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[tusharngf]

• Ukraine is using Steam Decks to control remote turret guns on the battlefield.
• Steam Deck is a popular platform used for playing video games.
• A video shared online shows the device in action.

Ukraine appears to be using a very popular video game system for an unusual purpose: remotely controlling gun turrets.

The use of the Steam Deck platform to control the unmanned machine-gun systems highlights the continued influence of modern technologies in the Ukraine war, something also evident in the prevalence of drones.

It also highlights the tendency to employ systems in ways outside of what they were intended to do, as is the case here.

Ukraine's United24 Media, a government-run platform, shared a video of Ukrainian soldiers using the Steam Deck system to remotely control guns on social media over the weekend.

The video notes that the remote-controlled gun turrets, the ShaBlya system which was developed by Ukrainian engineers and approved for use and mass production earlier this year, are one of the first "robots" on the front lines, designed to hold, target, and fire machine guns.

The gun turret also has a thermal imager and wide-field cameras for locating targets, and it can fire out to a distance of just over three miles, according to United24.

Footage of the turret being used in combat shows it being controlled by portable Steam Deck systems, video game platforms made by Valve that are used to play popular games such as the classic "Halo" series, "Elden Ring," and "Stardew Valley." Steam Decks are relatively new handheld gaming devices, but they have become popular for their portability and the variety of games that are available on the Steam store.

But there are apparently other features, ones that the Ukrainians have figured out how to exploit. Reports of the Steam Deck being used in combat have been circulating since last year.

The use of these systems to control remotely operated gun turrets, as United24's video notes, speaks to the significant use of a variety of different technologies in this war, especially when it comes to robots and drones.

Full article https://www.yahoo.com/news/ukraine-... using Steam Decks,shows the device in action.

 

[Maddoxswe]

Did I enter the war forum again, silly me..

 

[Skifi28]

Gaben really made a killer product.

 

[TintoConCasera]

Nothing like being reminded about the horrors of war while browsing a videogames forum. Thanks OP.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

TBH if the remote control system is not stock and you just need an interface then Steam Deck is probably tens or thousands of dollars cheaper than the more military-focused remote controls.

 

[Schmendrick]

Now give those things cloud access and put it up on steam as a "duck hunt" reskin.

 

[RoadHazard]

Does it really matter? Russia is going to win and conquer them in the long run anyway.

I don't think this is the place for that discussion, but so far it seems like you are wrong.

 

[lughnasadh123]

Hopefully works out better than the Titan sub.

 

[Mownoc]

The US Military had a super computer made out of PS3's: https://phys.org/news/2010-12-air-playstation-3s-supercomputer.html

I also remember the story that Saddam Hussein built a super computer out of thousands of PS2's: https://www.eurogamer.net/article-29913

Maybe Nintendo purposefully make their consoles weak so they can't be used in military conflict!

 

[Draugoth]

It's kinda crazy this is even possible, but i agree with other people this should be merged to the mega thread back at Off Topic

 

[Davevil]

meanwhile Gabe...

 

[Chiggs]

I think this absolutely belongs in gaming.

 

[darrylgorn]

Wait for the steam sale to get Drone Simulator 2024 for 90% off.

 

[Hrk69]

I mean they probably use anything they can get their hands on at this point

 

[Cyberpunkd]

Does it really matter? Russia is going to win and conquer them in the long run anyway.

What do Xbox fans and Russia apologists have in common?

 

[grvg]

Imho it is in really bad taste to put this thread here rather than in off topic.

It probably would have sufficed to place it in the Ukraine thread, even.

 

[Thaedolus]

 

[BlackTron]

It's not that surprising given that Steam Deck is a PC with a built in screen and joysticks that is easier to carry than the laptops with extra batteries these guys sometimes lug for field applications. But yeah, sort of a weird post lol

 

[BlackTron]

I think this absolutely belongs in gaming.

What irks me about selling this as gaming news is Steam Deck is just a PC and we already know about the amazing versatility of PC. It wouldn't be "gaming news" to do this with a laptop but change the form factor of said laptop to handheld and suddenly "gaming system being used to control weapons". So being Steam Deck just comes off as excuse to talk about dudes getting blown away in gaming discussion.

 

[nightmare-slain]

should've sent them the OLED with anti glare display for fuck sake.

 

[Artoris]

best not to play medal of honor on steam deck

 

[DKehoe]

The Steam Deck solves problems. Not problems like "When is Half Life 3 coming out?" It solves practical problems.

 

[winjer]

Does it really matter? Russia is going to win and conquer them in the long run anyway.

At least Russians now admit this invasion is merely for conquest and not the false pretence that Ukrainians and Russians are brothers.
Still, considering this was supposed to be a 3 day operation to conquer the whole country, and we are already in the third year, it probably means you are very wrong.

 

[diffusionx]

At least Russians now admit this invasion is merely for conquest and not the false pretence that Ukrainians and Russians are brothers.
Still, considering this was supposed to be a 3 day operation to conquer the whole country, and we are already in the third year, it probably means you are very wrong.

If NATO didn’t decide to fight Russia it would have been over in 3 days… but in any case war isn’t a basketball game where you have to win in regulation. What matters in a war is who brings the most men and materiel into a fight and Ukraine cannot match even with NATO support but they can drag it out needlessly as they have done. Unless these Steam Decks are a kill shot which I doubt.

 

[Paasei]

Arma 4 military simulator with next gen graphic(s) fidelity.

 

[winjer]

If NATO didn’t decide to fight Russia it would have been over in 3 days… but in any case war isn’t a basketball game where you have to win in regulation. What matters in a war is who brings the most men and materiel into a fight and Ukraine cannot match even with NATO support but they can drag it out needlessly as they have done.

NATO isn't even on the field. If it was, this war would already be over.
What NATO did was supply some weapons, but even those were very limited during the first 2 years. Only recently did Ukraine start receiving tanks and fighters.
On the other hand, Russia has also been receiving weapons from China, Iran and North Korea.

 

[diffusionx]

NATO isn't even on the field. If it was, this war would already be over.
What NATO did was supply some weapons, but even those were very limited during the first 2 years. Only recently did Ukraine start receiving tanks and fighters.
On the other hand, Russia has also been receiving weapons from China, Iran and North Korea.

Every single weapon fired by every single Ukrainian is supplied by NATO and that has been the case for years. Heck every single paycheck paid out by the Ukrainian government is being paid out by NATO, especially the USA. s for NATO not being on the field, well that's the official story.

It's important to get facts straight.

 

[Hookshot]

Fuck Russia's imperialism and Putin is a midget wanker but the amount of money give to Ukraine especially from American tax payers is a huge scandal no one is willing to admit. Meanwhile the Ukrainian people are dodging drafts and taking part in the Olympics. Could have just given $50 billion to Russia to leave again, rather than drag it out with no oversight of where the cash is going. It's definitely not gone to the people, or all 38 million of them would be billionaires now.

 

[winjer]

Every single weapon fired by every single Ukrainian is supplied by NATO and that has been the case for years. Heck every single paycheck paid out by the Ukrainian government is being paid out by NATO, especially the USA. s for NATO not being on the field, well that's the official story.

It's important to get facts straight.

That is so very wrong. A blatant lie.
Up until recently, all the tanks and planes that Ukraine had were all of Soviet origin.
And most of the small arms that Ukraine is using are things like Kalashnikovs.
Only some units have been equipped with western weapons, but even that took quite a while.

And yes, several NATO countries are supporting Ukraine to defended themselves from Russian invasion.
It's not the first time that the USA supports a country being invaded. You might remember that the USA provided $11.3 billion ($180 billion in today’s currency) in Lend Lease aid to Russia when they were invaded by Germany.
Money that was never paid back by Russia.

 

[RoadHazard]

If NATO didn’t decide to fight Russia it would have been over in 3 days… but in any case war isn’t a basketball game where you have to win in regulation. What matters in a war is who brings the most men and materiel into a fight and Ukraine cannot match even with NATO support but they can drag it out needlessly as they have done. Unless these Steam Decks are a kill shot which I doubt.

Wow. Didn't know we had literal Putin apologists here.

And anyway, NATO wasn't there that early on, that was all Ukraine (and Russian incompetence). They aren't there now either for that matter, just their equipment. NATO has never fought Russia.

 

[Atrus]

I just started playing Space Marine 2 yesterday night and it’s a reminder I’ve basically become like Khorne at this point with respect to the Russian soldiers. I care not how the Russian soldiers die, only that they die. Easier!? Faster!? Good.

Genocidal, child trafficking perverts.

 

[jason10mm]

1000% there is some dark web site where you can pay to get control of one of these things and take out some live humans.

Hell, in a decade you could probably finance an entire country off "pay per kill" outsourcing and gamification of remote operated weapons, whether the 'player' knows it or not.

Prophecy.....

Also 1000% guarantee some game will be made with the explicit goal of finding/training gifted drone pilots.

Also prophecy...

 

[Stitch]

 

[Puscifer]

I mean it's a Linux device and it's powerful as hell all things considered. I found totally see those 64GB models being bought up cheap in bulk and used for specific task