Nine South African soldiers died and eleven were injured last Friday during a live-fire exercise when an anti-aircraft gun went out of control. But, contrary to some reports, the tragic accident was not the result of an automated or robotic weapon going out of control, a defence expert says.
from a South African newspaper say the anti-aircraft twin-barrelled gun jammed while firing. A female soldier tried to free the shell, but another shell was accidentally fired, causing some rounds in the gun鈥檚 two near-full ammunition magazines to explode. The gun began firing again and swung in a circle, leaving nine soldiers dead and eleven wounded.
Blogs and other online news sources have suggested the incident may be due to software problems, highlighting the danger of automated weapon systems. But Jim O鈥橦alloran of defence publication says the incident is more likely the result of a simple mechanical failure.
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鈥淟ike many weapons these days you can fire this gun from a remote position,鈥� says O鈥橦alloran, 鈥渂ut it鈥檚 not a robotic weapon.鈥� While the gun is typically used with automated target-tracking systems, the decision to fire is left to the operator.
Tragic accident
鈥淚f a shell was jammed in the breech and the cordite then fired, it could set off the ammunition in the canisters,鈥� says O鈥橦alloran. The force of that explosion could easily spin the turret around, he notes. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a very tragic accident, but it is not a robot gone out of control.鈥�
鈥淚 think it is bad luck more than anything else, the shells move through the gun so fast you only have to be a fraction out for something to go wrong,鈥� O鈥橦alloran says, adding that weapons are usually subject to rigorous tests to try and ensure that they rarely, if ever, malfunction.
The Mark 5 model used by the South African army, as well as forces around the world was first produced in 1985 and is well known in the industry. 鈥淚鈥檝e never heard of this kind of incident before,鈥� says O鈥橦alloran, 鈥渁nd I think it is unlikely to happen again.鈥�
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