Saw this in an email, wanted to share... Enjoy...
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The XM- 25 Counter Defilade Target Engagement System
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The XM25 Counter Defilade Target Engagement System has a range of roughly 2,300 feet - and is to be deployed in Afghanistan soon. I would call it the "Equalizer". Some call it the "Punisher".
The rifle's gun sight uses a laser rangefinder to determine the exact distance to the obstruction, after which the soldier can add or subtract up to 3 meters 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-millimeter round contains a chip that receives a radio signal from the gun sight 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 Fox News: "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."
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Experts say the rifle means that enemy troops will no longer be safe if they take cover. The XM25 appears to be the 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 meter using a button near the trigger.
When fired, the explosive round would carry exactly one meter past the wall and explode with the force of a hand grenade above the Taliban fighter.
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 Tech systems, reveals that the chip can determine how far it has traveled. Mr. Tamilio said: "You could shoot a Javelin missile, and it would cost about $69,000. These rounds will end up costing $25.00 apiece. 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.
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What one of the revolutionary bullets looks like that can be pre-programmed to explode to hit troops that are hiding.
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Thoughts?
:-)
[Reply]
Originally Posted by cjhalbrooks:
I am kind of surprised these are really going to be issued. With the draw down and budget cuts i wonder who will get fired of this bulk buy. There are tons of firearms that have been made for the military that are just too expensive to build, issue, and even use. The Army has created a firearm that shoots lasers, yet it cost too much to issue to soldiers. I wonder if this will be like every other new smart weapons system, as in soldiers will not be able to fire it at a range do to the cost of the round. I THINK that the round will cost to much for the government to truly issue this weapon system to soldiers who really truly needed it.
COD Black Ops anyone??
I might be thinking of a different system here, but I seem to recall reading that all funding for the XM-25 was dropped a few months ago and all units were pulled from service. Something about a double feed and propellant detonation which injured the soldier attempting to fire it.
[Reply]
Originally Posted by cjhalbrooks:
I am kind of surprised these are really going to be issued. With the draw down and budget cuts i wonder who will get fired of this bulk buy. There are tons of firearms that have been made for the military that are just too expensive to build, issue, and even use. The Army has created a firearm that shoots lasers, yet it cost too much to issue to soldiers. I wonder if this will be like every other new smart weapons system, as in soldiers will not be able to fire it at a range do to the cost of the round. I THINK that the round will cost to much for the government to truly issue this weapon system to soldiers who really truly needed it.
$25.00 per round or call in an air strike.
Flying time for a 4-ship of vipers (F-16s) or Hornets (F-18s) is a tad pricier. Plus the air-to-air refueling to get them there. 3.5 hours flying time just to get the tanker in-country from Al Dhafra, UAE. Plus flying time, air refueling, and crew costs for Airborne AWACS radar coverage. FAC (forward air controllers) on the ground lazing the target and calling in the strike. I'm 100% w/ you on bloated over-extended military programs. But this one looks to be a real cost saver. And puts the weapon right in the hands of the rifleman so he can determine the fate of the battle instead of relying on good for nothing Air Force pilots!!!!!
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In my way of thinking, the enemy gets it's hands on one of these weapons and they can easily create an RF interference device that renders the rounds useless.
Or worse yet, they get ahold of the tech and turn it on our boys. The article makes it sound like our enemies are the only ones who have ever used cover as strategy.
Those are just the first things to cross my mind and they're probably questions that have been asked and seen to, but maybe not. It is the gubernment.
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