The Samson Remote Controlled Weapon Station (RCWS), also known as Katlanit (קטלנית in Hebrew: "lethal") is a remote weapon system (RWS) that enables a variety of devices to be operated automatically or by remote control, including 5.56 mm, 7.62 mm, and 12.7 mm .50 BMG machine guns, 40 mm automatic grenade launchers, anti-tank missiles and observation pods.Rafael Armament Development Authority

Variants There are a total of three variants of the Samson family:

Samson Jr. ROWS - for 5.56 mm and 7.62 mm machine guns, weighing . Mini Samson ROWS - for 12.7 mm and 14.5 mm machine guns, as well as 40 mm grenade launcher, weighing , similar to that of Mini Typhoon naval ROWS and OWS. Standard Samson - for guns with calibre ranging from , weighing , similar to that of standard Typhoon naval ROWS and OWS.

For example, the Samson Remote Controlled Weapon System for 30 mm autocannon is designed to be mounted on lightly-armoured, high-mobility military vehicles and operated by a gunner or vehicle commander operating under-the-deck. It offers optional SPIKE guided missile, smoke grenade launcher, and embedded trainer. The RCWS 30 is a product of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.

Israel has also installed a variant of the Samson RCWS in pillboxes along the Israeli Gaza Strip barrier.

The Sentry Tech system, dubbed Roeh-Yoreh (Sees-Fires) in IDF service deployed on the Gaza fence, enables camera operators located in a rear-located intelligence base to engage border threats using the 12.7 mm heavy machine gun and the SPIKE guided missile."Lethal Robotic Technologies: The Implications for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law" Philip Alston, Journal of Law, Information and Science, 2012

Operators

: LAV IIISamson RWS on Colombian LAV III – Armyrecognition.com, December 29, 2012 : 4 stations initially procured for needs of Croatian Army, installed and tested on M84D and M95 tanks, but eventually Croatian Army opted for Protector RWS, 12.7 mm and 30 mm. : Pandur II : IDF Namer, some IDF Achzarit, some HMMWV : 88 German Boxer Infantry Fighting Vehicles with Rafael's weapon stations with 30 mm cannons and "Spike LR" antitank missiles : Hunter AFV : Infantry Carrier Vehicle Dragoon

References