Thales has unveiled a compact counter-sniper solution that could significantly reduce a sniper’s ability to remain concealed during daylight operations.
The Modular Counter Sniper System is designed to identify reflections from long-range optical devices, including rifle scopes, binoculars, and cameras. It consists of goggles equipped with two interchangeable filters and a beam shaper compatible with commonly used pointing lasers, allowing troops to scan for enemy optics.
The system is derived from an earlier Thales capability that could detect optical threats at ranges of up to one kilometer, but that version was deemed impractical due to its bulk. According to Saunders, the company re-engineered the concept by downsizing it into components that integrate with equipment already in soldiers’ inventories.
“We took the essential elements and condensed them into a lightweight solution built around two daytime filters that attach to night vision goggles,” Saunders said. The focus remains on daytime operations, as nighttime and low-light counter-sniper detection is already addressed by existing systems.
Although production timelines have not yet been announced, Thales said development is progressing toward a market-ready configuration, with the goal of delivering the system to troops as soon as feasible.
