The Army's New Toy. Does This Change Warfare?

[fightingquaker13]

Got this email from the old man on the new XM25 smart rifle with frangible exploding rounds. It has the promise to turn traditional infantry tactics upside down. Cost aside, is this the biggest game changer since the machine gun? Thoughts?
FQ13

 No hiding place from new U.S. rifles that use radio-controlled smart bullets
 

The XM25 Counter Defilade Target Engagement System has a range of roughly 2,300 feet - and is to be deployed in Afghanistan this month
The rifle's gunsight uses a laser rangefinder to determine the exact distance to the obstruction, after which the soldier can add or subtract up to 3 metres from that distance to enable the bullets to clear the barrier and explode above or beside the target.
Soldiers will be able to use them to target snipers hidden in trenches rather than calling in air strikes.
The 25-millimetre round contains a chip that receives a radio signal from the gunsight as to the precise distance to the target.
Lt. Col. Christopher Lehner, project manager for the system, described the weapon as a 'game-changer' that other nations will try and copy.
He expects the Army to buy 12,500 of the XM25 rifles this year, enough for every member of the infantry and special forces.
Lehner told FoxNews: 'With this weapon system,
we take away cover from [enemy targets] forever.
'Tactics are going to have to be rewritten.
The only thing we can see [enemies] being able to do is run away.'

Experts say the rifle means that enemy troops will no longer
be safe if they take cover
The XM25 appears perfect weapon for street-to-street fighting that troops in Afghanistan have to engage in, with enemy fighters hiding behind walls and only breaking cover to fire occasionally.
The weapon's laser finder would work out how far away the enemy was and then the U.S. soldier would add one metre using a button near the trigger.
When fired, the explosive round would carry exactly one metre past the wall and explode with the force of a hand grenade above the Talibanfighter.
The army's project manager for new weapons, Douglas Tamilio, said:
''This is the first leap-ahead technology for troops that we've been
able to develop and deploy.'
A patent granted to the bullet's maker, Alliant Techsystems,
reveals that the chip can calculate how far it has travelled.
They're relatively cheap.Lehner added:
'This is a game-changer.
The enemy has learned to get cover, for hundreds if not thousands of years.
'Well, they can't do that anymore.
We're taking that cover from them and there's only two outcomes:
We're going to get you behind that cover or force you to flee.'
The rifle will initially use high-explosive rounds, but its makers say that it might later use versions with smaller explosive charges that aim to stun rather than kill..

One of the revolutionary bullets which can be pre-programmed to explode to hit troops that are hiding .
 

 
 
 
 

[Ichiban]

Where ya been, dude?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XM25_Individual_Airburst_Weapon_System

Five of the weapons were deployed with the 101st Airborne Division in Afghanistan in October of 2010, along with 1,000 hand-made air-burst rounds. The soldiers reported that the weapon was extremely effective at killing or neutralizing enemy combatants firing on US troops from covered positions. The US troops have nicknamed the weapon, "The Punisher."

[twyacht]

"Smart Bullet"?

Still takes a SHOOTER...

 

The Punisher was posted here in the archives.

[alfsauve]

I don't know.  As compared with old fashion grenades and RPGs?   I don't know.

I love to see more about it's range.    750yds.  At what angle?  Hows the kick on that sucker.  It's a 1inch projectile with computer and explosive charge.    How delicate is all this?  The deliver system and the rounds themselves.

I seem to remember the earlier guided artillery shells could survive hundreds of "g" forces when fired, but broke if dropped on their side while transporting.

[MikeBjerum]

"Smart Bullet"?

Still takes a SHOOTER...

 

The Punisher was posted here in the archives.

Watching Military Channel, Discovery and History over the last couple years I have been thinking about our military history.  There are lots of gadgets, technology, and rules and coordination. 

Think back to how this rag tag bunch of patriots defeated one of the best army's in the world in the 18th century.  Think about how we fought so many of our early wars and how we won them.  Now think about the struggles we have endured in the last have of the 20th century to present.  What did we do in the 18th century, and what are those we are fighting today doing to us?

We have become the 18th century British Army with all the latest, with the over planned and over regulated battles we engaged.  We are being dinged by rag tag rebels with whatever weapon they can find, build or resurrect.

Just a thought to chew on for a while 

[Sponsor]

[fightingquaker13]

Nice post M58. The point is, unless I read you wrong, is that determintion and ingeuity can win the day. That said, this weapon and those that will follow it, raise questions. The machine gun ended the calvary charge and the bayonet charge in massed formation. Aircraft introduced the 360 degree battlefield. Now, if hiding behind a wall or in a foxhole doesn't work, what do you you do? Step one, engage at 751 meters and beyond (anyone want to buy a used AK, because I think you might be able to get three for a scoped Moisin if this thing works ). Step two? Damned if I know. If cover is no longer cover and massed attacks are out, what's plan C?
FQ13

[sledgemeister]

"Smart Bullet"?

Still takes a SHOOTER...

 

The Punisher was posted here in the archives.

Pardon moi to differ but I am more partial to a little quigley down under 

[tombogan03884]

 You put a couple planks over your fox hole. Notice no one has bought 10,000 of them, it's an answer looking for a question. this will do nothing that hasn't been done by grenade launcher's since WWI.

[sledgemeister]

You put a couple planks over your fox hole. Notice no one has bought 10,000 of them, it's an answer looking for a question. this will do nothing that hasn't been done by grenade launcher's since WWI.

Yeah it will employ a heap of bureaucrats, govt officials, oversight committees and even if the product is any good it will cost 5 billion dollars and be out of date by the time the grunt gets it issued to them.

[MikeBjerum]

Nice post M58. The point is, unless I read you wrong, is that determintion and ingeuity can win the day. ...
FQ13

That is the point!

Shock and Awe, and crisp regulation and control will only get you so far.  Once the shock and awe campaign has been waged "militia" will pull up their bootstraps and become a force that is hard to stop.

As an invading force we can never replace the will and desire of fighting for their homeland on their home soils, but with all of our focus on gadgets and highly planned campaigns and missions we are easily held back and even defeated.