Terry Pratchett computer sniper-scope: Spec-ops mini version
Famous Pentagon boffinry powerhouse DARPA has made a new announcement on its "One Shot" programme, which ensures that a million-to-one shot will – as on Terry Pratchett's Discworld* – hit the target nine (well, six) times out of 10. Boatswain's Mate 3rd Class Todd Hubert - and his spotter, Seaman Chad Luck - of the US Navy …
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Don't forget...
Someone also needs to say "it's a million to one shot, but it just might work."
And...
It won't hit directly, it will bounce of several other objects first.
Well I was about to comment that this system would almost make the Spotter the most important member of the team (you can bet the device needs a lot of maintenance and expertise) before noting at they end they were chasing a "clip on version".
Would be nice to know how the laser return works out the wind.
Also Gunnar (One Shot XG) , Bagman (Boston Dynamics) , Helm?
As I understand it
the primary purpose of the 2 man team is psychological.
a) you get to split the responsibility – he told me to shoot/I only said to shoot I didn’t pull the trigger
b) you don’t want to let you mate down
c) you don’t want to be shown up
d) the sniper knows no-one is sneaking up on him while he's on-scope so is less twitchy
which all means the sniper is more likely to pull the trigger on the target and less likely to go home and do the same to themselves.
So I can see how it would make sense in terms of increased lethality but I don't think it makes for smaller sniper teams.
alternatively
rather than the 2nd man being primarily a spotter for the sniper, use of the clip-on version would allow him to be more 'situational awareness' and 'mission management' or whatever the relevant buzz-phrase is. At present there will be significant periods when both men are staring down very narrow field of view scopes which creates risk. Letting the sniper get himself all setup on his own with the spotter using regular binox or similar for general scanning gives the best of all worlds. He can still do target confirms and shoot orders etc for shared responsibility.
2nd man
Someone has to keep the tea brewing. Snipers have needs too, you know.
Huh?
Second man carries an automatic for support. Also senior spotter acquires target for sniper.
Also second man can spell the other sniper and take turns on rifle.
But aren't they actually quite good?
So it might be a little less than 1-in-a-million. They need to take Locky's suggested actions to compensate
Isn't rather unsporting...
...to take all these variables out of shooting somebody?
Yeah! Because....
..calling in an AH-64 is so much more sporting...:)
That's the general idea, yes.
Snipers are the only soldiers hardly causing any collateral damage.
This is just increasing the difference with the general steel-and-dynamite sluggin' approach.
Pre-dates Pratchett
No disrespect to one of the best authors of our time, but you should review earlier literature before crediting him. Google "infinite improbability drive" for an earlier though still modern example.
How long before...
... the spotter takes a picture of the target. Sniper downloads picture to gun. Gun 'fires' a miniature robot which runs up to the target and shoots him.
RE: How long before...
More likely would be a laser-seeking round for the XM-25. The rounds the gun fires are 25mm in diameter, which would seem to be plenty to build in a miniature seeker head and maybe leave enough room for a small explosive charge. The built in ballistic computer in the XM-25 scope would get the shot as close to a direct hit, a simple laser preojector unit would provide the guidance spot, leaving the bullet the minimal amount of terminal manouvering to get that first round hit.
Re:RE: How long before...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088024/
How about a pistol with heat-seeking rounds that can identify individuals by their thermal signature.
Can't they just...
...illuminate the target with the laser and then drop a 500lb Paveway III on the laser spot?
That might work for those 2km+ shots in open country, but for shorter range stuff or street-to-street fighting I can see a slight flaw in that idea.
re: Helm..
Also Gunnar (One Shot XG) , Bagman (Boston Dynamics) , Helm?
Helm....hmmm
well I suppose Armatige Shanks could drop something in the pot and see if it floats.
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