The US military has been testing in-flight guidance for .50-caliber bullets, turning the projectiles into miniature homing missiles.
DARPA's Extreme Accuracy Tasked Ordnance (EXACTO) bullets have the ability to manoeuvre in flight to hit targets that they're not precisely aimed at, compensating for factors like weather, wind, and target movement.
DARPA explains on its website: "For military snipers, acquiring moving targets in unfavorable conditions, such as high winds and dusty terrain commonly found in Afghanistan, is extremely challenging with current technology. It is critical that snipers be able to engage targets faster, and with better accuracy, since any shot that doesn't hit a target also risks the safety of troops by indicating their presence and potentially exposing their location."
The bullets are the size of a large pen and can be used in both sniper rifles and machine guns. The full EXACTO system comprises of both bullets and a real-time guidance system that tracks and delivers the projectile to the target.
(Score: 3, Informative) by cafebabe on Monday July 14 2014, @02:26AM
I've seen an old video of this concept [youtube.com] and I wasn't impressed with the performance.
1702845791×2
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Monday July 14 2014, @05:07AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0
(Score: 4, Informative) by frojack on Monday July 14 2014, @06:25AM
Humans are classified as thin skinned game. Its 50 cal. If its got 150fps left, its going right through.
It takes four Taliban to carry away a wounded leader. Only one to bury him.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 2) by choose another one on Monday July 14 2014, @07:35AM
Raise you another old video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heMboVN12r0 [youtube.com]
Just give this new one a warhead, and heat pattern seeking for autonomous guidance and you're there.
Runaway...
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Monday July 14 2014, @09:13AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0
(Score: 2) by choose another one on Monday July 14 2014, @11:33AM
Meh. That's just like TFA - needs line-of-sight and target needs to stay still and not duck into cover.
Bullets that follow the target round corners are way neater.
Mind you, I guess if you combined a 50-cal with some kind of long range IR or teraHz imaging you could just shoot the target through the wall...
(Score: 2) by GreatAuntAnesthesia on Monday July 14 2014, @12:01PM
Good choice. I was thinking more along the lines of this [youtube.com] but I have to say I prefer your link.
Hmmm, those two links happen to link together two of my favourite all time favourite cinematic [tumblr.com] women [youtube.com].
I'll be watching the rest of this thread carefully to see if any other film references come up, and IMDBing the lead actresses...
(Score: 4, Informative) by tathra on Monday July 14 2014, @03:04AM
this is kind of cool, but has limited usefulness. .50 cal sniper rifles are intended to be used for ranges well over 1 km and up to like 5 km or more, so that gives a good bit of distance for adjusting the flight path. i highly doubt you'd be able to chase your target down with a round if they're running perpendicular to your shot, but this would be good for correcting in strong wind or sudden gusts or limited visibility.
all in all, it'll make sniping a bit easier, but there is far more to sniping than just putting rounds down range, so its not like this could make a sniper out of just anyone.
(Score: 2) by Nerdfest on Monday July 14 2014, @04:38AM
I think you actually could do it. The problem would be if they're moving erratically. Even then, based on the travel time I would imagine that you would have to move erratically and *quickly* to avoid one of these getting you.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by cyrano on Monday July 14 2014, @03:25AM
"For military snipers, acquiring moving targets..."
Why don't they call it what it is: killing people. Not "targets", human beings.
I wouldn't be sorry if all news about weapons was dropped completely. I see no reason to give them free publicity.
The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear. - Kali [kali.org]
(Score: 2) by mhajicek on Monday July 14 2014, @04:42AM
I prefer to keep up to date on what's out there, just in case I ever have to face it.
The spacelike surfaces of time foliations can have a cusp at the surface of discontinuity. - P. Hajicek
(Score: 2) by redneckmother on Monday July 14 2014, @04:59AM
"Face it" is the operative phrase. To me, it is still a wonder that the American Colonies managed to win independence.
Mas cerveza por favor.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Monday July 14 2014, @04:53AM
Eh? Seriously? I always thought it's all about snipe hunt [wikipedia.org]
(ducks for cover... seems like needed)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0
(Score: 2) by redneckmother on Monday July 14 2014, @05:15AM
"(ducks for cover... seems like needed)"
Oh my, my my.... my, my my my my my my. So many opportunities, so few keyboard skills :-).
If'n yer gonna talk 'bout snipes, leave the damn ducks outta this! They don't move 'round at nite, nohow!
And we're purty sure ya cain't hide behind one, neither.
Mas cerveza por favor.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 14 2014, @06:35AM
(Score: 5, Insightful) by rts008 on Monday July 14 2014, @12:06PM
Get over it.
We do 'call it what it is'.
They are targets, just the same as a bridge, factory, or any other target in war.
"Target" is the designation for stuff you want to hit...sometimes it's a person.
And before you accuse me of 'whitewashing' the issue(I am not), let me state for the record that I am an ex-US Army sniper.
Until the Iraq war/debacle, I was ranked around #6 for 'confirmed kills' in the US Military(all branches). I will be the first to admit that I was performing premeditated murder on my targets.
Since my targets were E. German Stasi, I lose NO sleep over the fact that I eradicated them.
Yes, they are targets.(something you are aiming to hit)
(Score: 0, Troll) by cyrano on Monday July 14 2014, @08:55PM
You don't understand there is no "Them" and no "Us". Hence there are no "targets".
How does it feel for you, personally, having killed other human beings?
The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear. - Kali [kali.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 15 2014, @03:20AM
I would not cry for the stasi. Look to north korea today and you can see what it was like to live there. Where your family can punk you out for saying something wrong. Where they would round you up along with your family because your cousin did something wrong.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stasi [wikipedia.org]
Hence there are no "targets".
You are just angry he proved you wrong.
But if you want to split hairs lets ask websters...
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/target [merriam-webster.com]
specifically a place, thing, or person at which an attack is aimed
there is no "Them" and no "Us"
If you wish to stand along side the stasi feel free. I personally would fight that.
(Score: 1) by cyrano on Tuesday July 15 2014, @12:19PM
Well, what shall I say?
"there is no "Them" and no "Us"
If you wish to stand along side the stasi feel free. I personally would fight that."
Thanks for proving my point. Not ALL Stasi were basterds that needed to be killed. And it's sure as hell not another country with no grasp of the situation and a very distorted reporting system that should be the judge of that.
I know people from the former East-German Democratic Republic, as it was called in those days. I might just have a better feeling of what living there meant. Even inside the Stasi were people who wanted out.
It's a system that has only one aim: keeping itself going. Even the people who have power aren't immune to the atrocities the system is capable of. Even the slightest digression may mean failure, a drop in power and eventually, death. The main reason is human beings grow old. The system will survive them, until most of the people realize the system isn't there to serve them, but they are there to serve the system. Once a significant part of the people are aware, the system will die, eventually.
History is littered with revolutions and war. Change doesn't have to end in those every time. And there are examples to be found. From South Africa to the former USSR.
The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear. - Kali [kali.org]
(Score: 5, Insightful) by wonkey_monkey on Monday July 14 2014, @08:30AM
Aren't missiles usually self-propelled? Isn't this just a guided bullet?
systemd is Roko's Basilisk
(Score: 1) by JNCF on Monday July 14 2014, @07:51PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRQqieimwLQ [youtube.com]
Stupid, malevolent, or ahead of their time?