A new rifle sight for the US military

I'm intrigued to read about a new rifle sight currently under development for the US armed forces. It's known as the 'Dynamic Image Gunsight Optic', or DInGO. Military.com reports:

The goal of the DInGO program is to ensure that the average soldier can hit enemy fighters at ranges out to 600 meters without having to estimate range or compensate for crosswinds, DARPA officials said.

Experienced combat shooters say that's likely to be a significant challenge. Army marksmanship training focuses on engaging targets out to 300 meters, since an M4's 5.56mm round's trajectory begins to drop significantly beyond that distance.

Wind conditions also hinder accuracy. A 10 mile per hour crosswind can push a 5.56mm round off target by more than eight inches at 400 meters. Techniques for reading wind speeds and compensating for their effects on accuracy are generally only taught in advanced marksmanship and sniper courses.

Early prototype DInGO gunsight (image courtesy of DARPA)

The 8-power device features a digital zoom function that allows a shooter to quickly change ranges to engage multiple targets from 300 to 600 meters, Wojnar said.

It calculates the range with a low-power laser rangefinder, zooms in on it and then accounts for environmental conditions without requiring the shooter to move his hands, Lockheed officials said. The embedded ballistic computer then projects the bullet's point-of-impact with an alternative aim point.

There's more at the link. Very interesting and recommended reading.

I've used a rifle in uniform and as a civilian, and I know how very difficult it can be to make fast, accurate hits at extended ranges (basically, anything more than 100-150 yards), particularly when under stress. If this new technology can eliminate much of the guesswork, and put the shooter on target that much faster, it's likely to be (quite literally) a lifesaver for our armed forces, even though it might have the opposite effect on the enemy! Very useful.

Peter