North Star Systems, Inc., along with the Naval Surface Weapons Center (NSWC), Louisville, KY have developed the MK 45 Weapon System.  BAE Systems and North Star have teamed to produce the system, which is currently in production.

MK 45 Datasheet (.pdf)

North Star has recently started shipping its new Advanced Fire Control System.

Control System North Star, working with NSWC-Louisville, designed the control system for the three-axis stabilized gun mount (train, gun, and sight), which holds three different weapons, M240 (7.62mm machine gun), M2HB (.50Cal machine gun), and MK 19 (40 mm grenade launcher).    There is a separate sight axis allowing superelevation of the weapon with respect to the line-of-sight of the optical sensors, a key feature on the MK 45.  The control system includes: Operator control panel with joystick, switches, and an LCD Video Display RS-422 serial communications link from the control panel to the servo control computer located near the mount Servo Control Computer for digital control of the gyro-stabilized mount Hard-wired (relays) Firing Logic High-current Amplifiers

Weapon Mount & Sight

The MK 45 Weapon Mount includes:

• Interchangeable M240, M2HB, or MK 19 Weapon

• Three separate motor-drive axes (train, gun elevation, and sight)

• Convertible Optics Package (COP)

• Local/Remote Safety Switch and Indicator

Servo Control Computer (SCC)

The MK 45 Servo Control Computer (SCC) is located near the weapon mount and contains:

• Embedded Computer

• Servo Computations

• Power Amplifiers

• Firing Safety Circuits

• Communications Interface to the Fire Control Computer (FCC)

Fire Control Computer (FCC)

The MK 45 Fire Control Computer is located remote from the weapon mount and is connected by a wiring harness and supports long separation distances.  The FCC contains:

• Embedded Computer

• Ballistic Computations

• Video Graphics Overlay

• Autotracking

• Communications Interfaces to the Convertible Optics Package (COP) and the Servo Control Computer (SCC)

• Two Joystick Controllers

• LCD Video Display

Other Weapon Systems

North Star has also supplied weapon systems and/or electro-optical sights for the Gunslinger anti-sniper weapon system, and the 25mm Demonstrator weapon system. 

Shown here is the MK 45 installed on the USCG Cochito.