Image source: topwar.ru
The Franco-German Scientific Research Institute Saint-Louis (ISL) is working on the creation of a guided munition, which is designed to significantly improve the accuracy of sniper fire.
As indicated in EDR Magazine, it is quite a difficult task to install electronics on a cartridge with a length of about 54 mm and a maximum diameter of 12.7 mm: all elements must withstand acceleration when fired.:
According to the author, one of the American projects, known as EXACTO ("weapons for performing tasks with extreme accuracy"), has so far led to only a few demonstrations, however, apparently, no product has yet been created.
- the publication says.
ISL has designated its promising product I-SMART. It consists of 5 different elements. An optical sensor is placed on the tip of the bullet, which is used at the final stage of the flight path to aim at the target. Behind it is the electronics responsible for navigation, followed by the power supply, the drive and, finally, the means of communication.
Image source: topwar.ru
The aerodynamic actuators and optical sensor have already been tested in the laboratory, but they have yet to be tested in real shooting conditions.
Allegedly, the control systems installed on the bullet will allow for the correction of its flight at 50 m at a distance of 2000 m. Considering that the flight time is about 3 seconds, this will not only increase the probability of hitting, but also enable the shooter to hit a moving target even at a transverse speed of 60 km/h.
As noted in the publication, as far as could be understood, ISL aims to create a cartridge compatible with 12.7×99 mm sniper rifles. The date of the final tests of the demonstrator is not specified by the developer.
