It's a very clever design: since these large AA guns are aimed by IR camera anyway, the simulator is simply be a tablet with an IMU and trigger switch. The IMU figures out where the gun is pointed, and the software simulates where the bullets would go if you had been shooting for real. The tablet itself just straps on in front of the screen the IR camera would be connected to.
_Far_ cheaper than a purpose built simulator. With the advantage that they can train while on position, whenever nothing is happening:
quotingMy interview with Sean Francis, from the _civilian_ volunteer anti-air unit that I supported with a donated training simulator. He explains how he, a former American marine, ended up doing real estate in Kyiv, and volunteering his time to do anti-air defense as a civilian.
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I also filmed Sean explaining how the gun and simulator worked, and the unit trying it out for the first time. I got a chance to try it to, and managed to down a simulated shahed. 😂 Working on editing that footage.
Most of the ~$6k cost came from the $LADA memecoin community; some of it came from Bitcoin donations. Thank you to those who donated!
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https://mempool.space/address/bc1qdds28nk2n69kc2zh0y62flnxarsp2lv80tn8t5