Background
In the seventies, Ray Budden (SPSO retd. - Royal Naval Scientific Service) and Fraser Scott (Brigadier retd. British Army) started to develop unit power sights. Air Gun sights were designed for BSA (copied by Norinco of China) and Daisy (the Point Sight still being sold). In military fields, sights were developed for the UK LAW 80, the .50" Machine Gun and the 20mm Oerlikon; these sights continue in service.
Solid Glass Sights
FN asked for a small sight for a wooden mockup weapon. In response Ring Sights invented and patented the first solid glass sights. The FN mockup is now the P90 which incorporates a solid glass Ring Sight. Now there is a wide range of solid glass sights for calibres from 4mm to 40mm.
Red Dot Sights
The LC-7-40 solid glass optic was adapted with a LED lit graticule as the EPC sight, the first optical sight which would fit into a pistol holster. Now it is also available as the Mach 1 and Winter sights, both of which are zeroable.
NVG (Night Vision Goggles)
All Ring Sights are NVG compatible.
Throwaway Weapons
Ring Sights are very suitable for these. The RC-12 was specially conceived for them and the PC-12-60 can provide a very cost-effective solution for lighter ones.
Innovation
Ring Sights continues to innovate. The PC-12-60, a solid acrylic sight, and the MC-10-90, a solid glass unit power sight with a black graticule are starting development. Approaches from weapon and other designers are always welcomed.
Other Uses for Ring Sights
Ring Sights, being small and needing no maintenance, can be most useful as a built in collimator or optical lining up device:-
Device Alignment
Though only unit power, when aimed at a suitable target, the alignment error
with a Ring Sight can have a standard deviation of only half
a minute of arc so Ring Sights can act as alignment datums.
They can be potted in permanently in production aligned with
launcher rails, an aerial, an optical datalink (or indeed anything
requiring lining up). The Ring Sights acts as a check against
malalignment of the device (or its sight), as a trouble-shooter
and as a diagnostic tool.
Alternatively one of the zeroable Ring Sights (the LC-7-40 is
used by Short Bros on a GW launcher) can be fitted and adjusted
to the correct line after fitting.
It is not necessary to view the Ring Sight form behind. Our
RC range can be set to be viewed form behind, above, either
side or below.
Putting On Sights
More complicated sights often have high magnification and need putting on. A
built in Ring Sights enables the layer to acquire the target.
The Ring Sight also provides a fall-back if the power fails
but the gun can still be fired manually.
Many systems need the tracker to put onto the next target automatically.
If the system commander has a Ring Sights with a means of passing
angles to the tracker, he can select the next target by aiming
the Ring Sight so putting the tracker on automatically thus
maximising the engagement rate. A Ring Site is easier to use
than open sights and more accurate too. The reverse process
can show the commander which target is being engaged if the
Ring Sight is aimed by the tracker.
Emergency Sights
These are often very short base open sights. Replacement of these with Ring Sight PC-12-60 provides as good accuracy as any Ring Sight but with a solid acrylic sight only 60mm long, 12mm wide and 8mm thick. You can shoot with Night Vision Goggles too.
Unattended Weapons
Unattended weapons, such as off-route mines, have to be set up and aimed. The sensor beams and trajectory must not be interrupted by bushes, tree etc. A cheap, simple sight is needed for this and to set the sensor beams at the correct height above the ground and parallel to it. The weapons have to be emplaced at any time in the twenty-four hours. Ring Sight PDR-16, which is very cheap and easy to use (lit by a hand torch at night) was selected by British Aerospace for their AJAX system. Other Ring Sights can be used instead.
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