It’s been called the most effective weapon ever put into the hands of the individual United States soldier, capable of neutralizing a target from 2300 feet away from the target using 25mm grenades and a whole host of high-tech sensors, sights, and lasers. It’s a one-man smart bomb grenade launcher dubbed the XM25 Counter Defilade Target Engagement System, and it’s the game-changing weapon the Pentagon has been working on to counteract the insurgent techniques of the Taliban in Afghanistan.
“This is the first time we’re putting smart technology into the hands of the individual soldier,” said project manager Lieutenant Colonel Chris Lehner. “It’s giving them the edge. You get behind something when someone is shooting at you, and that sort of cover has protected people for thousands of years. Now we’re taking that away from the enemy forever.”
The smart grenade launcher was developed by Heckler & Koch for the Pentagon at a cost of $25-30,000 per gun. The initial order for US troops is 12,500. Yes, it’s expensive and high-tech, but it’s also 300 percent more effective than current grenade delivery systems thanks to its accuracy and long range. Lehner claims, “This system is turning soldiers with average shooting skills into those with phenomenal shooting skills.”
Presumably, it’s also turning the phenomenal soldier into a Taliban-killing machine. It’s like a real-life version of Judge Dredd’s Lawgiver.
Tags: Pentagon, smart weapons, XM25 Counter Defilade Target Engagement System, XM25, Afghanistan, smart grenade launcher, unusual weapons, technology, military technology, HK XM25, Heckler & Koch, airburst weapon system, Lieutenant Colonel Chris Lehner
