Lockheed Martin develops new military rifle scope

AP Finance on Yahoo ^ | 5/26/10 | AP

[NormsRevenge]

AKRON, Ohio (AP) -- Lockheed Martin landed a $3.9 million contract to develop a rifle scope attachment meant to improve accuracy in the U.S. military.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency contract authorized the development of system using a low-power laser rangefinder that adjusts for wind and other environmental conditions. The system is meant to allow soldiers to accurately view targets at varying distances without changing scopes.

Scopes currently focus primarily on a single target range "impacting soldiers' effectiveness and survivability when engaging targets at different distances during a single mission," said Dan Schultz, a Lockheed Martin vice president.

[NormsRevenge]

This contract is for M-4 and M-16 automatic rifles.

[NormsRevenge]

Scope? Scope? I don’t need no stinkin’ scope..

Where’s my BAR or my M79 GRenade Launcher?

[Steve Van Doorn]

That is odd to even put a scope on those weapons.

[tpmintx]

...Does it contain references to Bible verses?

[NormsRevenge]

Oh Lordy, let’s not go there. :-)

[Thurston_Howell_III]

How is a scope local to a rifle going to compensate for wind downrange? I was taught to look at angles to determine the wind velocity downrange, how is a scope going to do that?!

[Jack Hydrazine]

Built-in wind-o-meter.

[tpmintx]

using a low-power laser rangefinder

That's worse than seeing the flash of sunlight off of a scope. All you need is a small laser detector and you'd know when you are in someone's sights and that it's time to duck really quickly.

[NormsRevenge]

Good point.

[equalitybeforethelaw]

This contract is for M-4 and M-16 automatic rifles.

You don’t want to put a scope any more powerful that 2x on a a straightleg infantrymans rifle. Otherwise you will keyhole his vision. Brits tried using 4x in Norther Ireland and found it to be sub optimal. They recommended based on their use magnification between 1.5 to 2x. This allow full vision with a slight bump up to the shooter in aim point. Currently, I believe we are using Trijicon 4x as the standard day optic on the M4/M16. With 5.56mm, don’t really understand the attempt to measure windage electronically, especially for an M4.

[rahbert]

Can’t the laser be seen and thus give away the troop’s
positions?

[Thurston_Howell_III]

A wind-o-meter! of course! I didn’t even think of that! Its so simple!

[Thurston_Howell_III]

Iron sights, put a round up a flea’s butt at 500 yards....

[Spktyr]

Infrared laser.

[SJSAMPLE]

I want a musket!!!

[tired1]

How bout a totally passive device?

[SJSAMPLE]

True.
Does the taliban have that?

[NormsRevenge]

Here. Try this one. ;-)

It comes with Wireless and an HDcam.. :-)

[SgtBob]

MCRD PING!

[SJSAMPLE]

3x - 4x is the Trijicon ACOG standard mag, depending upon the model.
I believe the USMC uses 4x in the TA-31RCO ACOG.
The magnifier for the Army Aimpoint M68 is 3x.

Above that, it should only be used on a dedicated rifle.