Specter (sight)

The Elcan Specter is a line of multi-role prism sights created by Raytheon ELCAN Optical Technologies originally designed for M16/M4 family of rifles but now also exists for light machine gun and heavy machine guns.

The Specter was developed by Raytheon Six Sigma Product Development Team under Raytheon ELCAN Optical Technologies for the United States Naval Surface Warfare Center to fill the requirement for the "SOPMOD rifle kit SU-230/PVS Articulated Telescope NSN 1240-01-533-09039", development was started in 2003 with the goal to fix the general issue of transition between long-range engagements/operation to short range engagement/operations(CQB) that would leave the soldier vulnerable while switching optics.

Since then more models have hit the market,[1] such as the stripped-down Specter OS line developed as a cheaper alternative to the more expensive DR line developed for SOCOM, which lacks the capability to switch magnification, making it function more as standard prism sight.

The optic has two standard reticles: both are a cross, feature a range finder out to 600 m (656 yd) for 5.56x45 and 800 m (875 yd) for 7.62x51, where they differ is in the bulletdrop design, where the one called CX5395/CX5396 uses circles to denote the range, while the other called CX5455/CX5456 uses lines and also features lines for windage.

If the optic is a dual-role (DR) model it has a lever in the middle that can be depressed and then pushed/pulled to switch between two set magnifications.