Self-Guided Bullet Strikes Target a Mile Away

[Double Naught Spy]

Gene Simmons... 1984.... "Runaway"

This is where I learned that Gene Simmons really was that creepy, but the movie had an interesting premise and the ammo steered itself to a much greater extend with no target lasing necessary.

Here is an image showing two of the shots. Nothing there are several targets in the image. Notice that none of the targets are hit by a bullet. Notice that the picture on the left shows the round going into the dirt, passing through the bush and going skyward.
http://gizmodo.com/5880537/this-bullet-from-the-future-flies-itself

Here is a blowup of that image...
https://ip.sandia.gov/image.xhtml?id=100&techID=78
Notice the kicked up dirt?

Does anyone see a target where the shots go? Both seem to go to the same area, but not hitting the same spot and no targets seem to be present there.

 

[lizziedog1]

If it costs $22,000 per round, it won't be too popular.

Would that include a hazmat fee?

 

[brickeyee]

But they have GRAVITY on there side, they are not shot on a trajectorial arch, but a 45 degree arch might work, but it is not going to go around corners without being powered............

Yes they can.

We have guided artillery shells also.

The common response programmed when the seeker loses sight of the illumination on the target is called directed coning.
The system starts using a wider and wider cone to increase the view area being searched.

Ever noticed how many passive seekers start off with at least some coning till they lock on?

By having the sensor slightly off the rotational center of the objects the spin used to aid stability also increases the area viewed.

If you can guide it you can also generate at least some lift at a loss in total energy.

And you still have gravity to allow you to regain energy lost to gains in height.

 

[gunnutery]

How about this:

I haven't read all of the responses yet, but from most of them I think there's an application we've missed.

Air-to-ground or possibly even air-to-air fire from jets and helicopters. If they could get their lasers to lock onto a designated target it would alleviate jets traveling at 300mph+ from having to keep their nose on the target and give them more consentrated fire on a very small area.

If they make a version of these bullets big enough it could eleminate the need for the A-10.

 

[robhof]

They're already doing away with the A-10, it was in the last Millitary News. A cost saving measure as we are going to only special forces in the near future, so all the money goes to fancy copters and off road toys for the Spec-Ops people.

 

[leadcounsel]

Considering we have long entered unconventional warfare... this is interesting.

Consider a .50 caliber Barrett, 2 miles away, not in line of sight, manned or remote controlled.

A spotter with a laser designator on the target.

Spotter signals or remotely fires the rifle.

Now imagine this technology falling into nefarious hands. Guarding important people becomes much harder.

 

[Kush]

With all of these long range assassination "what if" situations I have come up with my own. What if they use a model rocket with explosives, made to be steerable(which people have supposedly done before and would probably be less expensive for a single use situation), with a camera on top. It could be launched from a back alley, where people wouldn't think about looking, a ways away from the target and guided onto the target by someone who is possibly even further away, similar to a TOW missile. Just thought that I would throw that out there with people talking about using this for indirect sniper fire from 2 miles away. Also the target would be able to detect a laser being pointed at them, they have equipment for that purpose on tanks(including the Chinese who have a system that points a laser back at the target to blind them).

http://www.military-today.com/tanks/type_98.htm

 

[lizziedog1]

They're already doing away with the A-10, it was in the last Millitary News.

Big, big mistake.

I realize it is a cost saving measure, but for the enemy it becomes a life saving measure, as in the number of their lives that will be spared.

The A10 is my favorite contemporary airplane. I realize emotions and military decisions shouldn't be intermixed.

But this airplane was designed for a certain mission and it does it awesomely.

Maybe it can be turned over to the Border Patrol. Imagine what it could do to help secure our border.

 

[allaroundhunter]

Now imagine this technology falling into nefarious hands. Guarding important people becomes much harder.

This is exactly what I was trying to say

 

[Gryffydd]

Now imagine this technology falling into nefarious hands. Guarding important people becomes much harder.

If they're important they'll have somebody diving on top of them and drag them away the moment they get designated by a laser.

 

[we are not amused]

I think a lot of people are sort of missing the facts on this one. the bullet is four inches long, and has to be fired from an unrifled barrel.

The bullet itself will probably cost more than the guns firing it.

While the story says it will be available to "recreational" shooters, I very much doubt that, it will almost certainly be labeled a "destructive device".

While I see use for it in the military, it's cost alone would discourage civilian use.

 

[allaroundhunter]

If they're important they'll have somebody diving on top of them and drag them away the moment they get designated by a laser

Gryff, everyone in the secret service is not an olympian....reaction times are slower than a bullet, and the designator doesn't have to be activated until the less than a second before the round is fired....

 

[Mike1234567]

...

 

[Diggers]

leadcounsel's vision of this weapon is clear. This thing has all sorts of crazy applications in store for it. (BTW Civilians? NO way, they wouldn't let that happen)

The "rifle" will be some sort of remotely fired deal probably set up on high ground in the area. The operator will be anywhere they want in line of sight of the target with a laser. I picture a "metal storm" type device popping five or ten rounds when remotely triggered at a slight upward angle then they fly themselves down to the target being lasered by the operator.

That's some crazy scifi stuff....but its not.

 

[WardenWolf]

Let's face it: even if, in the impossible situation, that it WAS made available to civilians, it would be immediately banned from hunting. It would be far too expensive to just shoot recreationally, as well. As a result, there would just be no real point to owning one. It would be like owning a Gyrojet.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Now imagine this technology falling into nefarious hands. Guarding important people becomes much harder.

Well, it is already in nefarious hands. However, given the accuracy shown against stationary targets, important people are safe for the time being.