Homing bullets learned to hit moving targets – BBC News

The work of military sniper is not easy. Often, one shot is able to decide the fate of the whole operation, and the price slip can become hostages’ lives or brothers-in-arms. Before you pull the trigger, a trained soldier is required to take into account many factors such as visibility, wind direction and strength, the distance to the target and, in addition, the possibility of its movement.

However, it seems, will soon compete in accuracy with professional arrows can even the man who had never held a rifle in his hands.

The experts from the Agency for Defense Advanced Research Projects US DARPA demonstrated new record test homing bullets, created as part of the development of high-precision missiles Exacto.

The new high-tech munitions guidance system is used, which in real time monitors the movement of the selected object and corrects the trajectory of up to thirty times a second.

Technology homing and adjustments, of course well kept secret, so that all the curious remains content with video recording of the test.

During the previous test firing “smart bullet” hit stationary targets, but they are now neatly fall into the moving objects, including those that started the movement after the shot, trying to “dodge” from the shell.

In addition to professional snipers took part in the testing of people who had no experience of dealing with small arms. However, a different level of skill does not affect the accuracy – in both cases, the bullets flew precisely to the target.

“This demonstration using a standard rifle showed that Exacto missiles capable of striking moving targets and avoid high accuracy unattainable in modern conditions, – said the program manager Jerome Dunn (Jerome Dunn) in a press release from the agency DARPA. – Opportunities navigation Exacto, set in a small projectile 12.7 millimeters, is a serious breakthrough and opens the possibility of the future use of technology in the shells of all calibres “.

Experts DARPA did not report how many rounds will cost Exacto US Army and when homing bullets can be used in real combat conditions. But there is no doubt that the rifle, acting on the principle of “shot – forgot” to become one of the most dangerous means of warfare, and new technological solutions over time will reduce the cost of “smart” munitions.