The 90th Missile Wing installed a network of remotely controlled machine guns to defend locations vital to the Minuteman III ICBM mission at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo. Mounted in an armored turret, the Remote Targeting Engagement System’s 7.62 mm M-240 machine guns are controlled from a central command center. “The RTES is a system that keeps our people out of harm’s way, while still being able to engage the enemy,” said TSgt. Michael Firos, RTES non-commissioned officer in charge with the 90th Security Forces Squadron. When potential threats breach a perimeter, security forces identify intruders using barrel-mounted infrared and wide-angle cameras. Using the weapon’s sniper-style optical scope, security forces can engage targets using a touchscreen and controller. Though remotely controlled, “the weapon still recoils,” explained intrusion detection specialist SSgt. Ryan Nelson. He added, “there is no question as to the reality of what you’re shooting at.” (Warren report by SSgt. Torri Savarese)
The Space Force is playing midwife to a new ecosystem of commercial satellite constellations providing alternatives to the service’s own Global Positioning Service from much closer to the Earth, making their signals more accurate and harder to jam.
