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DARPA calls on Cubic Corporation to develop frighteningly accurate One Shot XG sniper rifle
Sighting in a target through the scope of a high-caliber rifle can be a bit more complicated than it sounds -- snipers have to account for cross-winds, range and a whole host of external factors that could put their projectile off course. It isn't easy, and the required calculations can seriously slow down a shooter's time to trigger. The solution? High tech laser-equipped sniper scopes, of course. DARPA has actually been working on this problem for quite some time, and calls its' project One Shot. Previous iterations of the targeting system helped shooters increase their chance of hitting their mark by a factor of four, but suffered from short battery life, range finder accuracy errors and overheating problems. DARPA is putting its faith into Cubic Corporation to overcome these faults, awarding the firm with a $6 million contract to develop a "compact observation, measurement and ballistic calculation system" that it calls the One Shot XG. Like its predecessors, the XG is designed to give the shooter a offset aim point to counteract the environmental conditions that would impact bullet trajectory. DARPA is hoping to see ten weapon or scope-mountable field devices within 15 months. Consider this fair warning, Segway bots.
Cubic's COMBATREDI combat simulator takes augmented reality to new, awesome levels
Cubic Corporation is a defense contractor that's been kicking around in some form or another since the early days of the Cold War, although you're more likely to know them as the operator of the New York City MetroCard system. What brings 'em to our space, you ask? Another cutting edge wargadget, of course! Indeed, the company has just been contracted to supply 27 of its COMBATREDI training systems to the Florida Army National Guard (to the tune of $4.8 million). The combat simulator features a hi-def, helmet mounted OLED video display for a 60 x 45-degree field of view, an integrated 3D stereo headset for sound, and a wireless "surrogate" rifle that performs like a real one, right down to the need for fresh magazines and various firing modes. The user's movements are tracked by way of a REDITAC tactical computer worn on the back, with a suite of sensors that can also determine where he's looking, and whether he's standing, kneeling, or lying on the ground. Of course, the company is selling this as the most realistic way to train our troops yet, although we can see it for what it really is: possibly the most bad-ass first-person shooter ever. PR after the break.
