Posted on 05/27/2009 10:37:30 AM PDT by Reaganesque
May 27, 2009 The XM25 Individual Air Burst Weapon is looking likely to be the shoulder-fired weapon of choice for the US military to kill or neutralize hidden targets. Due for field test this summer, the lightweight XM-25 "smart weapon" uses High Explosive Air-Burst (HEAB) munitions that can be programmed to detonate at a precise point in the air without the need to impact, spelling trouble for elusive targets, be they behind a wall, inside a building or in a foxhole.
Developed jointly by the German arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch and the US company Alliant Techsystems (ATK Corporation), the XM-25 is a semi-automatic, shoulder-fired weapon with a five-round magazine and weighs in at around 14 pounds (6.3kg) – about the same weight as an M-16 with a 203 grenade launcher. The weapon's XM116 integral fire system provides the weapon with its precision and is capable of controlling individually each of the 25mm rounds in real time. Based on a thermal optic, day-sight, laser range finder, compass and infrared light, the system can precisely measure the distance to the target and program each round to explode close to the mark via the wireless connection. Capable of hitting a point target at 500 meters and area targets at 700 meters with a range of munitions including HEAB, anti-personnel, two types of non-lethal munitions – blunt and agent dispersing airburst - plus armor piercing, and door breaching munitions, this is one very nasty piece of ordinance and a must have on any soldiers list.
In a nutshell, it operates with the soldier sighting the target and the advanced laser rangefinder transmitting range information to the chambered 25mm round. The soldier then essentially points and fires. After the round leaves the chamber and moves towards its target, the system precisely measures the distance traveled and detonates it at exactly the right moment to deliver maximum effectiveness. ATK says that the XM25 increases the warfighter’s probability of hit-to-kill performance by up to 500 percent over existing weapons and extends the effective range of the soldier’s individual weapon to more than 500 meters.
Another high-tech weapon recently field tested by the military is the Lightweight .50 Caliber Machine Gun (LW50MG). Unlike the XM25, which doesn’t offer a weight advantage, the LW50MG weights in at 64 pounds (29kg) complete with tripod, i.e., half the weight of the M-2 .50 caliber machine gun. With 60% less recoil than the M-2, the LW50MG will also offer greater accuracy and speed than the veteran M-2.
For more information visit ATK and Heckler and Koch
What they also really need is an infrared laser sight for the M203 or the M79|(which shouldn’t have been decomissioned IMO). The M203 would be much more useful with such a device.
Yeah, that was my thinking as well. But I can see a projectile mounted sensor being employed. We’re making electronics survive >15,000 g’s today. Maybe >20,000 g’s. All for precision gun launched munitions.
Sad. Don’t the commanders write the Dear Mother and Father letters anymore when they don’t bring their guys home?
PGMs suck. Wars are won with sledgehammers, not scalpels. There is a time and place for the scalpel on the battlefield I suppose but the sledgehammer should remain the primary weapon with which we destroy our enemies because nothing says “unconditional surrender” louder than wave after wave of US bombers loaded with tons of ordinance flying unopposed over enemy cities.
A sledgehammer applies maximum destruction on a precise location when it is precisely guided.
I hate the politics of war. I’m a Patton admirer. But why wouldn’t you use a focused and precise weapon rather than just lobbing dumb ordinance at something ‘out-there’.
One last nice thing about precision stuff. You don’t give the bad guys any warning to run and hide when you slam a XM-982 into their HQ.
What were they thinking? That thing reminds me of an egg with a pointy end. I don't trust anything that has completely unfamiliar internals that they've covered with a shell.
Actually, laser-guided bullets are being developed. Not a silly/infeasable idea when you look at it in detail. Not quite up to the ZF-1, but then Zorg’s world is a bit in the future. We’ll get there.
Hot brass in one’s pocket is bad.
Hot brass down one’s shirt really affect one’s aim!
If the old arguments that made the .223 the basic round hold true, then this new gun will be something some corporal will call for to be delivered to some firefight to dislodge a couple of bad guys. Why not a few grenades? how about a rocket? maybe even a warthog or helo attack? The ammo and the price of the gun probably would pay for any one of these already proven methods of terminating the problem. Unless it could be the "basic" weapon for a ground pounder, I just look at it as a curious gadget. Maybe after a few years the prices of these things will decrease and make it possible. Then we will have to compare apples to apples( and hopefully go back to the .308):<). A .308 will go through many of the walls that this weapon is designed to defeat. And I have seen a .50 dismantle stone walls to leave no where to hide for the enemy.
In the pocket, down the shirt, bouncing off the earmuffs, glasses, bald spot... All bad. :D
Had one go between the glasses and the face once.
Wasn't fun. I think it was Eaker's.
I hate that guy.
I did find out one thing, .50BMG eject at ambient temperature. At least TexasCowboy’s did.
Go figure.
Yup. We still need carpet bombing.
Should be able to shoot around dat tree.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4183/is_20020508/ai_n10050398/
Looks like the fuse malfunctioned and it detonated inside of the rifle. All related articles seem to be only available for sale.
“But why wouldn’t you use a focused and precise weapon rather than just lobbing dumb ordinance at something ‘out-there”
As I said, there’s a place for the scalpel on the battle field but the sledgehammer is what brings a nation to it’s knees ultimately. PGMs level buildings and cause handfuls of men to surrender. Dumb bombs level cities and cause nations of men to surrender. PGMs cause nations to hate you. Dumb bombs cause nations to fear you. Do you think anyone in this world really fears us and our PGMs? I would encourage you to deeply contemplate just why it is we are using PGMs today and just how effective they have been for our nation.
“It is well that war is so terrible — lest we should grow too fond of it”
Robert E. Lee
Who cares what it costs? If it helps put down even one taxpayer rebellion or un-permitted non-secular church in the future United Socialist States it will be worth it. (sarcasm).
I hear ya...
Damn straight they do. Where have you been? You see them hiding and armoring and running. Never seen a insurgent running his ass off cause he just saw an Apache launch a hellfire on his position? Don't notice the way the Iranian nuclear sights are sunken deep in the ground? Or the NK artillery is lodged in the hills? If you think those applications will be dealt a serious reduction in operational capability when a bunch of antiquated WWII dumb bombs are dropped on their positions then I believe you are not properly assessing the situation.
Carpet bombing cities is NOT the way to vanquish an enemy if you expect to get anything out of their culture to aid your own. History has taught us that. You eliminate your enemy and destroy his will to fight by assimilating them into the victors culture. The Roman Empire was built on such a premise.
I understand your frustration at political wars and peace keeping missions. These tools are handy for those that like hitting and running with limited liability. But the problem is NOT the weapons. The problem is political gutless vermin that our countrymen elect and the gutless political correctness that infects and critically weakens our nation. It may be our downfall. We seem incapable of all-out war waging.
Just like in gun control....PGM’s don't marginally win wars, politicians marginally win wars.
....And I don’t think Lee had carpet bombing of cities in mind when he uttered that quote.
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