US military adopts video game controllers for advanced weapons systems

The US military has long been integrating video game controller-like devices to operate its advanced weapons systems. Recent images released by the US Department of Defense on the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) website reveal that variants of the Freedom of Movement Control Unit (FMCU), which resemble Xbox or PlayStation controllers, are being integrated into various weapons platforms.

According to data compiled by federal contracting software GovTribe, Measurement Systems Inc. (MSI), a subsidiary of British defense contractor Ultra, is supplying the US military with these FMCUs, designed to withstand harsh environments. MSI, a longtime developer of joysticks for naval and aircraft systems, has partnered with major defense contractors like General Atomics, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and BAE Systems to develop these handheld control units for various military programs.

FMCUs in Action

According to a blog post on DVIDS, the FMCU is used to control the Navy-Marine Corps Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) anti-ship missile launcher. The official site of the US Marine Corps claims that NMESIS, a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle–based anti-ship missile system, is designed to fire the new Naval Strike Missile, which is crucial for the Marine Corps in a potential conflict with China in the Indo-Pacific.

Task & Purpose reports that the US Army uses similar controller-like devices to operate its Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense (M-SHORAD) system. This system can fire the FIM-92 Stinger and AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and has a 30-mm chain gun mounted on a Stryker infantry fighting vehicle. DefenseNews sees this system as a critical anti-air capability in a potential clash with Russia in Eastern Europe.

These controller-like devices are also used by the US Air Force's Recovery of Air Bases Denied by Ordnance (RADBO) truck for clearing explosives and the Marine Corps' High Energy Laser-Expeditionary (HELEX) laser weapon system, reports Wired. Another blog post on the DVIDS site claims that FMCUs have been employed on other experimental unmanned vehicles. A 2023 Navy contract available on the official US government site SAM.gov states that these controllers will also operate the AN/SAY-3A Electro-Optic Sensor System (or “I-Stalker”).

The Naval Sea Systems Command reports that this system is designed to help the upcoming Constellation-class guided-missile frigates track and engage incoming threats. The concept of the US Navy’s upcoming frigate can be found in the US Naval Institute magazine.

Ultra, MSI’s parent company, explained in a blog post: “With the foresight to recognize the form factor that would be most accessible to today’s warfighters, [Ultra] has continued to make the FMCU one of the most highly configurable and powerful controllers available today.”

Historical Use of FMCUs

A 2013 report by Military Embedded Systems claims that the US military has been using such controller-like FMCUs in the Navy's MQ-8 Fire Scout drone helicopter and the Ground Based Operational Surveillance System (GBOSS) for a long time.

The integration of the FMCU into a wide range of advanced weapons platforms reflects a shift towards user-friendly interfaces that are not only tactile and ergonomic but also familiar to a generation raised on video game controllers. An Air Force spokesman told Wired: “For RADBO, the operators are generally a much younger audience. Therefore, utilizing a PlayStation or Xbox type of controller such as the FMCU seems to be a natural transition for the gaming generation.”

DVIDS also notes that the US Army and Marine Corps have been using Xbox controllers to operate small unmanned vehicles for over a decade. These controller units have also been employed for systems ranging from explosive ordnance disposal to airborne drones, as well as larger assets like the M1075 Palletized Loading System logistics vehicle.