More DARPA goodness

And this one seems within reach soon enough.

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/05/darpa-wants-super-sniper-rifles-in-shooters-hands-by-2011/

Come on trickle-down technology!

When I saw the title of the article I immediately thought of an adaptation of adaptive optics technology. Which is pretty much what they're talking about. However, one of the bits mentioned at the end, guided bullets, well they've been trying to do this for at least 20 years now. We may be getting closer, but I just don't see that part happening any time soon. Certainly not on a round smaller than .50cal and then it may still have to be some sort of sabot round to work. Then the problem is that a fifty caliber round that has shed a sabot may not mass enough to do real damage. Even a tungsten penetrator setup with a sabot in a smooth bore barrel, well it would be lighter with the same powder load muzzle velocity would be higher. Huh, I need numbers to do they math correctly for projectile energy. Problem there is that this may be doable now, but it requires an entirely new weapons system. That idea got dismissed 20 years or so ago when the military started asking about this idea. Main goal is just a new round to put into existing rifles. This is what I don't see happening soon.