Watch video of DARPA’s new self-guided bullets turn and follow targets in mid air

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) new self-steering bullet is an incredible feat of technology and can be used by expert marksmen and novice shooters alike.

The bullets turn and change direction in mid flight, following their target, even when the target is accelerating.

The .50 caliber ammunition can change direction AFTER being fired through the use of its “real-time optical guidance system.”

“For military snipers, acquiring moving targets in unfavorable conditions, such as high winds and dusty terrain commonly found in Afghanistan, is extremely challenging with current technology,” DARPA said. “It is critical that snipers be able to engage targets faster, and with better accuracy, since any shot that doesn’t hit a target also risks the safety of troops by indicating their presence and potentially exposing their location.”

“True to DARPA’s mission, EXACTO has demonstrated what was once thought impossible: the continuous guidance of a small-caliber bullet to target,” said Jerome Dunn, DARPA program manager. “This live-fire demonstration from a standard rifle showed that EXACTO is able to hit moving and evading targets with extreme accuracy at sniper ranges unachievable with traditional rounds. Fitting EXACTO’s guidance capabilities into a small .50-caliber size is a major breakthrough and opens the door to what could be possible in future guided projectiles across all calibers.”