Super bullet could strike target a mile away

cbsnews.com ^ | 30 January, 2012 | Daniel Terdiman

[marktwain]

A new design for a self-guiding bullet could allow sharpshooters to accurately fire at targets a full mile away.

The bullet, which is still in a prototype phase, is the brainchild of Sandia National Laboratories researchers Red Jones and Brian Kast. It is designed with built-in actuators and tiny fins that should allow it to rapidly adjust its path in flight.

Designed with the military, law enforcement, and recreational shooters as potential customers, the bullet is four inches long and has an optical sensor embedded in its nose for the detection of a laser on its target, Sandia said in a release today. The bullet also has built-in guidance and control electronics that receive data from the optical sensor and then manipulate the electromagnetic actuators. And the actuators use that data to steer small fins in order to direct the bullet directly to its target.

In the release, Sandia's Jones explained that the design of the self-guiding bullet required abandoning the traditional way rifle ammunition works. With conventional rifles, a fired bullet has to spin like a spiraling football pass in order to fly straight. But Sandia's bullet "flies straight due to its aerodynamically stable design," Sandia says, "which consists of a center of gravity that sits forward in the projectile and tiny fins that enable it to fly without spin, just as a dart does."

Although Sandia predicts that its self-guiding bullet could dramatically improve accuracy over long distances compared to traditional bullets, it doesn't promise perfect targeting. But according to a patent application Sandia filed, the new bullet could hit within eight inches of its target at a firing distance of a mile. That compares to a standard rifle-fired bullet, which tends to miss a target by about 29 feet after traveling a mile.

[marktwain]

Smart bullets have been anticipated for some time. This is an early, laser guided, effort.

[Ratman83]

Big deal sniperrs do it at over a mile now.

[cuban leaf]

They had smart bullets in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, though some were smarter than others...

[DTogo]

Obama needs to “lose” some over Iranian airspace.

[spetznaz]

I guess someday a shot like the one seen in the movie Wanted may drag itself out of the infantile fantasies of teenage boys into reality. :)

The 'perfect' shot below.

Perfect sniper shot from the movie Wanted

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

Designed with the military, law enforcement, and recreational shooters as potential customers,

I'm not sure I see the recreational value. You shoot. You hit the target. Congrats to the equipment. You miss? Return as defective.

[Tainan]

Well...alrighty then.

[MichaelP]

Law enforcement needs to shoot people from one mile away?

Mike

[Tainan]

The four-inch-long bullet created by Sandia researchers has built-in actuators and tiny fins that are used to steer it toward its target.
(Credit: Sandia National Laboratories)

[Joe the Pimpernel]

I thought of this first!

Where's my patent?! Where are my royalties?

[Oratam]

"Blessed be the LORD my strength which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight: My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me."

[agere_contra]

Hang on, those trained FBI snipers cost money. With this new technology the next Ruby Ridge will only require a trigger finger.

Progress!

[andy58-in-nh]

I can do pretty well right now with a Garand with iron sights or with my .270 deer rifle with a Simmons scope. Long shot, but not impossible with good windage adjustment. Now, give me a Barrett M82 .50 cal...

[BikerJoe]

Hang on, those trained FBI snipers cost money. With this new technology the next Ruby Ridge will only require a trigger finger. Progress!

Yeah, I used to be a member of the Military-Industrial complex and helped design and build some advanced weapons, and was proud of the work I did.

Now I wonder when this stuff is going to be used against ME.

[bitterohiogunclinger]

“But according to a patent application Sandia filed, the new bullet could hit within eight inches of its target at a firing distance of a mile. That compares to a standard rifle-fired bullet, which tends to miss a target by about 29 feet after traveling a mile.”

Such a statement could only be issued or swallowed by morons that have never fired a firearm or attempted to understand ballistics.

[Eye of Unk]

Big Deal, Tom Selleck ran across sniper bullets that would steer to a specified target.

But in reality when that movie came out it was an idea, perhaps now or very soon a bullet can indeed home in on a single person.

[agere_contra]

Well said. Freepers like you can be proud of their work for the military.

Militarized law-enforcement is the problem.

[hiredhand]

Bullshit... I'd like to see this sucker on any IBSC range where cross winds are 30kts at the shooting station, 25kts @ 300 yards, and 40kts at 800.

I'm willing to bet that those small fins can only compensate for just so much.

I'd like to know about this "standard rifle-fired bullet, which tends to miss a target by about 29 feet after traveling a mile." :-) 29 feet would be a near miss for most shooters. :-)

[Okieshooter]

“Big deal sniperrs do it at over a mile now.”

Sure once in a while, but I can tell you as an experianced long range hunter it is only when the the wind gods are in their favor. A small shift in wind direction or speed can move the bullet huge distances at those ranges.

[6ppc]

the new bullet could hit within eight inches of its target at a firing distance of a mile.[snip]
That compares to a standard rifle-fired bullet, which tends to miss a target by about 29 feet after traveling a mile.

Idiot reporter doesn't understand ballistics. .45 MOA compared to 29 feet of bullet drop...idiot!