Finmeccanica´s Oto Melara SpA has developed the Porcupine (or Porcospino) counter rocket, artillery, and mortar (C-RAM) protected weapon system.

The ground based weapon system is intended to serve as a defensive system for land based military facilities or critical infrastructures against destroy incoming artillery, rockets and mortar rounds in the air before they hit their ground targets, or simply provide early warning capability.

Each remotely controlled firing unit comprises the supporting mount along its protected covers, a General Dynamics Armament & Technical Products (GD ATP) M61A1 Gatling 20mm six-barrel externally powered lightweight cannon, the ammunition handling and feeding system, the drive system, the power management unit, stabilized optronic day/night infra-red tracking system for target engagement and as well as associated mechanical components.

A typical networked configuration would consist of four firing units, a single shelter based command & control post for target designation and weapon control, and one small standard container based surveillance and detection module which is equipped with a single 3D radar system for surveillance and tracking of the incoming targets.

The firing unit is fixed in the terrain and linked to the command & control unit and the radar station through ruggedized cabling. The covered area can be extended with the addition of additional firing units.

(Oto Melara SpA).