ShockRounds: less-lethal ammo assaults multiple senses
Baku, February 13 (AZERTAC). The defense industry seems to be quite fascinated with the concept of smart munitions, evidenced by the massive taxpayer dollars poured into programs like the self-guided bullet development at Sandia National Laboratories, although the concept of smart less-lethal munitions is a bit newer.
SmartRounds Technology (SRT) is developing a round which carries liquefied compressed gas and then activates a high-powered “shock wave” which, upon impact, rapidly expands and “attacks three of the five human senses.”
Generally, one unit volume of the liquefied compressed gas will expand to around 800 unit volumes at standard temperature and pressure, meaning that a relatively large amount of gas (like a chemical irritant) can be carried in quite a small package.
The ShockRounds are designed to be fired from SRT-approved rifle launchers modeled on the Colt M4 carbine while the pistol launcher is modeled after an unnamed “popular semi-automatic handgun.”
SRT says that the choice of the payload carried on the projectile is what determines the stopping power of the particular round and there are many options in terms of payloads.
According to Wired`s Danger Room, they already have developed “around 10” of the payload combinations including chemical irritants, expanding foam, gel and explosives.
The ShockRounds are different from any previous less-lethal munitions because they employ a micro-mechanical system (MMS) which acts as an accelerometer.
This allows the round to detect when it is fired, and when it makes contact with its target, then triggering the activation of the payload just a millisecond before the round can penetrate the body.
Previous rounds which were billed as less-lethal often proved to be quite lethal indeed, with a history of deaths from around the world with some studies actually concluding that certain types of rubber bullets “kill and maim too often to be considered a safe method of crowd control.”
Most recently, America witnessed the serious damage these rounds can do during Occupy Oakland when Scott Olsen, a Marine veteran was hospitalized in critical condition after he was struck with a police projectile, which resulted in a fractured skull and brain swelling.
The MMS in the ShockRounds will supposedly lessen the damage these types of rounds can do, although it is still far from an appealing thing to be struck with.
When the round hits, a loud noise is emitted as the compressed gas is released, and it has been designed to create a bright flash in order to obscure the vision of the target, all while delivering a payload of possibly toxic chemicals backed up by the punch of the bullet itself.
Nick Verini, the president of SRT says that his company`s new rounds have a 300-foot range, and while law enforcement agencies are already interested in the ShockRound, Verini says he has not had much contact with military officials, although I doubt this is necessarily accurate due to the fact that many contracts cannot be discussed publicly.
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