DARPA
Cubic teams with Trex to improve sniper technology
- By Mark Hoover
- Oct 23, 2012
Cubic Defense Applications, the defense systems business of Cubic Corp., has won a $6 million contract with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to build better sniper technology..
The One-Shot sniper system is crosswind and range measurement system that provides ballistic aim point offsets in the shooter’s riflescope sight. It can be deployed in the field, and is compact enough that it may be mounted on the rifle or the spotter-scope.
Under the contract, Cubic will partner with Trex Enterprises to develop and test a prototype system that, if successful, could lead to the delivery of 10 more systems within the span of 15 months.
Tjhe system will allow snipers to “immediately obtain downrange crosswind, direction and range to target to provide ballistic corrections,” said Steve Sampson, vice president of advanced programs for Cubic Defense Applications.
This is of crucial importance, since Sampson attributes the No. 1 error among snipers to “not being able to accurately measure downrange cross wind profile between the shooter and the target," the company said.
With the technology that Cubic and Trex are developing, this would be possible in seconds, he said. A sniper will be able to be much more accurate with the first round fired, Sampson said, “using a unique two-way measurement system operated from existing sniper rifles or spotter scopes on current and future weapons.”
The concept for such a system has been in the works for six months, Cubic said. Trex will develop the crosswind measurement algorithm—the fundamental key to the success of the program, Cubic said. Matched with Cubic’s electro-optic and laser designs, the resulting tool will be highly effective, the company said.
About the Author
Mark Hoover is a contributing writer to Washington Technology.