Wilcox Industries has been working on powered weapon rails for years, but now International customers are beginning to field their FUSION system.
Wilcox refers to FUSION as an “electrical power management system” which provides centralized power to the weapon’s accessories via a removable Battery Management Power Supply System for CR123A with primary and backup power switch. It also works as a data bus.
This waterproof battery case powers the system and is mounted to the 6 o’clock position just in front of the magwell.
The system is modular. The triangular inserts are for heat mitigation with a Remote light/laser Activation Switch which can also be inserted into these slots. The light module was developed with SureFire and uses their Vampire head for White and IR illumination. Like everything else, it’s is removable and the compact form factor is thanks to the central power source.
Below, you can see FUSION Reflex Sighting System and 3X magnifier with flip mount. The Reflex Sight is based on Wilcox’s BOSS.
The final component to FUSION is BTAC, a software system which serves as a Blue Force Tracker and fuses data from other Wilcox systems like the RAPTAR-S rangefinder. In addition to a power and data bus, FUSION incorporates a shot counter which can be depicted on the Reflex Sighting System. It can also monitor the temperature of the weapon.
Additional accessories are under development. Wilcox has also developed other versions of FUSION for other weapons like the Beretta ARX160.
I kinda get it, but it looks way to bulky! I’d rather keep my spare batteries in the butt-stock or in my admin pouch if need be. I mean we always replace our batts before each Op anyway, sooooo.
Any possibility that electronic systems like this could be hacked or EW could render them ineffective? Curious
They look like chocolates…
It’s a good idea in some ways, but I would not want my optic to depend on the same power system as my flashlight. Especially when said power source consists solely of two CR123s.
Good point, agree x3
Battery Life – 3 hours.
A guess but most flash lights get 2-3hrs on 2xCR123’s and they’re not running red dots or software systems.
useless for a soldier, maybe someone will buy
Interesting system.
In terms of power supply, it seems like a ‘dual fuel’ system that can use 18650’s or CR123’s would be worth looking into.
Especially if the rail is intended to power a future ‘smart scope,’ which presumably will have a substantial power draw.
Anyone know that ar15 ? B1G?
Good stuff, but I think the future is in fully integrated weapon systems such as NGSW.
The battery should not be based on legacy CR123s, those have reached the end of their technological life-cycle and everybody knows it.
A laptop style battery integrated into the butt stock would be ideal. But you don’t want any wires or buses routing around the receiver. The weapon needs to be designed from the ground up with this requirement in mind.