FUTURE WEAPON

| SCAR-Light

Developer           FNH USA (USA)

Caliber  5.56mm

Features              More accurate and less prone to jamming than the standard-issue M16 and M4 rifles, the SCAR uses quick-change barrels that can be swapped using a minimal number of tools.

Progress              The manufacturer had initially expected the weapon to be deployed in 2006, but after a limited production run last year, there's hope for the SCAR.

The effort to replace the M-16 rifle, as well as its more compact variant M4,the , has been a long, epic and largely tragic tale. One attempt would have created a modular weapon system, called the Objective Individual Combat Weapon (OICW), with an integrated grenade launcher and laser-rangefinder. That all-in-one system was scrapped because of excessive weight, and subsequent attempts to salvage the core of that weapon—the XM8 assault rifle—have also failed, highlighting some of the worst aspects of the weapons procurement process.

Fed up with the rest of military's inability to replace the M-16 and M4, and apparently uninterested in an OICW-type multipurpose weapon, the Special Operations Command (SOCOM) held a competition for a new assault rifle, to be deployed with special forces personnel. Having passed muster as a more accurate and reliable weapon than the M4, FNH USA landed the contract with its FN SCAR, which comes in two calibers—5.56 for the SCAR-Light, and 7.62 for the SCAR-Heavy. The weapon also meets SOCOM's requirements for quick changes in the field. Within a few minutes, a SCAR-Light's 18-in.-long, precision-fire barrel can be replaced with a standard-length 14-in. barrel, or a shorter, 10-in. barrel for use in cramped, urban environments. Although the SCAR-Light is likely to be more common than the more powerful SCAR-Heavy, the two weapons share 99 percent of the same parts, making field repairs easier and streamlining the overall logistics.

 XM-25

Developer           Alliance Techsystems (USA)

Caliber  25mm

Features              A computer-aided targeting system that allows the user to quickly aim at a target and to adjust the range of the air-bursting round.

Progress              The XM-25 is still in development, but in this industry—and particularly for a system that survived the OICW debacle—that amounts to very good news.

As the Objective Individual Combat Weapon (OICW) program withered on the vine, the system's most revolutionary element—microchip-embedded explosive rounds that could be detonated at precise ranges, raining fragmentation down on enemies hiding in foxholes or behind barricades—has managed to put down roots. Once envisioned as an under-the-barrel weapon attached to an assault rifle, the self-contained XM-25 is an entirely new take on the grenade launcher. Using the onboard ballistic computer and laser rangefinder, the firer can quick set the exact range at which the 25mm round will explode.

This is precision-guided munitions for infantry, with the goal of negating nearly any kind of cover a target could find, particularly in urban environments. Rounds could be set to go off, in midair, just past the corner of building, just inside a sniper's window, or directly above a group of hostiles hunched behind a concrete barrier. Alliance Techsystems, which is developing the XM-25, credits overhead airbursts with the potential for five times greater lethality, compared with the current M203 grenade launcher, because shrapnel will be more likely to drop onto the target's head. It's a ghoulish point of pride, but, as with other precision munitions, a more precise grenadier could also mean fewer civilian casualties.

SAR 21

Developer           Singapore Technologies Kinetics (Singapore)

Caliber  5.56mm

Features              Integrated visible/ infrared laser sight and 1.5x optical scope, translucent ammo magazines.

Progress              The SAR 21 became standard issue for Singapore's armed forces in 1999, but there are no plans for adoption elsewhere.

While the United States has repeatedly—and spectacularly—failed to replace the aging M-16, Singapore has been using a newer and possibly better-performing assault rifle since 1999. The SAR 21 replaced Singapore's licensed version of the M-16, and has gained a reputation among gun experts as one of the best "bullpup" assault rifles—where the action and magazine are behind the trigger—on the market. It has a smaller overall profile than the M-16, without sacrificing barrel length (the shorter the barrel, the less accuracy at longer ranges) and significantly more manageable recoil, due in part to the weapon's center of balance. The recoil tends to drive directly back against the firer, instead of pushing the barrel upwards.

All of this is useful in an assault rifle, but particularly for urban warfare, where more compact weapons are crucial to maneuvering indoors, and where close-range, fully-automatic fire is more common. The SAR 21 has a Kevlar cheek plate to deal with chamber explosions occurring next to the user's face, a regular safety issue for bullup weapons. It's also one of the few assault rifles in the world equipped with an integrated laser aiming device.

Corner Shot Launcher

Developer           Corner Shot (Israel), Dynamit Nobel Defence (Germany)

Caliber  60mm

Features              A collapsible firing-post, which is fitted with a camera and video screen, attaches to a disposable, one-shot 60 mm grenade launcher. Rounds can be fired at a 90 degree angle—other Corner Shot devices fire at up to 60 degrees.

Progress              Unveiled in 2004, the system does not appear to have been   deployed yet.

The Corner Shot is a brutally simple contraption: a modified gun that, thanks to a hinged frame, under-the-barrel camera and handy video screen, allows the user to shoot around corners. Currently, there are three versions available, each with a different weapon at the business end of the frame—a pistol, a compact assault rifle or a 40mm grenade launcher. The device is designed for urban environments, where the ability to peek around corners with impunity is useful, but being able to open fire while behind cover is even better.

With the Corner Shot Launcher, the concept is the same, but the result is less subtle. Essentially a sideways-firing rocket launcher, it allows the user to aim with the same kind of integrated camera and video screen, and fire a massive 60mm round into an enemy vehicle or reinforced position, such as a bunker. This device, which could be an overwhelming weapon in urban engagements, is a collaboration between Israeli and German defense firms.

 FMG9 Folding Machine Gun

Developer           Magpul Industries (USA)

Caliber  9mm

Features              Spring-loaded design transitions from box to gun with a single button-push, with a 31-round Glock 18 magazine loaded and ready to fire.

Progress              Nonfiring semiautomatic prototype shown in March 2008. No word yet on when a firing model—much less a fully automatic one—might be available.

The concept of a discreet, foldable submachine gun is at least two decades old. Legendary gun designer Eugene Stoner developed one in the 1980s, but Magpul Industries made news this past March with its own updated take on the lethal cult classic. The FMG9, short for Folding Machine Gun, looks like some sort of toolbox with a flashlight mounted on top.

One moment, that flashlight is in your eyes, and one moment later—one very pregnant, James-Bond-by-way-of-Cyberpunk moment—and you're being fired at by a 9mm submachine gun. It's a quicker transition than anything Stoner was able to pull off, and that could make the weapon an effective tool for lightning raids on terrorist hideouts where surprise could play a major part. The gun also has an integrated laser sight, and can be carried without the handle and flashlight, for a sleeker, more pocketable profile.

TDI KRISS

The TDI KRISS Super V XSMG subgun is an interesting tactical firearm to say the least, and should give Mil/LE tactical operators a viable choice vs. the Heckler & Koch (HK) UMP45 (a.k.a. HK UMP 45) .45 ACP subgun, once it goes into production, provided the new 30-shot box mag and the weapon itself are totally reliable under adverse environmental/combat conditions and high round count, and the weapon proves to be combat-accurate. If they accomplish that, the KRISS will be tough to beat in the .45 ACP subgun market. TDI did its homework and designed the weapon around the need of Mil/LE tactical operators, particularly with regards to ergonomics and external control layout.

DefenseReview likes the .45 ACP subgun concept for urban warfare / Direct Action missions, since very few tactical firearms can put a man down as quickly as a .45 Cal. SMG at extreme CQB/CQC (Close Quarters Battle / Close Quarters Combat) ranges. Even if a subject is wearing NIJ Level IIIA body armor that can prevent the .45 ACP rounds from penetrating into the body, the effect of the multiple impacts from a quick burst (let’s say three rounds, for example) should still theoretically be enough to put the BG (Bad Guy) down, since he would be absorbing close to the full energy of the rounds, as the vest would be stopping the rounds completely. Then again, if the operator is utilizing Le Mas BMT APLP 85gr .45 CQB .45 ACP submachine gun ammo, the bad guy’s going to be SOL (Shit Out of Luck), as the LeMas round can penetrate NIJ Level IIIA body armor. While speaking with Mr. Finn, today, I suggested that he test the Le Mas .45 ACP subgun ammo through the KRISS, and make sure that th KRISS can function reliably with it on full-auto.

CHEYTAC INTERVENTION M200

The Cheytac Intervention M-200 is an American made bolt-action heavy duty sniper rifle designed by Cheytac LLC. for long range soft target interdiction (i.e. Anti-personnel/sniper). Delivering either a .408 Cheytac or a .375 Cheytac round up to 2286 meters, thus making the Cheytac Intervention one of the longest ranged modern-day sniper rifles.

Ares has lovingly recreated the M200 Intervention complete with licensing from Cheytac LLC. so you can be sure that all the markings are complete. With most parts CNC-milled from high-grade aluminum, with Nylon Fiber furniture. The Ares M200 features 2 different types of bolts and magazines, one for Gas operation, and the other for Spring operation. Changing the bolts is as easy as changing your batteries on your TVs remote! Able to fire up to 23rds with the Gas Magazine or 100rds with the Spring Magazine with a match-grade adjustable hop-up, the Ares M200 is bound to please.

Like the real steel, the Ares M200 Cheytac Intervention features an integrated fully adjustable folding bipod and rear monopod, a retractable butt stock, adjustable cheek rest, and a QD barrel. Ares has also included a 3.5-10x50mm scope and mount. Last but certainly not least, the Ares M200 Cheytac Intervention is able to be taken apart into 3 separate pieces for transport. Exactly like the Real Steel. When completely separated, the three pieces measure in length to a standard M4A1 carbine with a retracted stock, perfect for storage and transportation!

Length (Retracted): 1240mm

Length (Extended): 1390mm

AcitiveDenialTechnology

Active Denial Technology is a breakthrough non-lethal technology that uses millimeter-wave electromagnetic energy to stop, deter and turn back an advancing adversary from relatively long range. It is expected to save countless lives by providing a way to stop individuals without causing injury, before a deadly confrontation develops.

The technology was developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory and the Department of Defense's Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate. Approximately $40 million has been spent on this technology over the past ten years.

In July 2005 it was reported that the Active Denial System would be deployed to Iraq before the end of the year. Under an initiative called Project Sheriff, troops will receive a total of 15 vehicles. These deployments did not take place, and as of early 2007 the initial deployment was slated no sooner than 2010.

This non-lethal technology was developed in response to Department of Defense needs for field commanders to have options short of the use of deadly force. Non-lethal technologies can be used for protection of Defense resources, peacekeeping, humanitarian missions and other situations in which the use of lethal force is undesirable. The system is intended to protect military personnel against small-arms fire, which is generally taken to mean a range of 1,000 meters. The system is described as having a range of 700 yards.

Countermeasures against the weapon could be quite straightforward - for example covering up the body with thick clothes or carrying a metallic sheet - or even a trash can lid - as a shield or reflector. Also unclear is how the active-denial technology would work in rainy, foggy or sea-spray conditions where the beam's energy could be absorbed by water in the atmosphere.

Active Denial Technology uses a transmitter to send a narrow beam of 95-GHz millimeter waves towards an identified subject. Traveling at the speed of light, the energy reaches the subject and penetrates less than 1/64 of an inch into the skin, quickly heating up the skin's surface. The 95-GHz energy penetrates 1/64 inch into the skin and produces an intense burning sensation that stops when the transmitter is switched off or when the individual moves out of the beam. Within seconds, an individual feels an intense heating sensation that stops when the transmitter is shut off or when the individual moves out of the beam. According to reports, a 2-second burst from the system can heat the skin to a temperature of 130F. At 50 C, the pain reflex makes people pull away automatically in less than a second. Someone would have to stay in the beam for 250 seconds before it burnt the skin.

Despite the sensation, the technology does not cause injury because of the low energy levels used. It exploits a natural defense mechanism that helps to protect the human body from damage. The heat-induced sensation caused by this technology, is nearly identical to the sensation experienced by briefly touching an ordinary light bulb that has been left on for a while. Unlike a light bulb, however, active denial technology will not cause rapid burning, because of the shallow penetration of the beam and the low levels of energy used. The transmitter needs only to be on for a few seconds to cause the sensation.

Air Force scientists helped set the present skin safety threshold of 10 milliwatts per square centimetre in the early 1990s, when little data was available. That limit covers exposure to steady fields for several minutes to an hour - but heating a layer of skin 0.3 mm thick to 50 C in just one second requires much higher power and may pose risks to the cornea, which is more sensitive than skin. A study published last year in the journal Health Physics showed that exposure to 2 watts per square centimeter for three seconds could damage the corneas of rhesus monkeys.

CBU-97 Sensor Fuzed Weapon

The CBU-97 Sensor Fuzed Weapon cluster munition combines 10 submunitions with 4 skeet type warheads in a single dispenser, providing 40 weapons total. After release, a fuze causes the dispenser to disperse the 10 submunitions, each stabilized by a parachute. At a preset altitude a rocket fires, propelling the submunition in an upward vector. As the submunition climbs, it is spun to disperse the 4 internal skeet warheads randomly by centrifugal force. An IR sensor in each warhead searches for a target, and upon discovery detonates over it, firing a kinetic fragment. The fragment drives itself through the lightly armored top of the target. If no target is found, the sensor detonates the warhead above ground to spray the battlefield with a myriad of lethal fragments. This weapon is good against armor and soft skinned targets, covering a 4,800 square yard area.

The CBU-97 is a 1,000-pound class weapon containing sensor-fused submunitions for attacking armor. The SFW is the centerpiece of the Air Force concept of operations for engaging an adversary's main armored force in the "halt" or "hold" phase of a Major Regional Contingency, in which the USAF would disrupt and stop an attack, providing time for other combatant forces to reinforce to the theater.

As of November 2001 the Sensor Fuzed Weapon had not been reported to have been used in combat. As of September 2002 Textron had delivered 2,600 SFW canisters.

The primary components of this 1,000 pound class weapon are the SUU-66/B Tactical Munitions Dispenser (TMD), 10 BLU-108/B submunitions, and 40 "hockey puck" shaped skeet infrared sensing projectiles. The weapon is designed to be employed from US Air Force tactical aircraft from altitudes between 200 feet Above Ground Level (AGL) to 20,000 feet Mean Sea Level (MSL) at speeds between 250 to 650 knots. Each CBU-97/B can cover an area of about 500 feet by 1,200 feet. Test results indicate that CBU-97 submunitions have a propensity to cluster and that impact patterns are unevenly distributed. This is contrary to the uniform distribution assumption employed in the Joint Munitions Effectiveness Manual (JMEM). Because of the clustering effect, it appears that JMEM overestimates damage and more weapons may be required to destroy the target then predicted.

The Sensor Fuzed Weapon [SFW] is an unpowered, top attack, wide area, cluster munition, designed to achieve multiple kills per aircraft pass against enemy armor and support vehicles. After release, the TMD opens and dispenses the ten submunitions which are parachute stabilized. Each of the 10 BLU-108/B submunitions contains four armor-penetrating projectiles with infrared sensors to detect armored targets.

The SFW can be deployed from operational U.S. or NATO tactical aircraft. It is presently certified on various USAF fighter and bomber aircraft. Any fighter or attack aircraft, whose weapon pylons can accommodate a 1,000-pound class weapon and has 14-inch lug suspension mounts, can carry SFW.

Metal storm

The Metal Storm Stacked Projectile combines the barrel and magazine, and eliminates the need for a traditional firing mechanism. When the weapon’s trigger is pulled electronic impulses are sent directly to the bullets, which ignite them at an incredibly fast rate of 16,000 rounds a second. The bullets are fired from several barrels at once. This is essentially the same design as a "Roman Candle" firework. Metal Storm also has the ability to fire grenades at a rate of a half-a-million rounds per minute.

Motion Detection System

Adding to the Metal Storm weapon’s deadly power is the fact that it can operate autonomously using an advanced motion detection system. Metal Storm can be left unattended on a battlefield to detect enemy soldiers or vehicles passing by and then open fire on them. Military analysts claim that the Metal Storm Stacked Projectile could be used against tough vehicles such as tanks and armoured personnel carriers. The weapon has been featured on television programs on the BBC and Discovery Channel.

Despite the attention being paid to the Metal Storm Stacked Projectile, it remains a weapon that is under development. Issues have also been raised about the ethics of using such a lethal weapon on modern battlefields.

Boeing YAL-1 - Airborne Laser

Modified 747 Aircraft

The U.S. Air Force has been testing the Boeing YAL-1 Airborne Laser, which has been developed to target and destroy Tactical Ballistic Missiles. The weapon system uses a Chemical Oxygen Iodine Laser that has been affixed to the nose of a modified Boeing 747 aircraft. Once targeted, the laser system heats a ballistic missile from the inside out and causes it to explode. Tests have shown that the YAL-1 system is capable of shooting down a missile within 10 seconds from a distance of several hundred miles.

The U.S. Air Force first tested the Boeing YAL-1 Airborne Laser in 2002. Several more tests were conducted in 2007 and 2010. In the tests, the laser system successfully identified and destroyed several incoming missiles. The system has attracted a lot of attention from defense and security experts who see it as a way to protect U.S. soldiers and, potentially, U.S. territory from attacks by ballistic missiles. Some defense experts predict that a laser system similar to the Boeing YAL-1 could be developed and used in the future against enemy fighter jets, satellites and cruise missiles.

Over Budget

The Boeing YAL-1 Airborne Laser system is being developed by a consortium of leading defense contractors that includes Boeing Defense, Space & Security, Lockheed Martin Corp., and Northrop Grumman Corp. Despite the initial success of the tests involving the Boeing YAL-1 Airborne Laser, the advanced program has gone more than $6 billion over budget. As of late 2010 the U.S. Air Force has not requested additional funding for the project or scheduled more tests of the system.