science and Technology Group, which helps facilitate the trials.
“With MantisX, whether it’s dry-fire, live-fire or non-lethal training ammunition, every trigger press counts and data is stored against your profile so shooters can see how they’re progressing,” Biviano added.