EXACTO Demonstrates First-Ever Guided .50-Caliber Bullets

[Builder]

via Hacker News

 

http://www.darpa.mil/NewsEvents/Releases/2014/07/10a.aspx

 

"DARPA’s Extreme Accuracy Tasked Ordnance (EXACTO) program recently conducted the first successful live-fire tests demonstrating in-flight guidance of .50-caliber bullets. This video shows EXACTO rounds maneuvering in flight to hit targets that are offset from where the sniper rifle is aimed. EXACTO’s specially designed ammunition and real-time optical guidance system help track and direct projectiles to their targets by compensating for weather, wind, target movement and other factors that could impede successful hits."

 

Disclaimer:

I am a vehement supporter of certain gun control measures and do not believe any human being deserves to die however this is extremely advanced engineering that I think has a place on a tech forum.

[Thebman712]

just what we need, better ways to kill each other

[Builder]

just what we need, better ways to kill each other

Perhaps I should put my position on gun control in the OP.

[deviant88]

Why even bother we already have nukes just end this world already right?

[Victorious Secret]

just what we need, better ways to kill each other

 

We passed that stage when we developed nuclear bombs that can level entire capitals and their surrounding suburbs. 

 

Everything since the 50s has been icing on the cake. 

[Sauron]

As if we didn't already weapons that can wipe out the whole human race in a matter of hours.

[Sauron]

This is a military program so I don't see how it's related to civilian gun control.

 

Eventually it's going to be available to the public, just wait and see. Just like c4, because THAT's useful for self defence.

[The_Strict_Nein]

It's a good thing it's a war crime to use this against a human, right guys?

[Askew]

Sniping is an art, I wonder how marksmen would feel about using these?

[kuddlesworth9419]

I dislike weapons however this is interesting tech I think it should just never be used in any form. Like how I think all weapons should just be gotten rid of and remembered as items that can take a life. I know some tools can be used as weapons but the point of the matter is a guided 50.cal bullet is designed to kill another human being a cook's knife is not. The nuclear bomb is designed to create mass murder therefore it should not even exist anymore. They should be dismantled and there is no debating this. 

[Victorious Secret]

Sniping is an art, I wonder how marksmen would feel about using these?

 

They'd probably jump for joy since they can reach even longer. 

 

Gotta go for the leaderboard for all time longest distance kill somehow..

[Poohy14]

This is a military program so I don't see how it's related to civilian gun control.

 

agreed but somethings from the military do come to the civilians after a while, but I doubt this will. One thing that is used in the civilians is the TrackingPoint smart scope. If you don't know what that is then here is a video, its a very good documentary of it.

 

I personally do own a AK 47, modded from a SKS and a AR15 with both 5.59mm and .223mm

[sof006]

So would this be what it would feel like to be magneto in real life? Bending those bullets like a pro.

[CoffeeBlack]

I love guns and own several. But I hope this kind of thing never gets into civilian hands.

[Poohy14]

The TrackingPoint does pre-compensation while this changes course mid-flight. The original AK47s are extremely rare and expensive so what you have would still be a SKS. I'm not aware of any bullets 5.59mm in diameter and .223 is the diameter of the bullet in inches.

 

 

wow I feel like an idiot about the mm I was totally thinking about 5.56×45mm and for got the 45mm part but I'm sure you know what I meant. You can mod the SKS into a AK and its really cheap to build, in my area it only cost $400 since I live right next to a military base they has public auctions for parts and private vendors come in. I know the AFT cuts off the barrels and damages the unjamming rod and cut the part where you add a bayonet to. I have seen it since my dads friend does has one and had to mod it a little, but he is the one that built my AK for me since I never built a gun. Also I think TrackingPoint take the fun out of hunting if thats what you are using it for.

[Misanthrope]

Reminds me of the Varmint Grenade! I'll put this in spoilers cause some might find this really offensive: innocent animals get vaporized here do not watch if you can't handle it

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYigC49tnh8

[Me1z]

Why even bother we already have nukes just end this world already right?

 

Nukes can't launch on their own, they require activation by multiple people. If the people capable of launching nukes were to suddenly be dead before they had a chance to fire, would that not be a worthy cause?

[Victorious Secret]

This is all amateur hour stuff anyways. 

 

Once railguns are in mass production and scaled down to assault/machine gun sizes? Who cares about adjusting guidance mid flight.

 

You'll be firing ferrous slugs that never deviate from a straight line and keep going till they hit something or several somethings behind the first something. 

 

Then we'll have lasers. Pew pew pew you jive mothers. 

 

War (or the appearance of war, or in this case for the lulz) often creates some startling and even useful to public advances in technology. Thats generally how things are. 

 

Should the public have access to something like this? Probably not. We can kill each other to death just fine already. But expect your local NRA chapter to argue about constitutional rights and other nonsense, though I doubt the founding fathers had self guiding bullets on their mind when they came up with those "rules" 

[flibberdipper]

Interesting.

[NInety]

We passed that stage when we developed nuclear bombs that can level entire capitals and their surrounding suburbs. 

 

Everything since the 50s has been icing on the cake. 

That'd be a stupid move, why destroy a whole area when you can use chemical weapons, wipe the population, and then just take over their houses. You don't have to build new houses and chemicals don't release radiation.

[Imaginaerum]

Should the public have access to something like this? Probably not. We can kill each other to death just fine already. But expect your local NRA chapter to argue about constitutional rights and other nonsense, though I doubt the founding fathers had self guiding bullets on their mind when they came up with those "rules" 

You can't even own an automatic weapon without signing paperwork that says the machine gun you intend to own and fire was manufactured before 1968 + a $200 tax stamp, and you're saying the NRA are going to go picketing the white house to allow automatic tracking bullets for the average citizen? You act as if these bullets will even make it to the average citizen. The military has nukes but no one is fighting for our constitutional right to bear those.

[SSL]

Wonder when they'll figure out how to fire missiles at right angles to reality.

[ZacDaMan72]

COOL