As if the US Army wasn’t a mean military force already; here comes another weapon to help their soldiers aim for their targets with perfection. The new smart sight system is called the ‘Ballistically Optimized Sniper Scope’ (BOSS), which can be attached to any existing rifle by using an industry standard mount. The system comes equipped with additional electronic sensors allowing the shooter to take other surrounding factors into account before shooting, thus, improving the accuracy of each shot.
The US Army claims that it can ‘increase the probability of a hit by nearly an order of magnitude at the most extreme range’ and can be attached to almost any rifle.
Regina Stonitsch is an Assistant Product Manager for BOSS at Project Manager Soldier Weapons. According to her,
‘To improve sniper effectiveness, especially at extended distances, we need to find a way to increase accuracy by reducing aiming errors, and minimize the time for the shooter to figure out where to correctly aim his weapon,’ Regina Stonitsch
She added,
‘We believe the answer could be the BOSS Project.’
The technology incorporates orientation inclinometers, internal environmental sensor suite, and a sophisticated ballistic calculator using range, environmental and weapon orientation data. The incorporation of these features helps the shooter assess a ballistic solution based on weapon and ammunition. The device also provides an adjusted aim point in the scope, which is directly aimed at the target and fired.
The beauty of this device is that for setting it up, the shooter never has to remove his eye from the scope or the target, which gives him a better situational awareness and higher chances of success.
The rifles consist of a variable power (6-22x magnification) direct view optic that is combined with the precision of a laser range finder, enabling the shooter to pinpoint the target.
‘Since sniper rifle and ammunition technologies are unlikely to change considerably in the foreseeable future, we’re concentrating our efforts on developing a revolutionary fire control system that will provide a leap in shooter performance and likewise a big return on investment,’ said Stonitsch.
The BOSS is extremely lightweight, weighing only about 3.5 pounds, and while it looks like overkill for traditional rifles, it’s nothing short of a Godsend for snipers who have to carry around bulky accessory kit items.
‘The BOSS is currently designed for snipers, but its technologies can be easily adapted to other small arms weapon systems,’ Stonitsch said. ‘It could be a game-changer for our Warfighters by taking the guesswork out of aiming and making virtually anyone a marksman with the touch of a button.’
If the US army incorporates the device development in their plans; it could be available to the soldiers by 2020.