DARPA Tests Self-Guided .50 Caliber Sniper Rounds

CommanderFrank

CommanderFrank

Cat Can't Scratch It
Joined
May 9, 2000
Messages
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DARPA is famous for taking a movie concept and turning it into a reality and in this case, life is imitating art. This video of a recent test of a self-guided bullet is proof that some of the new technology coming out of their research is truly amazing and downright cool (unless of course, you are the enemy). :D
 
People in the middle east, you better watch out jo!
 
How many hard drives can the round penetrate?

Somebody had to ask... :D
 
gotta say it ... since the NASA story got so much flack.

But do we really need self guiding bullets that probably cost $10k (or more) a shot?
 
DARPA and NASA are both underfunded from what I want out of them.

WHERE ARE MY SPACE ELEVATOR AND BATTLEMECHS?
 
Decibel said:
DARPA and NASA are both underfunded from what I want out of them.

WHERE ARE MY SPACE ELEVATOR AND BATTLEMECHS?
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Agreed. Think of the magic we would have if we would have just glassed the middle east and invested all that money into DARPA and NASA.
 
Unemployment office interviewer: "Wait...what was it you said your last job was? A sniper? "
:D
 
Decibel said:
DARPA and NASA are both underfunded from what I want out of them.

WHERE ARE MY SPACE ELEVATOR AND BATTLEMECHS?
Click to expand...

They're put into tanks we build then get rid of.. because, you know... jobs. I'm actually serious.:( Apparently, we do this... because of jobs and to keep factories going or something.
 
You have to think it loose a hell of a lot of speed and penetrating power? You'd have to think it's for taking out people only. I swear I've read about this being done a year or two ago, maybe it was the same concept being funded.
 
Dayaks said:
You have to think it loose a hell of a lot of speed and penetrating power? You'd have to think it's for taking out people only. I swear I've read about this being done a year or two ago, maybe it was the same concept being funded.
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It is a violation of the Geneva conventions to use a .50 caliber round directly against personnel. They are supposed to be used against vehicles or buildings only.

Just like hollow point bullets, which are also banned from the battlefield, they can be used by police forces against civilians though.
 
I can't wait to see how much this will cut down on music/movie piracy.

Sure, the bullets are expensive, but they'll save us trillions in lost profit.
 
GlowingGhoul said:
It is a violation of the Geneva conventions to use a .50 caliber round directly against personnel. They are supposed to be used against vehicles or buildings only.

Just like hollow point bullets, which are also banned from the battlefield, they can be used by police forces against civilians though.
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.50 cal isn't against the Geneva Convention, and are perfectly fine to use on human targets.
 
Skarth said:
.50 cal isn't against the Geneva Convention, and are perfectly fine to use on human targets.
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I was going to say... I've seen videos of 50 cal against personnel at work. Pretty gruesome. Watched a few Apache helicopter videos too on YouTube. The horror of being gunned at by one of those...

I've never read Geneva, but the gist I've heard is no chemical and no rounds meant to maim.
 
GlowingGhoul said:
It is a violation of the Geneva conventions to use a .50 caliber round directly against personnel. They are supposed to be used against vehicles or buildings only.

Just like hollow point bullets, which are also banned from the battlefield, they can be used by police forces against civilians though.
Click to expand...


That's the least thing i would be thinking about, if in a combat situation my life is in danger, I shooting back with whatever I have.

I rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6. Hooah!
 
GlowingGhoul said:
It is a violation of the Geneva conventions to use a .50 caliber round directly against personnel. They are supposed to be used against vehicles or buildings only.

Just like hollow point bullets, which are also banned from the battlefield, they can be used by police forces against civilians though.
Click to expand...


"I was shooting at enemy equipment (his rifle), unfortunately I missed Sir."

"Ok, perfectly valid reason to use the .50"

/end
 
dgz said:
People in the middle east, you better watch out jo!
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More likely that they just created a new terrorist weapon, and now it'll cost $8 million dollars in security any time the president makes a public appearance.
 
I wonder why DARPA can't fund research into the self-guided "fixing out embarrassing decrepit, falling apart, fucked up infrastructure and putting people back to work making decent money at the same time bringing this country back up to a decent standard" bullet?

Hmmm...guess there is no money in that.

:rolleyes:
 
STrooperTK421 said:
I wonder why DARPA can't fund research into the self-guided "fixing out embarrassing decrepit, falling apart, fucked up infrastructure and putting people back to work making decent money at the same time bringing this country back up to a decent standard" bullet?

Hmmm...guess there is no money in that.

:rolleyes:
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No, you can thank the rest of the US government for that.
DARPA has nothing to do with it.
 
Dayaks said:
I was going to say... I've seen videos of 50 cal against personnel at work. Pretty gruesome. Watched a few Apache helicopter videos too on YouTube. The horror of being gunned at by one of those...

I've never read Geneva, but the gist I've heard is no chemical and no rounds meant to maim.
Click to expand...

The Apache has a 30mm M230 chain gun.
 
GlowingGhoul said:
It is a violation of the Geneva conventions to use a .50 caliber round directly against personnel. They are supposed to be used against vehicles or buildings only.

Just like hollow point bullets, which are also banned from the battlefield, they can be used by police forces against civilians though.
Click to expand...

It's the Hague Conventions (of 1899 and 1907) that would have banned it (and others like hollow point bullets).

What caused the original misconception about .50Cal not being allowed for use on personnel is actually a reference to the .50 cal spotter round used on the M40. It was recommended to not be used on personnel not for legal reasons, but to help keep the rifles location hidden.

The Geneva really doesn't have much to do with restrictions of most types of weapons (it only picks out a few that are especially troublesome).
 
Red Falcon said:
No, you can thank the rest of the US government for that.
DARPA has nothing to do with it.
Click to expand...

DARPA has everything to do with it just like any other DoD entity.

We the USA has all the money to build bullets, bombs and missiles. We have all the money in the world to make weapons of mass destruction. We have all the money in the world to bomb other countries into the stone age and yet their only crime was to not deal in the dollar.

Yet we have no money here at home. No money for infrastructure projects to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure. How about health care and higher education. No lets charge you a arm and leg for it. Then if you don't pay then we sic the IRS on you.

This country has its priorities set in the wrong direction. Yup money flowing like a river to the Military Industrial Complex by the truck loads but nothing for the people.
 
STrooperTK421 said:
I wonder why DARPA can't fund research into the self-guided "fixing out embarrassing decrepit, falling apart, fucked up infrastructure and putting people back to work making decent money at the same time bringing this country back up to a decent standard" bullet?

Hmmm...guess there is no money in that.

:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Trooper you hit the nail on the head, quoted for truth.
 
Wizard220 said:
DARPA has everything to do with it just like any other DoD entity.

We the USA has all the money to build bullets, bombs and missiles. We have all the money in the world to make weapons of mass destruction. We have all the money in the world to bomb other countries into the stone age and yet their only crime was to not deal in the dollar.

Yet we have no money here at home. No money for infrastructure projects to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure. How about health care and higher education. No lets charge you a arm and leg for it. Then if you don't pay then we sic the IRS on you.

This country has its priorities set in the wrong direction. Yup money flowing like a river to the Military Industrial Complex by the truck loads but nothing for the people.
Click to expand...

I agree with your first part that our government has been going crazy trigger happy but the second part is more iffy. The funding for department of education has been increasing faster than inflation since it was created in the 70s, yet since the 70s education has been going downhill. See the correlation? Same with government healthcare.
 
GlowingGhoul said:
It is a violation of the Geneva conventions to use a .50 caliber round directly against personnel. They are supposed to be used against vehicles or buildings only.

Just like hollow point bullets, which are also banned from the battlefield, they can be used by police forces against civilians though.
Click to expand...

Yeah... you're way off on your facts.
 
$10,000 bullets but still no advanced body armor. Someone has some screwed up priorities.
 
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