Gridbots KATANA RCWS and anti drone weapon station — AI-enabled remote control weapon station India for C-UAS hard-kill


KATANA — AI-Enabled RCWS & Anti Drone Weapon Station

Remote Control Weapon Station | C-UAS Hard-Kill | Made in India


Gridbots KATANA is a state-of-the-art remote control weapon station (RCWS) and AI-enabled anti drone weapon station capable of tracking more than 20 simultaneous aerial and ground targets and locking on to any target within a second for engagement. Designed and manufactured in India, the KATANA RCWS is positioned as a force-multiplier for armoured vehicles, naval platforms, fixed installations and homeland security units.

As a fully integrated anti-drone weapon station, KATANA combines AESA radar cueing, EO/IR sensor fusion, and onboard deep-learning target classification to detect, track and neutralise Class I and Class II UAVs, loitering munitions and rotary-wing threats. The system is equally effective against asymmetric ground threats — vehicles, boats and dismounted personnel — making it a true multi-domain RCWS.

The remote control weapon station supports 360-degree azimuth and 180-degree elevation simultaneously, and can carry electro-optical sighting (EOS) pods in single, twin, quad and octa barrel configurations. With 10 µRad pointing precision, slew rates of 180°/sec on both axes, and 99.9% locking and tracking accuracy, KATANA delivers the kind of engagement performance demanded by modern threat scenarios.

KATANA can be deployed on Gridbots TITAN UGVs, light tanks, MRAP/ICV class vehicles, naval craft, and fixed perimeter towers. As India's most capable AI-driven RCWS and counter-UAS hard-kill platform, the system is built to support layered air defence doctrines and modern battlefield C4ISR architectures.

20+
Simultaneous Targets
99.9%
Locking Accuracy
360°
Azimuth Coverage
10 km
EO/IR Detect Range
10 µRad
Pointing Precision
<1 s
Lock-On Time

Three Operational Modes

One RCWS Platform — Ground, Air & Naval Defence


The Gridbots KATANA is a single, modular remote control weapon station configured around three doctrine-driven operational modes. Each mode reuses the common KATANA RCWS chassis, AI compute and sensor backbone — only the effector pack, fire-control profile and host-platform interface change. This commonality drives down lifecycle cost, simplifies operator training, and gives armed forces a single RCWS family that scales from a tank turret to a naval foredeck to an anti drone weapon station on a hilltop post.


01
Ground Defense Model
Tank Turret & High-Altitude Post RCWS

The Ground Defense KATANA is the armoured-corps and high-altitude variant of the remote control weapon station. Engineered for retrofit onto T-72, T-90 and BMP-2 hulls as a commander's independent weapon station, and for hardened deployment on Siachen-class high-altitude posts and LOC bunkers, this RCWS delivers behind-armour engagement of infantry, light vehicles, and infiltration drones in the most punishing terrain the Indian sub-continent presents.

Host Platforms
T-72 T-90 BMP-2 Sarath Arjun MBT K9 Vajra MRAP / ICV HAOP Bunker LOC Post
Mission Profile
  • Commander's independent RCWS atop tank turret for 360° anti-infantry overwatch while main gun is engaged elsewhere
  • Pintle-replacement on BMP-2 / Sarath cupola — eliminates exposed gunner
  • Hardened bunker mount for high-altitude posts at 16,000 ft+ (cold-weather kit)
  • Counter-sniper, counter-ATGM-team and counter-infiltration role on the LOC
  • Slaved to commander's panoramic sight via slew-to-cue
Configured Effectors
  • 12.7 mm NSV / M2HB heavy machine gun (primary)
  • 7.62 mm PKT coaxial option
  • 30 mm AGS-30 automatic grenade launcher (twin-mount option)
  • Smoke grenade dischargers ×8 for self-protection
Mode-Specific Features
  • Cold-weather kit rated to −40 °C for Siachen / Ladakh deployment
  • STANAG 4569 Level 4 ballistic shielding around exposed components
  • NBC-decontamination compatible
  • EMI hardening for collocation with vehicle radios and ECM
  • Hunter-killer integration with vehicle FCS (BMS Link)
2.0 km
Engage Range
−40 °C
Cold Limit
L4
STANAG 4569
02
Air Defense Model
Anti Drone Weapon Station / C-UAS Hard-Kill

The Air Defense KATANA — designated KATANA-AAD — is the dedicated anti drone weapon station. It is engineered to defeat the full Class I and Class II UAV threat spectrum, from commercial quadcopters and FPV kamikaze drones to tactical recce platforms and small loitering munitions. Tightly integrated with the GB-Sentinel C-UAS suite, this mode turns the KATANA RCWS into the hard-kill layer of a layered air-defence doctrine — the last 4 km of the kill chain.

Host Platforms
Fixed Tower HESCO Bunker Air Base Perimeter Refinery / Plant Convoy Vehicle VVIP Detail Forward Operating Base
Mission Profile
  • Hard-kill of Class I micro / mini UAVs (quadcopters, FPV loiterers)
  • Engagement of Class II tactical drones and small loitering munitions
  • Counter-swarm engagement with autonomous target queueing
  • Low-altitude rotary-wing intercept (NOE helicopter recce)
  • Critical-infrastructure overhead protection (airbases, refineries, dams)
Configured Effectors
  • 30 mm Programmable Airburst (PABM) — primary anti-drone effector
  • 12.7 mm with anti-UAV airburst rounds
  • Octa-pod guided micro-effector launcher (8× smart munitions)
  • Optional ATGM rail for Class III drone intercept
Mode-Specific Features
  • AESA radar cue (S/X-band) — 10 km against 0.01 m² RCS targets
  • Acoustic Fourier array — 360° passive UAV bearing
  • Gated-light EO/IR camera for low-RCS small UAV detection
  • Lead-angle predictor with airburst standoff calculation
  • Slew-to-cue handover < 0.4 seconds
  • Network-shared track files between adjacent KATANA-AAD nodes
  • IFF integration to prevent fratricide on friendly UAS
4.0 km
Hard-Kill Range
10 km
Detect (AESA)
<1.5 s
Cue → Fire
03
Naval Defense Model
Stabilised Remote Control Naval Gun

The Naval Defense KATANA — designated KATANA-NAV — is a fully marinised, gyro-stabilised remote control gun for blue-water and littoral operations. Engineered for OPVs, fast attack craft, ICGS interceptor boats and merchant escort details, this mode of the KATANA RCWS delivers auto-locking, tracking, and annihilation of fast attack boats (FIAC), suicide skiffs, sea-skimming drones and surface UAVs in high-clutter sea states. Saltwater corrosion-proofed, ship-motion compensated, and link-up ready with the vessel's CMS.

Host Platforms
OPV Fast Attack Craft ICGS Interceptor Boat Patrol Vessel Landing Craft Merchant Escort Coastal Tower
Mission Profile
  • Auto-lock, track and annihilate enemy boats (FIAC) and suicide skiffs
  • Anti-USV (unmanned surface vessel) engagement against sea-skimming drones
  • Anti-piracy and anti-smuggling boarding-team support
  • Anti-swarm boat defence with autonomous target queue
  • Low-altitude anti-drone defence over the ship's flight deck
  • Harbour and port-perimeter sentry from coastal towers
Configured Effectors
  • 12.7 mm marinised heavy machine gun (primary)
  • 30 mm naval cannon option for OPV-class platforms
  • ATGM rail (Spike-NLOS / Konkurs) for anti-FAC engagement
  • Fast-reload twin barrel option for sustained anti-swarm fire
Mode-Specific Features
  • Full marinisation — salt fog & humidity per MIL-STD-810H
  • Gyro stabilisation compensates for pitch / roll / yaw at Sea State 5
  • Sea-clutter rejection algorithms in the AI tracker
  • Wave-top dwell discrimination — separates skimming USV from sea spray
  • CMS / Link-Y integration with naval combat management system
  • Standalone navigation radar feed for over-horizon cueing
  • Dark Silicon Imager for low-light littoral engagement
SS-5
Sea State
2.5 km
Anti-FIAC Range
99.9%
Auto-Lock Acc.

Mode At-A-Glance


Parameter 01 — Ground Defense 02 — Air Defense 03 — Naval Defense
Designation KATANA-GND KATANA-AAD KATANA-NAV
Primary Threat Infantry, light vehicles, infiltration drones UAVs, FPV loiterers, swarm, NOE rotary-wing FIAC, USV, suicide skiff, sea-skim drone
Primary Effector 12.7 mm + 30 mm AGL 30 mm PABM + µ-effector pod 12.7 mm marinised + ATGM
Engagement Range 2.0 km 4.0 km (hard-kill) 2.5 km (FIAC)
Detection Range (cued) 10 km EO/IR 10 km AESA + 5 km LWIR 10 km nav-radar + 7.5 km LWIR
Stabilisation Vehicle pitch / roll Static or vehicle Pitch / roll / yaw — Sea State 5
Operating Temp −40 °C to +55 °C −32 °C to +55 °C −10 °C to +55 °C, salt-fog
Typical Hosts T-72, T-90, BMP-2, MRAP, bunker Tower, HESCO, airbase, FOB OPV, FAC, ICGS interceptor
Network Integration BMS / hunter-killer FCS C-UAS network / Link-16 gateway Naval CMS / Link-Y

All three modes share the common GB-KATANA-MK1 RCWS chassis, AI compute backbone and sensor architecture. Reconfiguration between modes is depot-level and typically completed inside 8 working hours.

180 Degree Pan/Tilt Camera
Barrel Launcher
Missiles
Rotating Platform
Missiles Cover
Controller
Gridbots KATANA remote control weapon station and anti drone weapon station — 360 degree pan, autonomous AI target tracking
Download brochure .PDF


RCWS Capabilities

Remote Control Weapon Station — Multi-Role, Multi-Domain


The KATANA remote control weapon station is engineered as a true multi-role RCWS. Whether mounted on an armoured personnel carrier, a naval interceptor, a UGV, or a fixed perimeter post, the system delivers consistent first-shot accuracy, low-latency engagement, and full operator protection through stabilised, behind-armour control.


Stabilised RCWS Engagement

Dual-axis gyro-stabilised platform compensates for vehicle pitch, roll and yaw. KATANA RCWS maintains line-of-sight on moving targets even while the host vehicle is on the move at up to 60 km/h on uneven terrain.

AI Target Classification

Onboard twin-GPU video processor runs deep-learning detectors trained on combatant, vehicle, UAV and watercraft datasets. Friend-Foe-Neutral classification reduces operator workload and shortens the OODA loop on the RCWS.

Behind-Armour Operation

Operators control the remote control weapon station from a hardened crew compartment via an encrypted fibre / RF link. Crew exposure during engagement is eliminated — a core benefit of any modern RCWS.

Modular Effector Packs

The RCWS supports rapid swap between 7.62 mm, 12.7 mm, 30 mm AGL, 40 mm AGL, ATGM cassettes and counter-drone effector pods. Tool-less effector swap in under 15 minutes.

Slew-to-Cue Integration

The KATANA RCWS accepts external cueing from AESA radar, RF detection and acoustic sensors. Slew-to-cue handover places the threat in the optical field of view in under 0.6 seconds.

Man-in-the-Loop / Autonomous

Three engagement modes — fully manual, man-in-the-loop, and autonomous track — allow doctrine-compliant rules of engagement on the RCWS for any deployment scenario.



Features


Long Endurance icon

Long Endurance

Automatic Target Tracking icon

Automatic Target Tracking

2-Way Audio Communication icon

2 Ways Audio Communication

Fully Autonomous Navigation icon

Fully Autonomous Navigation

3D Path Navigation icon

3D Path Navigation

Follow Me mode icon

Follow Me

IP65 Weather Proof icon

IP 65 Weather Proof


360 Degree Panoramic View icon

360 Degree Panoramic View

Thermal Sight icon

Thermal Sight



Anti Drone Weapon Station

C-UAS Hard-Kill Layer | KATANA-AAD


Modern battlefields are dominated by the proliferation of small UAS — from commercial quadcopters repurposed as ISR platforms to FPV loitering munitions and Group 2/3 strike drones. The KATANA-AAD anti drone weapon station is engineered as the dedicated hard-kill layer in a layered C-UAS architecture, complementing soft-kill RF jammers, GNSS spoofers and high-power microwave (HPM) effectors.

As an anti-drone weapon station, KATANA-AAD delivers sub-second engagement timelines from detection to neutralisation. The system fuses inputs from AESA radar, RF detection, acoustic Fourier arrays and gated-light EO/IR cameras to maintain a persistent low-altitude threat picture out to 10 km. Once a hostile UAV is classified, the operator (or the autonomous logic, where doctrine permits) authorises engagement with the appropriate effector — kinetic round, programmable airburst, or guided micro-effector.

Counter-UAS Engagement Workflow

T+0.0 s — Detection

AESA radar / RF sensor / EagleEye gated-light camera detects a low-RCS UAV at up to 10 km. Track is initiated and broadcast to the C-UAS network.

T+0.4 s — Slew-to-Cue

KATANA RCWS receives the cue, slews both axes at 180°/sec and places the threat inside the EO/IR field of view of the SleuthHOUND pod.

T+0.7 s — Classification

Onboard twin-GPU deep-learning model classifies platform type (quadcopter / fixed-wing / loitering munition) and assigns a threat priority score.

T+1.0 s — Operator Authorisation

Man-in-the-loop confirms target on the operator console. Rules-of-engagement are checked against IFF and no-fire zones.

T+1.2 s — Lock & Track

Lock established with 99.9% accuracy. Lead-angle predictor computes a fire solution accounting for target velocity, ballistic drop and crosswind.

T+1.5 s — Engagement

Burst fired from the selected effector. Programmable-airburst rounds detonate at calculated standoff for maximum lethal radius against the UAV.

T+1.8 s — Battle Damage Assessment

Post-engagement BDA is performed automatically. If track is still active, KATANA RCWS re-engages or hands the target back to the cueing sensor.


Anti-Drone Threat & Effector Matrix

The matrix below summarises how the KATANA anti drone weapon station addresses common UAS threat classes. Effective engagement ranges are indicative and depend on weather, target geometry and chosen effector.

Threat Class Typical Examples Detect Range Recommended Effector Engage Range Effectiveness
Class I — Micro UAV (< 2 kg) Commercial quadcopters, FPV racers 3.0 km 12.7 mm + airburst rounds 1.2 km High
Class I — Mini UAV (2–20 kg) Small ISR platforms, FPV loiterers 5.0 km 12.7 mm / 30 mm AGL airburst 2.0 km High
Class II — Small UAV (20–150 kg) Tactical recce drones, small loitering munitions 8.0 km 30 mm AGL / guided micro-effector 3.0 km Medium-High
Class III — Medium UAV (150–600 kg) MALE-class strike drones 10.0 km ATGM / guided effector 4.0 km Medium
Rotary-Wing (low and slow) Recce helicopters at NoE altitudes 6.0 km 12.7 mm / ATGM 2.5 km Medium-High
Drone Swarm (4–16 platforms) Coordinated FPV / quadcopter swarms 4.0 km 30 mm AGL airburst (autonomous queue) 1.5 km Mode-Dependent

Note: Engagement ranges are based on representative test data under standard atmospheric conditions. Actual performance varies with payload, cueing source and operating environment.


Performance Data

RCWS & Anti Drone Weapon Station — Engagement Performance


The charts below summarise the operational performance envelope of the KATANA RCWS / anti drone weapon station based on representative test data. All figures are indicative and intended for system-level planning.


Detection Range by Sensor (km)

0 2 4 6 8 10 Range (km) 10 km 7.5 km 6 km 5 km 4 km 1.5 km AESA Radar LWIR Thermal MWIR EO Daylight RF Detect Acoustic

Indicative detection ranges against a Class I mini-UAV target under standard atmospheric conditions.

Effective Engagement Range by Effector (m)

0 1000 2000 3000 4000 Range (metres) 1500 m 2000 m 2200 m 2400 m 3500 m 4000 m 7.62 mm MG 12.7 mm HMG 30 mm AGL 40 mm AGL Guided µ-Effector ATGM

Maximum effective engagement ranges of the KATANA RCWS by configured effector against typical ground and aerial targets.

Lock-On Time vs. Target Crossing Velocity

0.0 0.4 0.8 1.2 1.6 2.0 Lock-on (s) 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 Target Crossing Velocity (m/s) Manual Mode AI-Assisted Track

AI-assisted track on the KATANA RCWS keeps lock-on time under 1 second across the full UAV velocity envelope.

Single-Burst Hit Probability vs. Range

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Hit Probability 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 Range (metres) 7.62 mm MG 12.7 mm HMG 30 mm AGL Airburst

First-burst hit probability against a quadcopter-class target on the AI-assisted KATANA anti drone weapon station.


Gridbots KATANA RCWS — ground-mount remote control weapon station variant


KATANA

The Gridbots KATANA is an autonomous and manual remote control weapon station (RCWS) deployable on ground vehicles, naval craft and fixed installations for remote target tracking and engagement in the field.

The base RCWS supports payloads up to 12.7 mm machine guns, 30/40 mm grenade launchers and ATGMs, making it one of the most versatile remote control weapon stations available in India.

EO/IR camera pods provide target detection and identification at ranges up to 10 km with sub-second lock-on.

Gridbots KATANA-AAD anti drone weapon station — C-UAS hard-kill RCWS variant


KATANA-AAD

The KATANA-AAD is the dedicated anti drone weapon station variant — a specialised anti-air defence RCWS engineered to counter aerial threats including FPV drones, loitering munitions and low-altitude rotary-wing aircraft.

Integrated with the GB-Sentinel C-UAS suite, KATANA-AAD forms the hard-kill layer in a complete counter-UAV remote control weapon station solution, with airburst-capable effectors and guided micro-munitions.

EO/IR sensor pods enable target identification at up to 10 km with 99.9% locking accuracy and sub-second slew-to-cue handover.





Specifications

RCWS Core Platform — GB-KATANA-MK1



Model Number GB-KATANA-MK1
Classification Remote Control Weapon Station (RCWS) / Anti Drone Weapon Station
Payload ATGM / MG / RL / GL / Counter-UAS Effector Pod
Unit Weight 500 Kg
MOC Chromium Steel
Situational Awareness Gridbots HAWK + SleuthHOUND EOS
View 360 Degree Pana-view / Thermal
Comms Encrypted (AES-256, fibre / RF / mesh)
Both Axis - Rotary Precision 10 µRad
Battery Operation Yes - 24V/100Ah
Control Manual / Auto / Man-in-Loop
Locking and Tracking Accuracy 99.9%
Video + Thermal Camera Analytics Onboard Deep Learning + Active Appearance based Models
Additional Payload MMG / 12 mm Gun
Rotational Speed 180 Degrees per second — Both Axes
Suitable Mount Platform Gridbots TITAN / UGVs / Light Tanks / MRAPs / Naval Craft / Vehicles / Fixed Mounts
On-board Video Compute Twin GPU based Video Processor
Payload Capacity on Platform Up to 200 Kg [Main Axis]
Threat Perception Sound Fourier / Gated Light Cameras / AESA RADAR
Additional Sensors SWIR / MWIR / LWIR / Dark Silicon Imager

Mechanical, Power & Environmental


Azimuth (Pan) Range360° continuous (slip-ring)
Elevation (Tilt) Range−20° to +75° (depressed engagement to high-angle anti-drone)
Slew Rate — Azimuth180 °/sec
Slew Rate — Elevation180 °/sec
Stabilisation2-axis gyro stabilised, < 0.2 mRad RMS
Maximum Effector Mass200 kg on main axis
Operating Voltage24 V DC nominal (18–32 V DC)
Peak Current Draw45 A (during full slew)
Standby Current Draw3.5 A
Internal UPSYes — 30 min hot-standby battery
Operating Temperature−32 °C to +55 °C
Storage Temperature−40 °C to +71 °C
Humidity0 – 100 % RH (condensing tolerated)
Ingress ProtectionIP65 (full unit) / IP67 (sealed sensor pods)
Shock40 g, 11 ms half-sine (MIL-STD-810H Method 516.8)
VibrationMIL-STD-810H Method 514.8 — wheeled and tracked vehicle profiles
EMI / EMCMIL-STD-461G compliant
NBC DecontaminationCompatible with DS2 / STB chemical decon agents

Sensor & Optronics Suite


Daylight CMOS CameraHD 1920×1080, 30× continuous optical zoom, FOV 2.3° – 63°
LWIR Thermal Imager640×512, 12 µm pitch, NETD < 40 mK, FOV 2° – 25°
MWIR Cooled Imager (optional)640×512, NETD < 25 mK, integrated Stirling cooler
SWIR Imager (optional)InGaAs 640×512 — see-through-haze detection of small UAVs
Laser Range Finder (LRF)Eye-safe 1.55 µm, range 50 m – 12 km, accuracy ±1 m
Laser Designator (optional)1.064 µm, NATO STANAG 3733 PRF codes
Laser Pointer / IlluminatorNIR 850 nm, IR-IFF compatible
Dark Silicon ImagerLow-light intensified channel for nautical twilight operation
Gated-Light CameraFor low-RCS small UAV detection
Acoustic Fourier Array4-element MEMS array, 360° bearing on UAV/RPAS acoustic signature
AESA Radar (optional cue)S-band / X-band, 10 km range against 0.01 m² RCS
Sensor FusionKalman-filter multi-hypothesis tracker, 32 simultaneous tracks
Track Memory20+ active engagement tracks

Effector / Weapon Compatibility


Effector Calibre / Type Max Effective Range Cyclic Rate Primary Role
PKT / MAG / M2407.62 × 51 mm1500 m650–950 rpmAnti-personnel / soft-skin vehicle
NSV / M2 / M2HB12.7 × 99 mm2000 m485–600 rpmAnti-material / Anti-UAV
AGS-30 / Mk-1930 mm / 40 mm AGL2200–2400 m325–400 rpmArea suppression / airburst C-UAS
ATGM LauncherSpike-ER / Konkurs / Nag4000 m1 roundAnti-armour / hardened target
Programmable Airburst Pod30 mm PABM2000 m200 rpm (controlled)C-UAS / counter-swarm
Guided µ-Effector Pod8 × Smart micro-munitions3500 m1–8 rounds salvoAnti-drone precision kill
Smoke Grenade Launchers76 mm bank ×825 m screeningSalvoSelf-protection

C4ISR & Networking


Primary Data BusGigabit Ethernet (1000BASE-T) — vehicle backbone
Secondary BusCAN 2.0B for low-level actuator control
Crew Interface10.4" sunlight-readable touch console + dual-grip joystick
Video OutputH.265 / H.264 dual-stream, < 80 ms glass-to-glass latency
EncryptionAES-256 link encryption + IPSec tunnelling
Battle Management IntegrationMIL-STD-6017 (VMF), Link-16 gateway compatible
Cyber HardeningSecure boot, signed firmware, tamper-detect on access panels
Remote DiagnosticsBuilt-in PHM (Prognostic Health Monitoring) with 200+ sensors
Software UpdateOTA over secure tactical link with rollback


Deployment Scenarios

Where the KATANA RCWS & Anti Drone Weapon Station Operates


The modular architecture of the KATANA remote control weapon station allows it to be deployed across the full spectrum of land, naval and infrastructure-protection roles. Each deployment configuration is tuned for a specific threat profile and host platform.


Armoured Vehicle RCWS

Mounted on ICVs, MRAPs and main battle tanks as a primary or secondary RCWS. Supports on-the-move engagement with full crew protection inside the hull.

UGV-Mounted RCWS

Integrated with the Gridbots TITAN tracked UGV to deliver an unmanned, AI-enabled remote control weapon station for high-risk forward operations and route-clearance tasks.

Naval RCWS

Marinised variant for OPVs, fast attack craft and patrol boats. Provides anti-FIAC, anti-swarm and short-range air defence using the same RCWS platform.

Anti-Drone Perimeter

Fixed installation on airbases, refineries, nuclear facilities and VVIP zones. As an anti drone weapon station, KATANA-AAD provides hard-kill response in a layered C-UAS architecture.

Border & LOC Posts

Hardened bunker mounts on border outposts deliver 24/7 surveillance and engagement against infiltration drones, sniper teams and asymmetric ground threats.

Counter-Swarm Defence

Networked KATANA-AAD nodes with shared track files and autonomous target queueing engage multiple FPV drones in a coordinated drone swarm scenario.

VVIP / Convoy Protection

Light-vehicle RCWS variant providing instant-on overhead drone defence and ground-threat engagement for high-value convoy escort.

Critical Infrastructure

Power grids, hydroelectric dams, ports and oil terminals receive a dedicated AI-driven RCWS with C-UAS hard-kill capability and full integration into existing CCTV/SCADA networks.

Forward Operating Bases

Self-contained tower or HESCO-mounted RCWS provides mortar-track-and-engage as well as anti-drone defence for FOBs and combat outposts.


Variant Comparison

Choose the Right RCWS Configuration


The KATANA family scales from a lightweight infantry-support remote control weapon station to a fully integrated anti drone weapon station. The matrix below summarises the key differences between configurations.


Specification KATANA-LITE KATANA (Standard RCWS) KATANA-AAD (Anti Drone) KATANA-NAV (Naval)
Primary Role Light vehicle / patrol RCWS Multi-role RCWS C-UAS hard-kill weapon station Naval RCWS / SHORAD
Unit Weight 180 kg 500 kg 540 kg 520 kg (marinised)
Primary Effector 7.62 mm 12.7 mm + 30 mm AGL 30 mm PABM + µ-effector pod 12.7 mm + ATGM
Slew Rate 120 °/sec 180 °/sec 180 °/sec 180 °/sec
EO/IR Detect Range 4 km 10 km 10 km 10 km
AESA Radar Cue Optional Optional Standard Optional
Acoustic UAV Detect — Optional Standard Optional
Programmable Airburst — Optional Standard Optional
Marinisation — — — Standard (salt fog MIL-STD-810H)
IFF / Link-16 Gateway Optional Optional Standard Standard

MIL-STD-810H MIL-STD-461G STANAG 4569 STANAG 3733 IP65 AES-256 Encryption MAKE IN INDIA


Media




Drawings

Gridbots KATANA RCWS technical drawing front view — anti drone weapon station
Gridbots KATANA remote control weapon station technical drawing side view
Gridbots KATANA RCWS technical drawing top view — autonomous weapon station


Frequently Asked Questions

RCWS & Anti Drone Weapon Station — KATANA


What is an RCWS (remote control weapon station)?

A remote control weapon station, or RCWS, is a remotely operated weapon mount that lets an operator engage targets from inside a protected vehicle, ship, or fixed bunker. The KATANA RCWS adds AI-enabled autonomous tracking, deep-learning target classification, and a counter-drone hard-kill mode on top of the standard RCWS feature set.

Can the KATANA be used as an anti drone weapon station?

Yes. The KATANA-AAD variant is purpose-built as an anti drone weapon station and integrates with the GB-Sentinel C-UAS suite to provide hard-kill engagement of Class I and Class II UAVs, FPV loitering munitions and low-altitude rotary-wing threats out to 4 km.

What weapons can the KATANA remote control weapon station carry?

The KATANA RCWS supports 7.62 mm and 12.7 mm machine guns, 30 mm and 40 mm grenade launchers, ATGM launchers, and dedicated counter-drone effector pods in single, twin, quad and octa-barrel configurations. Effector swap is tool-less and takes under 15 minutes.

How does the KATANA detect drones?

The anti drone weapon station fuses inputs from AESA radar, RF detection, acoustic Fourier arrays, gated-light cameras and EO/IR (LWIR/MWIR/SWIR) sensors. Sensor fusion is performed on a twin-GPU edge processor running deep-learning classifiers, giving the RCWS a persistent low-altitude track picture out to 10 km.

What is the lock-on time of the KATANA RCWS?

In AI-assisted track mode, the RCWS achieves lock-on in under 1 second across the full UAV velocity envelope. Slew-to-cue handover from external sensors places the threat in the EO/IR field of view in approximately 0.4 seconds.

Is the KATANA RCWS Made in India?

Yes. The remote control weapon station is designed, developed and manufactured in India by Gridbots Technologies, with indigenous content across the controller, AI engine, sensor pods and mechanical platform — aligning with the Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make-in-India defence procurement priorities.

Can the RCWS be controlled from inside the vehicle?

Yes. The KATANA RCWS is operated from a behind-armour 10.4" sunlight-readable console with dual-grip joystick. Glass-to-glass video latency is under 80 ms and the link is AES-256 encrypted.

Does the anti drone weapon station support autonomous engagement?

The RCWS supports three modes — fully manual, man-in-the-loop, and supervised autonomous track. The autonomous mode is governed by user-defined rules of engagement and IFF / no-fire zone constraints; final fire authority remains with the operator unless explicitly delegated by doctrine.

How is the KATANA RCWS protected against EW and cyber attacks?

The remote control weapon station uses AES-256 link encryption with IPSec tunnelling, secure boot, signed firmware, and tamper-detect on access panels. The system is MIL-STD-461G EMI/EMC compliant and survives RF jamming through frequency-agile mesh links and inertial dead-reckoning of the cue.

What platforms can host the KATANA RCWS?

Suitable mount platforms include the Gridbots TITAN tracked UGV, light tanks, MRAPs and ICVs, naval OPVs and fast-attack craft, fixed perimeter towers, and HESCO bunker mounts. The RCWS interface is platform-agnostic over a Gigabit Ethernet bus.