Robotic cannon turns killerNine soldiers dead and 11 injured by "friendly fire"By Nick Farrell: Friday, 19 October 2007, 7:38 AM A SOFTWARE glitch in a robotic cannon resulted in the death of nine soldiers and injuries to 11 others.South African National Defence Force brigadier general Kwena Mangope says the cause of the malfunction is still unknown.According to The Star the fully loaded Oerlikon GDF-005 jammed before there was an explosion. It then opened fire uncontrollably, killing and injuring the soldiers.The anti-aircraft weapon is designed to use passive and active radar, as well as laser target designators range finders, to lock on to "high-speed, low-flying aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles and cruise missiles. "The gun's onboard computer feeds targeting data from the fire control unit a pair of 35mm guns, and reloads on its own when it has emptied its magazine.The Star said that a female artillery officer risked her life in a desperate bid to save members of her battery from the gun.But she could not stop the swinging gun as it sprayed hundreds of high-explosive 0,5kg 35mm cannon shells around the five-gun firing position.All the soldiers could do was wait for the gun to empty its twin 250-round auto-loader magazines and pick up the pieces.
Robotic cannon turns killer
South African National Defence Force brigadier general Kwena Mangope says the cause of the malfunction is still unknown.
