Soldiers engaged in a firefight have historically been able to rely upon seeking cover inside a building or bunker or behind an inoperable vehicle, but researchers with the US Army are working on a new smart weapon capable of taking out hidden targets.
The weapon in question is a shoulder-firing grenade launched called the XM25 Counter Defilade Engagement System, and according to Popular Mechanics and Ars Technica, this so-called “anti-defilade” weapon developed by Orbital Sciences uses a laser rangefinder and grenades which can explode in mid-air, allowing troops to target enemies hiding behind walls or in trenches.
The XM-25, which has been in development for nearly a decade, enables a soldier to use the laser rangefinder to determine how far away the hidden target is. Then he uses the weapon’s controls to determine the distance at which he wants the grenade to explode, allowing it to detonate on its own just after penetrating the enemy’s cover.
Field testing could start by 2017
Also known as “The Punisher”, the XM-25 is a five-round grenade launcher originally made by German arms company Heckler and Koch that has been outfitted with a thermal sight, the smart grenades, and the fire control system. Currently, the weapons can fire an explosive airburst round. Armor piercing and non-lethal rounds are coming soon.
Orbital claims that the semi-automatic weapon can accurately hit “point targets” at 500 meters and can also hit targets with area airbursts at distances of up to 700 meters, Ars Technica noted. The XM-25’s design is expected to be finalized shortly, and the military could start field-testing it as early as 2017, company spokesman Jarrod Krull told Defense News on Monday.
In addition, reports indicate that the Army is also testing a Small Arms Grenade Munition round. This 40mm round could be used with the currently-available M203 and M320 grenade launchers, Defense News said, and would be capable of detecting walls and exploding soon thereafter. The Army told the website that these grenades are meant to complement, not replace, the XM-25.
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Feature Image: Heckler and Koch
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