Laser Guided Bullets in Military Ammunition Arsenal

American soldiers have been using laser scopes for a long time, to make their shots more accurate. But what if the bullets themselves were steered by lasers, and able to turn on a dime?

That’s the idea behind a new, $7.5 million Darpa initiative to be a “laser-guided bullet” recently unclassified. DARPA have justified plans to begin funding research into designing a laser guided bullet, the 7.5 million dollar initiative could see science fiction become a reality with bullets actually able to change trajectory in mid-flight. The hope with this technology is that the compact targeting systems embedded in the projectiles will enable:

Overmatching fire power and significantly improve first site effectiveness in engaging distant enemy forces.

The goal appears to be to “enable low-cost, high performance guided projectiles” that take advantage of “guidance and targeting systems.” While the idea of a laser-guided bullet conjures images of soldiers marching across fields, spraying ammo that never misses, the report mentions that the technology is intended to be used by Special Forces and Army Sniper Teams.

So, boiled down, we’re talking a bullet that’s going to be fired at long range by a sniper and be able to adjust its trajectory mid-flight, as to have a better chance of hitting the target.

To make this possible researchers will have to design whole new guidance technologies, such as MEMS based thrusters and initial side thrusting technologies with sufficient authority to move projectiles in flight. The bullet will need high stress tolerant electronics and new targeting systems robust to field operations under a variety of conditions.

The developments in fire power have continued to make warfare more precise, could laser guided-bullets be the next generation of ammunition?

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