SpudFiles

Hey guys check out this article:

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article ... ml?cnn=yes

"The new .50 caliber gun and improved scope could employ "fire and forget" technologies including "fin-stabilized projectiles, spin-stabilized projectiles, internal and/or external aero-actuation control methods, projectile guidance technologies, tamper proofing, small stable power supplies, and advanced sighting, optical resolution and clarity technologies.""

There already are sighting systems that will automatically compensate for range and atmospheric interference, guided bullets seem to be a logical progression.

The darts that form the warhead of thestarstreak missile are only 15 inches long and individually guided.

On a less portable level, the Phalanx CIWS radar not only tracks incoming targets but its own outgoing cannon shells, allowing it to predict where the shells will strike and allow it to make aiming corrections before they even reach the target.

That will be one sick weapon, with one sick pricetag. I'd love to know more about the theory behind it.

If this weapon works as advertised and is put in a FPS game, this will be the lame IMBA n00b gun!

I believe I read about a scope being developed a while ago that employed something like this. Upon pressure being applied to the trigger, a laser was bounced off the target, and a small computer adjusted the elevation on the scope according to the load's ballistic table. Didn't adjust for windage, but still pretty neat when I read it.

I read about a scope being developed

it isn't new... IIRC it was in the late 80s

Computer aimed weaponry has been around since WW2, what is taking them so long

hmmm but how does it work ?? is it using a laser designator? (or should I say 'will it use')

that would need a team

POLAND_SPUD wrote:that would need a team

Not if the designator is mounted on the rifle itself, but in any case, snipers operate in teams that would already have laser designators in order to mark targets for airstrikes etc.

mark.f wrote:I believe I read about a scope being developed a while ago that employed something like this. Upon pressure being applied to the trigger, a laser was bounced off the target, and a small computer adjusted the elevation on the scope according to the load's ballistic table. Didn't adjust for windage, but still pretty neat when I read it.

And

hmmm but how does it work ?? is it using a laser designator? (or should I say 'will it use')

It's a read between the lines description. In short, it's a laser rangefinder (laser tape measure) tied to a computer for elevation compensation for the distance. Instead of calling it a range finder, it described how it functions with lots of the important details left out.

there was a computer controlled gun in the film shooter... at least i think it was...

but i don't think there is need for this technical wizardry when a pair of humans can do just as well, although maybe for super long range shots, a laser guided fin stabilized projectile could be developed.