SAAB’s SAVIT virtual gun range lets you set up a range anywhere

If you’re putting rounds downrange, you’re going to be racking up costs in expended rounds and barring the decadent comfort of an indoor range with air conditioning, odds are you’re going to be out there plinking away in the blistering tropical heat to say nothing of the time needed to clean your firearm afterwards. The other interesting pickle is if you’re shooting something pricier like an anti tank missile, it’s going to be an expensive proposition whether you hit or miss the target. SAAB’s portable Small Arms Virtual Indoor Trainer aka SAVIT looks like something an aspiring marksman would probably love to have on their Christmas wishlist.

The SAVIT system is compact and can be be set up almost anywhere Image credit: SAAB

The portable version of the SAVIT consists of a  chunky box the size of an old-school PC rig albeit one that weighs 65kg which contains a projector, a tracking camera and a computer. To this is connected a projection screen that’s set up several metres away along with a set of speakers. To get the whole thing to run, you’ll need two conventional laptops too. Once deployed, you can use a variety of simulated weapons from a variety of manufacturers ranging from the usual pistols, rifles, sniper rifles, submachine guns all the way up to antitank weaponry.The weapons are almost real copies barring the fact that they don’t fire conventional rounds and have a bunch of sensors that interact with the SAVIT to detect where you’re firing; it’s like an upscaled video game of sorts except that the SAVIT is far more detailed with the integration of actual ballistics including wind speed, direction, air pressure, bullet drift and dispersion. To generate realistic recoil, each weapons system uses compressed gas to give a kick whenever a round or rounds are fired. Every round fired is then mapped and tracked for later evaluation to see your accuracy or lack thereof. The SAVIT isn’t just a virtual shooting range with static targets, it’s able to create complex scenarios for trainees ranging from open terrain to inside buildings along with the ability to implement judgemental training so you get better practice at split second decisions like not shooting the good guys and shooting the bad guys.

The best part is that the portable SAVIT system saves you dosh on rounds, lets you plink away as long as you want and can be set up almost anywhere you want. A larger static  indoor system allows for more shooters though it’s obviously not portable. AT DSA 2016, SAAB set up a SAVIT test range with a G36 rifle along with an MP5 while on another they set up a similar SAVIT system with an anti tank missile launcher. Naturally, the more familiar small arms SAVIT booth enjoyed a steady stream of visitors aiming to put a few rounds downrange and the feel, the recoil, the weight and handling along with a similarly enforced means of reloading meant that the simulation was – naturally – realistic. Once you empty your magazine, you’ll have to take it out to reload it again and arm the charging handle which leads to familiarity through repetition. The experience of firing it was realistic and swapping firing modes from semi auto to full auto on the MP5 elicited a similarly satisfying response. The best part? Not having to pick up all that spent brass afterwards. To find out more about SAAB’s SAVIT swing by here.

https://youtu.be/IxJuDag6zRA