New U.S. Army rifles - Radio-controlled smart bullets

I guess this new is from last november, but I think many of us didn't know it (like me).

The U.S. army is to begin using a futuristic rifle that fires radio-controlled 'smart' bullets in Afghanistan for the first time, it has emerged.

The XM25 rifle uses bullets that are programmed to explode when they have travelled a set distance, allowing enemies to be targeted no matter where they are hiding.

The rifle also has a range of 2,300 feet making it possible to hit targets which are well out of the reach of conventional rifles.

The XM25 is being developed specially for the U.S. army and will be deployed with troops from later this month, it was revealed today.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/c43d75be6ccb.jpg[/atsimg]

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/a8e2476487db.jpg[/atsimg]

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reply to post by Trueman


Still wont help them...

This isn't even that impressive of a technology...

My God, the technology these days. Its crazier than we can begin to imagine. Imagine the stuff that they arn't talking about? Controlling the weather as a weapon realllllllly doesn't seem so far fetched.

I can't help but think that we really are living in a Jetson's-like future, just all the cool meals in a pill and teleportation devices are reserved for the elite. Imagine if we used this technology for good!?

On second look at that picture...does that patch on his arm resemble a baphomet, or is that just me? Looks like it also has a 3 on it.

Just think of what good this money could have gone to. Developing new cures for diseases, giving food to a starving family... etc.

Instead it goes on finding new ways to kill people.

The title was misleading, thinking the bullet could change direction mid-flight. I've read about the XM25 for a few years now, seems like it's getting put to production now.

I'm looking forward to the civilian semi-automatic version!

Gotta have one of those!

I wonder what mechanism is used to communicate "explode" and I wonder how often this mechanism gets a false signal, or since it's programmed, whether it's possible for enemies to hack it.

reply to post by satron


me too
this is being revealed now to intimidate
if you could make any such bullets blow up if brought anywhere near you say 20 ft while still in the gun that's 2 birds with one stone.

there's always a way


Halt! Resistance is... BOOM!!!

reply to post by satron

Spins. Rotations.

The trajectory is a constantly slowing track, calculated meter by meter with the round rotations likewise counted.

At X distance, there will be Y rotations. After the stipulated number of rotations, the round detonates.

Just like with 40mm grenades, they must spin a number of times before they arm, but his is on an entirely new level.

Originally posted by satron
I wonder what mechanism is used to communicate "explode" and I wonder how often this mechanism gets a false signal, or since it's programmed, whether it's possible for enemies to hack it.

edit on 6-1-2011 by satron because: (no reason given)

From what I've read on this elsewhere, it's not like the bullets will chase someone around until they catch them.

Think more like a U.S. soldier knows an enemy is hiding behind something at a certain distance using a rangefinder as part of the sighting mechanism, so they shoot an explosive round over top of what the enemy is hiding behind and it explodes down on them from above based on the inputs from the rangefinder.

source (see pics)

First, the scope on the rifle has a laser that gauges the distance to the target. The soldier can set exactly where the 25-millimeter bullet will detonate by adding or subtracting 3 meters from that point. Then, the scope will send a radio signal to a chip inside the bullet telling it how far it should travel before exploding.

Smart Bullets In Action: Trenches are no longer a safe place to hide

The Army has proposed the uses can range from hitting enemies hidden in trenches (as pictured above), or even hitting a sniper hiding in a building by setting the range about a meter beyond the window. They are also proposed as a smarter alternative to grenade launchers, which can serve the same purpose but be less accurate and have limited range, making them more prone to collateral damage.

That last part, yep, I think this is what the weapon will be deployed for....a sort of glorified blooper...
They had mounted same on the bottom of the M16, and this is a natural outgrowth of exploring the munition and the delivery system.
The use of these weapons will likey be restricted to one or two per squad....
Like the SAW with its new assault packs of inked ammo, and the portable ATW rocket, there will be a couple of thes4e special ones in the miix.
I highly doubt that the army has plans to switch the whole shebang over to these.(the rounds are too big to pack many,and probly too expensive to waste....)

Meanwhile trenches with overhangs may be better than nothing, as well as making sure yer ass is covered as well as your front when you go to ground.
Frankly a souped up kitchen micro wave oven without the shielding may be sufficient to cause people to drop their weapons instinctively and run to escape the beam.
The thing is to figure how to mount it above a doorway etc, where it could be focussed.
just sayin....

reply to post by Lightrule
OH yeah? You cannot take cover against this weapon if you want any kind of line of sight. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY it has a !!THERMAL SIGHT!! Half the time its been "Where are they , do you have eyes on?" No more.. thermals all the way

Any electronics nerd could do this....however no citizen has access to weapons grade explosives so you could only make a really cool thermate delivery system. Its just RF reciver circuit attached to an ignition switch(maybe 1-3$ in parts).I bet it could be done in a shotgun shell set up as well, but less accurate past 100-200yds. The hardest part(ie most costly, part wise 100-300$) would be making a controller chip that links the information from the range finder and the users set distance to a RF transmitter to set off the trigger at the predefined distance. If you had the cash, a capable workshop you could make a shot gun version for about 1500$ at the most. But you would only be able to make an incendiary with thermate as we can't make weapons grade explosives in the US without some permit i would guess. You could melt an engine block at 100 yards though.

I read about those a couple of years back. They are pretty neet. The bullet can be programed to explode before the target, upon impact or after the target. It's packed with high explosives like a HE grenade. They can do away with the granade launcher and have the 2 in one riffle.

Originally posted by DayKnightmare
reply to post by Lightrule

 

OH yeah? You cannot take cover against this weapon if you want any kind of line of sight. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY it has a !!THERMAL SIGHT!! Half the time its been "Where are they , do you have eyes on?" No more.. thermals all the way

XM25 is also $25,000 dollars a piece. It's a system that is heavily reliant on optimum conditions and electronics. Typical American design, perfect for hollywood anyways.

The Patch Is From 3rd ACR Out Of Ft. Carson...And In No Way Resembles A Baphomet