FN Herstal have announced that snipers of the French Army will be using the FN Elity ballistic calculator operationally. The Elity is FN’s all-in-one system incorporating a laser range finder, laser designator, illuminator and a calculator to “increase hit probability and situational awareness”. The Elity will be used in conjunction with the SCAR-H PR which the French Army selected as their new Semi-Automatic Sniper Rifle in 2020 and their PGM .50 caliber anti-materiel rifle. FN say that the French Army’s Ground Forces Battle Lab found during testing that the Elity improves shooting accuracy by 25% and also lightens the equipment carried by snipers by 6kg/13.2 lbs by replacing other gear.
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FN Elity (FN Herstal)
Here’s what FN Herstal have to say about the French use of the Elity:
Specialized in the creation of innovative solutions based on small arms, the Belgian company FN Herstal is pleased to announce a first major order of FN Elity® ballistic calculators, manufactured in Europe (ITAR-free) and for use by French snipers and designated marksmen.
In early 2022, the Battle-Lab Terre (BLT) – Ground Forces Battle Lab –, a structure created with the aim of boosting innovation within the French Army, acquired a first batch of FN Elity® and initiated a test phase with French units composed of snipers and designated marksmen.
This phase, which lasted several months, enabled operational shooters to successfully test and evaluate the ballistic calculator on various weapon platforms: 12.7mm rifles and 7.62mm sniper/precision rifles (PGM and FN SCAR®-H PR). Most importantly, it demonstrated how the FN Herstal ballistic calculator considerably improves the shooter’s performance, reduces “detection-neutralization” time by 40% and improves shooting accuracy by 25%. It also lightens the equipment carried by snipers by 6 kilos.“This first project for innovation conducted with the company FN Herstal went particularly well, mostly due to the excellent collaboration between the Battle-Lab Terre and the Belgian manufacturer. It ends well since it demonstrates the effectiveness of the system and leads to the acquisition of a first batch that benefits French forces. It thus opens the door to further acquisitions for full-service capacity, the terms and atiming of which are yet to be defined, and to other collaborations with FN Herstal”, explains squadron leader Tanguy de Brosse, in charge of the project at the BLT.
In accordance with Army procedures, the order was passed by SIMMT (integrated structure for the maintenance in operational condition of land equipment), in charge of the acquisition of this type of equipment for use by French Forces.
Find out more about the Elity here and here.