In a surprising turn of events, the Ukraine army has started using the Steam Deck, a popular gaming device, to control machine gun turrets. Ukrainian News company TPO shared images on Facebook showing the country’s soldiers testing a machine gun turret in the field. The weapon, named Sablya, is an “automated remote-controlled fire complex designed for stationary installation on real estate objects or special transport.”
Steam Deck finds new purpose in military applications
In the shared photos, a soldier can be seen holding a Steam Deck to control the machine gun remotely. Although the screen is blank, it is likely that the device displays the camera feed from the gun, allowing soldiers to monitor the battlefield, aim at targets, and fire the weapon. It is speculated that the Steam Deck might even mark targets for the automated turret to engage.
The Sablya turret can be operated from up to 500 meters away and can be equipped with various light anti-personnel or anti-tank weapons, including a Kalashnikov machine gun. According to the Facebook post, the turret will be deployed at checkpoints and other key locations to aid the Ukrainian military in its ongoing conflict with Russia.
Not the first time gaming tech used in military
This is not the first instance of gaming hardware being repurposed for military use. In 2018, the US Navy launched the USS Colorado, a Virginia-class submarine that employs an Xbox 360 controller to operate its periscope-like photonics masts. Similar controllers have been used to control drones and UAVs.
Valve, the creator of the Steam Deck, might not be thrilled about their device being used in such a manner. However, unlike SpaceX, which prevented Ukraine from using its Starlink service to control drones, there is little Valve can do to stop this unconventional application of its gaming technology.
