This missile can be fired from your rifle and hit targets 2,000 yards away
By Thomas Gibbons-Neff October 13 at 8:00 AM
During the Vietnam War, the M79 40mm grenade launcher was known to the troops that carried it as the “Blooper” after the noise it made when fired.
Currently, U.S. troops carry offshoots of the M79, including different handheld single-shot versions and variants that attach to the bottom of their rifles.
Soon, however, the Blooper might be in for a name change.
[Infantry overhaul: How DARPA’s new experiments could shake up ground warfare]
According to a Raytheon release, the defense company successfully tested the Pike 40 mm precision-guided munition at a firing range in Texas. The Pike, according to the release, is a 40mm laser semi-guided missile that can be fired from your average 40mm grenade launcher. During the test, two Pike missiles hit their target areas more than 2,000 yards away from where they were fired.
The Pike missile. (Photo courtesy Raytheon)
For comparison, the standard issue M203 40mm grenade launcher has a range of around 150 yards.
[This bullet can change path mid-flight]
The Pike weighs under two pounds and is a little over a foot long. According to Raytheon, the missile is mostly smokeless during its flight, making enemy detection difficult.
As testing continues, Raytheon hopes to launch Pikes from different platforms, including drones.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2015/10/13/this-missile-can-be-fired-from-your-rifle-and-hit-targets-2000-yards-away/
