The R500 RWS was unveiled by Andreas Schwer, CEO of EOS, at IDEX 2025. (Janes/Shaurav Gairola)
Australian firm Electro Optic Systems (EOS) unveiled its R500 remote weapon station (RWS) at the International Defence Exhibition & Conference (IDEX) 2025 in Abu Dhabi on 19 February.
EOS said the R500, which is based on the company's R400 RWS, can be integrated with a 25ร137 mm cannon or a dual-feed 30ร113 mm gun.
The company added that the R500 features an enhanced thermal and electro-optic (EO) suite and is integrated with artificial intelligence (AI)-tracking capabilities, facilitating improved target acquisition and engagement accuracy.
According to EOS, the R500 is also equipped with an expanded ammunition-carrying capacity and beyond line-of-sight (BLOS) effectors, making it an effective weapon for multilayer defence and as a counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS).
The R500 is also designed with a C-UAS radar and can be operated at a high elevation for C-UAS operations, EOS said. It has a wireless control suite to make it compatible with unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs).
EOS also said the new R500 is not subject to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) conditions, which means it is possible to share the product in the international community without restrictions.
An EOS spokesperson told Janes that development of the R500 prototype is completed and that low-rate initial production (LRIP) of the system will commence in 2025.
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