The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has made significant progress in building ‘steerable’ bullets that can be directed to a target, and now the agency has released video footage of the first prototype in action.

DARPA’s intelligent munition has been dubbed EXACTO (EXtreme ACcuracy Tasked Ordnance), and the footage shows two .50-cal rounds being maneuvered in flight towards a target. One of the bullets makes two adjustments to its course before crashing headlong into its target.

“EXACTO’s specially designed ammunition and real-time optical guidance system help track and direct projectiles to their targets by compensating for weather, wind, target movement and other factors that could impede successful hits,” says the DARPA video.

DARPA’s steerable bullet program began in 2008 and has had to overcome some immense challenges. Fitting the electronics and a steering mechanism into a tiny space is just part of the problem; the units also have to withstand the punishment of being fired from a gun.

EXACTO isn’t the world’s first steerable bullet. Sandia has developed its own highly accurate rounds that rely on optical sensors and use controllable find to guide the projectile towards its target. But Sandia’s rounds can only be fired from a special smooth-bore gun, while EXACTO can be fired from standard military rifles.

DARPA said EXACTO was developed to enable snipers to take out targets from a much greater distance than is currently possible. While .50-cal rounds can travel some seven kilometres, the current record is held by British Army sniper Corporal of Horse Craig Harrison, who scored a bullseye from some 8,120ft, or 1.54 miles (2.4km) away.

It’s not just snipers who will benefit. DARPA hopes that the technology can one day be fitted to larger rounds fired by cannons on armoured vehicles and helicopters, which would vastly extend the range and accuracy of such weapons.

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