Deadliest Tech (2012) s01e03 Episode Script
Guns
Narrator: COMBAT FIREARMS -- MODERN WARFARE'S MOST BASIC AND LETHAL TOOLS A TERRIFYING FUSION OF UNPARALLELED ACCURACY, RANGE, AND STOPPING POWER.
Horowitz: IT'S A MOBILE MACHINE GUN TO WREAK HAVOC ON ANYBODY THAT GETS IN ITS WAY.
Narrator: EXPLORE THE INNER WORKINGS OF SOME OF THE DEADLIEST PIECES OF HARDWARE ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
WE'VE GAINED SPECIAL ACCESS TO SOME OF THE MILITARY'S TOP MARKSMEN.
IF YOU'RE EVER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT WEAPON, IT'S DEVASTATING.
Narrator: AND NOW WE TAKE YOU INSIDE LIVE FIRE ZONES TO SEE THEIR GAME-CHANGING WEAPONRY IN ACTION -- EVERYTHING FROM LASER-RANGE GRENADE LAUNCHERS TO ADVANCED CASELESS AMMO IN A SUPER-LIGHT MACHINE GUN TO THE NAVY S.
E.
A.
L.
WEAPON THAT TRACES ITS ORIGINS TO HITLER'S GERMANY.
NOW ON "DEADLIEST TECH: GUNS.
" CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS [ GUNFIRE .]
OF ALL OF WAR'S WEAPONS, THE GUN IS THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL.
IT IS A LETHAL PROJECTION OF THE SOLDIER'S WILL.
GUNS ARE THE MOST UBIQUITOUS ASSETS ON THE BATTLEFIELD -- ASSERTING THEIR POWER ON LAND, AT SEA, AND IN THE AIR.
NO ARMED FORCE CAN SEIZE TERRITORY OR REPEL THE ENEMY WITHOUT THEM.
THE TECHNOLOGY OF THE GUN AND THE SKILL OF THE SOLDIER FIRING I CAN DETERMINE WHO WINS AND WHO LOSES.
ONE GUN REPRESENTS YEARS OF COMBAT EVOLUTION AND DESIGN INNOVATION -- ONE OF THE MOST AWESOME AND TERRIFYING WEAPONS ON EARTH -- THE M134 MINIGUN.
IT'S ELECTRICALLY POWERED AND USES SIX SPINNING BARRELS TO FIRE 3,000 ROUNDS PER MINUTE.
THAT'S A BLISTERING 50 SHOTS EVERY SECOND.
THE M134 SPITS FIRE, AND YOU GOT TO LIKE A WEAPON THAT DOES THAT.
THE MINIGUN IS REALLY COOL FOR US, BUT EXTREMELY INTIMIDATING FOR ANYBODY ON THE OTHER END.
Narrator: THE M134 IS CALLED "MINI" ONLY BECAUSE IT'S MODELED AFTER A ROTARY CANNON THAT FIRES LARGER CALIBER ROUNDS.
IT'S ALSO A DIRECT DESCENDANT OF THE 19th-CENTURY GATLING GUN, HISTORY'S ORIGINAL MACHINE GUN.
Wardrop: I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMEN ACTUALLY WENT BACK TO DIG UP THE ORIGINAL GATLING PATENTS SO THEY COULD DESIGN THE NEW ELECTRONICALLY FED, BASICALLY, GATLING GUNS.
THEY BOTH USE A FEED SYSTEM THAT DROPS IN ROUNDS AS THE BARRELS ARE ROTATING.
AND WHAT THAT DOES IS THAT ALLOWS THE MECHANISM TO FULLY SEAT A CARTRIDGE WELL IN ADVANCE OF WHEN IT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO FIRE.
YOU BASICALLY HAVE CO2 OR SOME SORT OF GAS THAT'S ADVANCING A BARREL, THAT'S ROTATING A BARREL FORWARD, AND AS THE BARREL ROTATES, ALMOST LIKE A REVOLVER, THE NEXT BULLET COMES OUT.
Narrator: FROM VIETNAM TO AFGHANISTAN, MOUNTED MOSTLY ON CHOPPERS AND AERIAL GUNSHIPS, THE M134 HAS WIPED OUT AND INTIMIDATED AMERICA'S ENEMIES.
ITS ABILITY TO SATURATE TARGETS WITH OVERWHELMING FIREPOWER PUTS IT IN A CLASS BY ITSELF.
I'VE ACTUALLY CALLED IN AC-130s THAT USE MINIGUNS, AND I WAS TOLD AT THE TIME THAT IF YOU PLACED A DIME ONE INCH APAR ON A FOOTBALL FIELD AND THEY DID A LONG-ENOUGH GUN RUN, THEY'D HIT EVERY DIME ON THE FIELD.
Horowitz: ONE OF THE ULTIMATE WEAPONS FOR PROTECTING AN ENTRENCHED POSITION AGAINST ATTACKERS, IN THAT IF THERE ARE ATTACKERS COMING AT YOU AND THERE'S ANY OPEN GROUND, THEY'RE EITHER GONNA BE DEAD OR DIVING FOR COVER IF THE M134 IS FIRING AGAINST THEM.
WHEN YOU COMBINE THAT WITH THE TRADEMARK CHAIN-SAW SOUND AND THE FIRE SPITTING OUT OF THE BARREL, IT'S GOT TO BE A PRETTY INTIMIDATING THING, ESPECIALLY FOR UNTRAINED PEOPLE ON THE OTHER END.
Narrator: THE M134 IS JUST ONE OF THE INTIMIDATING GUNS IN THE U.
S.
ARMY'S FEARSOME ARSENAL.
GUNNERS, TAKE YOUR POSITION ON THE FIRING LINES.
Narrator: THIS IS THE M2 .
50-CALIBER MACHINE GUN.
IT HAS SERVED AMERICA'S ARMED FORCES DUTIFULLY SINCE 1933.
Man: YOU MAY COMMENCE FIRE WHEN YOUR TARGETS APPEAR.
TARGETS.
Narrator: THE M2's STOPPING POWER AND RELIABILITY ARE LEGENDARY.
OVER THE DECADES, IT'S EARNED A COLORFUL NICKNAME -- MA DEUCE.
Schmitz: WHEN I FIRST SAT DOWN AND SHOT IT, THE GROUND SHOOK, AND MY FIRST THOUGHT, AUTOMATICALLY, WAS JUST, "THAT SOUNDS POWERFUL.
" YOU'RE SHOOTING ROUNDS THAT ARE THIS BIG, SO AS FAR AS THE INTIMIDATION FACTOR, THIS WEAPON PACKS A PRETTY BIG PUNCH, SO IT STOPS PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING THAT COMES YOUR WAY BESIDES A FREAKING TANK.
Man: WHOA! RELOADING! [ GUNFIRE .]
Narrator: THE .
50-CALIBER M2 CAN FIRE A HALF-INCH-DIAMETER BULLET FOUR MILES AT THREE TIMES THE SPEED OF SOUND.
ITS EFFECTIVE RANGE IS AN IMPRESSIVE HALF-MILE.
Hillis: THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF WEAPON SYSTEMS THAT CAN ACCURATELY ENGAGE A TARGET -- KEYWORD "ACCURATELY" -- ENGAGE A TARGET AT OVER 1,800 METERS.
Narrator: INCREDIBLY, THE M2 -- NOT A SNIPER RIFLE -- HOLDS THE RECORD FOR THE LONGEST COMBAT KILL IN THE 20th CENTURY.
IN VIETNAM, MARINE SNIPER CARLOS HATHCOCK RIGGED A SCOPE TO THE BARREL AND PICKED OFF HIS VICTIM FROM A DISTANCE OF 1.
39 MILES.
Man: CEASE FIRE, CEASE FIRE! CLEAR CONDITION FOUR.
Narrator: THIS ICONIC WEAPON IS THE BRAINCHILD OF RENOWNED GUNMAKER JOHN BROWNING.
Wardrop: THE M2 HAS BEEN AN EFFECTIVE WEAPON FOR SO LONG BECAUSE LIKE ANY OTHER BROWNING DESIGN, IT'S BUILT LIKE A TANK.
JOHN BROWNING, WHEN HE WAS DESIGNING HIS FIRST GUN, ACTUALLY HAD A PHILOSOPHY -- BUILD IT STRONG ENOUGH AND THEN DOUBLE IT.
Horowitz: EVERYTHING FROM THE RECOIL ACTION TO THE BELT-FEEDING WAS DESIGNED IN A WAY THAT WOULD STAND THE TEST OF TIME.
Narrator: THE M2 CAN FIRE MORE THAN 600 ROUNDS A MINUTE, POWERED BY THE INGENIOUS TECH THAT CYCLES THE CARTRIDGES RAPIDLY THROUGH THE FIRING CHAMBER.
M2 GUNNERS CAN STUDY THE SYSTEM FOR THEMSELVES AT U.
S.
ORDNANCE IN McCARRAN, NEVADA, WHICH PRODUCES THE GUN.
Fassler: GOT AN M2 THAT'S CUT IN HALF TO SHOW THE INNER WORKINGS OF THE M2.
IT'LL GRAB THE ROUND.
IT'LL PULL THE ROUND BACK.
IT'LL PUT THE ROUND INTO THE CHAMBER.
IT'LL USE A FIRING PIN TO FIRE THE ROUND.
AND IT'LL CYCLE BACK, AND IT'LL BE IN A CONTINUOUS MOTION.
EXTRACT, DROP DOWN, GO FORWARD, FIRE, COME BACK, RELEASE, LOAD ANOTHER ROUND, AND KEEP GOING.
Narrator: LIKE MANY MACHINE GUNS, THE M2 IS FED BY AN AMMO BEL THAT LINKS HUNDREDS OF ROUNDS OF CARTRIDGES.
A POPULAR PHRASE OWES ITS ORIGIN TO THE FACT THAT THE BELTS ON THE WORLD WAR II FIGHTERS WERE 27 FEET LONG.
YOU'VE HEARD THE EXPRESSION "GIVE 'EM THE WHOLE NINE YARDS.
" THIS IS NINE YARDS OF .
50-CALIBER AMMUNITION, AND WHEN THEY SAID, "GIVE 'EM THE WHOLE NINE YARDS," YOU GAVE THEM THIS.
Horowitz: SO, THE PHRASE "THE WHOLE NINE YARDS" ACTUALLY CAME FROM AN AMERICAN GUNNER WHO NEEDED TO USE ALL OF THEIR AMMUNITION, FROM THE FIRST BULLET TO THE LAST BULLET IN AN ENGAGEMENT.
Narrator: FIRING SO MANY ROUNDS AT SUCH A HIGH RATE OF SPEED COMES WITH A PRICE.
IN JUST SECONDS, THE M2's BARREL BECOMES RED-HOT.
SAY YOU FIRE 100 ROUNDS THROUGH IT.
IT'LL BRING IT UP TO A TEMPERATURE OF ROUGHLY 350 TO 450 DEGREES.
YOU START BRINGING IT UP MORE THAN THAT, IT'LL SERIOUSLY DEGRADE THE ACCURACY OF THE WEAPON.
Narrator: FOR ALL MACHINE GUNS, OVERHEATING AND INACCURACY GO HAND IN HAND.
Wardrop: AS THE BULLETS COME DOWN THE BARREL, THEY'RE ENGAGING THAT RIFLING INSIDE THE BARREL TO CREATE SPIN ON THE BULLET.
AND WHEN YOU CREATE THE SPIN ON THAT BULLET, YOU'RE ACTUALLY CREATING A WHOLE LOT OF FRICTION.
AND THE FRICTION IS GOING TO CAUSE A LOT OF HEAT, WHICH IS GOING TO EXPAND THE BARREL.
Horowitz: THAT FRICTION BASICALLY MEANS THAT THE BULLET ISN'T CATCHING ON ALL THE GROOVES OF THE BARREL IN THE SAME WAY AS WHEN IT'S NOT QUITE AS HOT, WHICH MAKES IT A LOT LESS ACCURATE.
Narrator: TO HELP COOL ITSELF, THE M2 HAS A PERFORATED JACKE THAT SETS UP AIR CURRENTS AND RADIATES HEAT FROM THE BARREL.
BUT THIS AIR COOLING GOES ONLY SO FAR, SO THE M2 ALSO COMES EQUIPPED WITH A REPLACEABLE BARREL.
ONE ADDITIONAL FEATURE ALSO HELPS TO OFFSE THE TREMENDOUS HEAT THE GUN PRODUCES.
Horowitz: THE M2 HAS AN OPEN BOL ABOVE THE BELT WHERE THE AMMUNITION IS LOADING THROUGH, AND THAT OPEN BOLT MEANS THAT AIR CAN FLOW THROUGH THE WEAPON AS IT'S BEING FIRED, WHICH DECREASES THE AMOUNT OF HEA THAT YOU NEED TO FIRE EVERY GIVEN BULLET, WHICH MEANS THAT YOU CAN USE ONE BARREL OF AN M2 FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME BEFORE YOU HAVE TO REPLACE IT.
Narrator: IN COMBAT, M2 GUN CREWS MUST STILL SWAP BARRELS FREQUENTLY.
IF THEY FAIL TO SWITCH A BARREL SOON ENOUGH, IT CAN BECOME MISSHAPEN.
ONCE YOU GET TO A CERTAIN POINT AND CERTAIN TEMPERATURE, THE BARREL COULD ACTUALLY MELT.
Wardrop: SOME MACHINE GUNNERS HAVE ACTUALLY EXPRESSED THAT MACHINE-GUN BARRELS START TO DROOP AND DIP AT THE END.
AND YOU'VE ACTUALLY GOT MACHINE GUNNERS, WHEN THEIR BARRELS START GETTING RED-HOT, SAY THAT THEY'LL TAKE IT OFF AND HOLD IT WITH THE HANDLE SO THAT IT'S POINTING STRAIGHT DOWN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE SO HOPEFULLY IT'LL COOL STRAIGHT.
Narrator: A NEW, MODIFIED VERSION OF THE M2 -- THE M2A1 -- HAS AN IMPROVED, QUICK-CHANGE BARREL THAT'S FASTER AND EASIER TO SWAP OUT.
THE NEW BARREL'S DESIGN ALSO MINIMIZES ITS MUZZLE FLASH, MAKING THE GUN BOTH EASIER TO AIM AND LESS VISIBLE TO THE ENEMY.
THE HEAT PRODUCED BY BOTH VERSIONS OF THE M2 CREATES ANOTHER CONCERN -- A POTENTIALLY FATAL PHENOMENON CALLED A "COOK-OFF.
" A COOK-OFF IS WHEN THE FIRING CHAMBER OF A MACHINE GUN, OR ANY GUN, REALLY, IS SO HOT, THAT ONCE A BULLET IS LOADED IN THE CHAMBER, IT'LL FIRE WITHOUT ANYONE EVER TOUCHING THE TRIGGER.
Wardrop: SOMETIMES, YOU CAN EVEN HAVE AN ISSUE WHERE THE BULLETS CAN ONLY MOVE HALFWAY DOWN THE BARREL BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH FORCE TO ACTUALLY LEAVE THE END OF THE BARREL, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT AN ISSUE WHERE THE SECOND, FOLLOWING ROUND IS GONNA COME OFF AND POSSIBLY IMPACT THAT BARREL AND BLOW UP THE WHOLE BARREL.
Narrator: BUT IF A GUNNER CAN KEEP THE M2 FROM OVERHEATING, HE CAN STOP ANYONE AND JUST ABOUT ANYTHING WITHIN ITS RANGE.
AMONG THE PRIME TARGETS FOR THE M2 IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN ARE CAR OR TRUCK BOMBS.
IF A SUICIDE BOMBER IS SPEEDING INTO A CHECKPOINT, THE M2 CAN IMMEDIATELY NEUTRALIZE THE THREAT.
THIS PICKUP TRUCK IS OUR GUINEA PIG IN A TEST CONDUCTED BY ORDNANCE EXPERT JASON MUNN.
HE'LL BEGIN BY TESTING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A SINGLE SHOT -- THE TRUCK'S ENGINE BLOCK VERSUS JUST ONE OF THE M2's .
50-CALIBER BULLETS.
THREE, TWO, ONE.
THE SHOT WENT RIGHT THROUGH THE HEADLIGHT.
WE LOOK DOWN INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.
WE CAN SEE THAT THE FIRST ROUND HAS GONE DIRECTLY THROUGH THE ENGINE, MAKING IT A ONE-SHOT KILL.
IN COMBAT, YOU'D PUT MORE ROUNDS THAN THAT THROUGH IT, SO WHAT WE'LL DO NOW IS WE'LL PUT SOME ROUNDS THROUGH THIS AND SEE WHAT WE CAN REALLY DO.
WE'RE GOING HOT! TAKE THAT, BAD GUYS.
LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF DAMAGE HERE.
OBVIOUSLY, JUST FROM LOOKING AT THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, YOU CAN TELL THAT THE BURST OF ROUNDS WENT DIRECTLY INTO THE ENGINE.
YOU CAN SEE HERE, WHERE IT'S COMPLETELY SHREDDED THE COOLING SYSTEM, RADIATOR, AIR CLEANERS, AND THE WHOLE TOP OF THE ENGINE IS COMPLETELY DEMOLISHED.
IT ESSENTIALLY DISINTEGRATED THE ENGINE.
THERE WAS AN ENGINE THERE BEFORE.
THIS CLEARLY SHOWS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE M2 MACHINE GUN.
WITHOUT A DOUBT, THIS WILL STOP THE INSURGENTS' VEHICLES DEAD IN THEIR TRACKS.
Narrator: THE M2 HAS DELIVERED THIS CALIBER OF PERFORMANCE FOR AN UNPRECEDENTED NINE DECADES -- A TESTAMENT TO THE TALENT OF THE GUNMAKER WHO DESIGNED IT.
Wardrop: IF JOHN BROWNING CAME ALIVE TODAY AND LOOKED AT THE MACHINE GUNS WE'VE GOT TODAY, HE'D SAY, "WHAT CHANGED?" NOTHING'S REPLACED IT, NOTHING'S BETTER THAN IT, BECAUSE WHAT ARE YOU GONNA IMPROVE? GUN TEAMS ON THE LINE, MAKE READY! Narrator: IF A COMMANDER NEEDS RAPID FIREPOWER AS FORMIDABLE AS THE M2s IN A LIGHTER PACKAGE, THE ANSWER IS THE M240 BRAVO.
READY! READY.
Man: YOU MAY COMMENCE FIRE WHEN YOUR TARGETS APPEAR! TARGET! [ GUNFIRE .]
Narrator: THE 240 BRAVO WEIGHS 60 POUNDS LESS THAN THE M2 AND FIRES A 7.
62-MILLIMETER ROUND -- CONSIDERABLY SMALLER THAN THE M2's .
50-CALIBER PROJECTILE.
THAT MEANS IT DOESN'T HAVE THE STOPPING POWER OF THE M2 BUT IS MORE MOBILE ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
LIKE THE M2, IT CAN BE FIRED FROM A TRIPOD, BUT ALSO PRONE, OR FROM THE SHOULDER OR HIP.
Kim: I JUST ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE WEAPON.
IT GIVES ME THAT EXCITEMENT INSIDE.
CAN FEEL THE BLOOD RUSHING.
IT'S A GOOD RUSH.
Narrator: FOR THE ENEMY IN THE CROSSHAIRS, THE SENSATION IS FAR DIFFERENT.
Man: IT'S JUST DEVASTATING.
IF YOU'RE EVER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT WEAPON, IT'S DEVASTATING.
Horowitz: THE M240 CAN FIRE 700 TO 900 ROUNDS PER MINUTE AT A RANGE OF UP TO ABOUT 4,000 YARDS, IF NOT A LITTLE BIT MORE, AND IT ONLY WEIGHS 25 POUNDS, AND THAT MAKES THE M240 AN INCREDIBLY DEADLY WEAPON ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
IT'S A MOBILE MACHINE GUN THAT THE AMERICAN MILITARY CAN USE TO WREAK HAVOC ON ANYBODY THAT GETS IN ITS WAY.
Narrator: LANCE CORPORAL MARTIN KIM EXPERIENCED THIS FOR HIMSELF DURING HIS TOUR OF DUTY IN AFGHANISTAN.
WHEN HIS COMPANY WAS AMBUSHED BY THE TALIBAN, A 240 BRAVO CAME TO HIS RESCUE AFTER HIS OWN WEAPON JAMMED.
Kim: THE ONLY WEAPON I WAS SHOOTING WAS A 240.
WITHOUT THAT 240, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOT TOUGHER TO GET OUT OF THAT FIRE FIGHT.
Narrator: THE 240 BRAVO DIFFERS FROM THE M2 IN THAT USES AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT MECHANISM TO CYCLE ITS CARTRIDGES THROUGH THE FIRING CHAMBER.
INSTEAD OF USING THE GUN'S RECOIL, IT HARNESSES THE GAS FROM EVERY DISCHARGE.
THE GAS PRESSURE THAT BUILDS UP WHEN THE FIRST BULLET IS FIRED IS VENTED BACK INTO THE CHAMBER TO DRIVE THE BOLT FORWARD AND BRING THE NEXT ROUND INTO THE CHAMBER.
Narrator: AS THE 240 BRAVO FIRES AT MORE THAN 10 ROUNDS EVERY SECOND, ITS BARREL STARTS TO OVERHEAT, JUST LIKE THE M2's.
BUT IT'S SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO BE EASILY REMOVED AND REPLACED.
A BARREL CHANGE IS QUICK.
LIKE, IT'S A MATTER OF SECONDS.
A BUTTON PRESSED, A LEVER SWITCHED OVER, AND THEN A NEW BARREL IS ON THERE.
Narrator: GUNNERS VALUE THE 240 BRAVO'S EXCEPTIONAL RELIABILITY EVEN MORE.
IT'S BUILT TO ENDURE EVEN THE MOST INHOSPITABLE BATTLEFIELD ENVIRONMENT.
Man: YOU DEFINITELY DON'T HAVE TO PAMPER IT OR BABY IT FOR IT TO SHOOT.
THROW IT IN THE MUD, THE DIRT, IT'S GONNA SHOOT.
NO MATTER WHAT, IT'S GONNA SHOOT.
Narrator: SUPERIOR RELIABILITY, STOPPING POWER, AND ACCURACY MAKE THE M240 BRAVO AN INTIMIDATING AND EFFECTIVE WEAPON, NO MATTER WHERE IT'S DEPLOYED.
Horowitz: IF YOU COMBINE THE MOBILITY, THE RATE OF FIRE, THE SIZE OF THE MUNITIONS, THE M240 IS GONNA BE ABLE TO HELP THE AMERICAN MILITARY PUNCH A HOLE IN JUST ABOUT ANYTHING IT WANTS.
Narrator: NEXT, ANOTHER GUN IN AMERICA'S ARSENAL MAY REVOLUTIONIZE HOW FIREARMS ARE DEPLOYED ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
ITS COMPACT SIZE BELIES ITS LETHAL EFFICIENCY.
WE'LL REVEAL THE SURPRISING SECRET THAT MAKES IT SO DEADLY.
Narrator: GUNS ARE THE MOST INDISPENSABLE ASSETS ANCHORING ALL COMBAT OPERATIONS.
THE M134, M2, AND M240 DELIVER DEADLY RAPID FIREPOWER THAT CAN SPEARHEAD AN ARMY TO VICTORY.
THEY ARE ALSO A REMINDER THAT THE MILITARY'S MOST POWERFUL GUNS ARE USUALLY BULKY AND HEAVY -- NOT ABLE TO BE WIELDED BY A SINGLE, HIGHLY MOBILE SOLDIER.
THE GUN THAT ANSWERS THAT CHALLENGE IS THE M249 SAW.
SHORT FOR "SQUAD AUTOMATIC WEAPON," IT WEIGHS JUST 17 POUNDS.
AT THE SQUAD LEVEL, IT'S THE MOST LETHAL GUN IN AMERICA'S ARSENAL.
AN AMERICAN SOLDIER HOLDING AN M249 IS GENERALLY THE MOST DANGEROUS PERSON ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
THE M249 SAW IS ACTUALLY AN INCREDIBLE INNOVATIVE PIECE OF MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, IN THAT IT COMBINES THE BEST, IN SOME WAYS, OF THE RIFLE WITH THE BEST OF THE MACHINE GUN.
Narrator: THE BELT-FED SAW HAS A MACHINE GUN'S HIGH RATE OF FIRE, UNLEASHING 850 ROUNDS PER MINUTE, PAIRED WITH A RIFLE'S ACCURACY AND PORTABILITY.
Courter: IT'S PRETTY EXCITING.
THIS IS THE MOST CASUALTY-PRODUCING WEAPON IN THE SQUAD.
YOU KNOW, YOU GOT A BIG RESPONSIBILITY, AND IT'S FUN TO SHOOT A LOT OF BULLETS.
Narrator: FOR THE ENEMY IN THE CROSSHAIRS, THE EXPERIENCE IS FAR DIFFERENT.
McConnell: I DON'T THINK ANYONE ENJOYS 100 ROUNDS FLYING AT YOU IN LIKE A MINUTE.
IF YOU'RE GETTING ROUNDS SHOT AT YOU, YOU AIN'T GONNA LIKE IT, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S A FULLY AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN.
JUST THE SOUND OF IT ALONE MAY STRIKE FEAR IN YOU.
I'VE BEEN ON THE RECEIVING END, AND I'VE EXPERIENCED IT FIRSTHAND.
DEFINITELY WILL SLOW YOU DOWN FOR A MINUTE AND MAKE YOU THINK TWICE.
Wardrop: AS FAR AS THE MARINE CORPS IS CONCERNED, YOU HAVE THREE SAWs FOR EVERY INFANTRY SQUAD, SO THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FIREPOWER FOR A SQUAD OF 13 GUYS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE JUST HAVE SEMIAUTOMATIC OR THREE-ROUND-BURST RIFLES.
Narrator: THE SAW GUNNERS ARE THE MOST HEAVILY BURDENED SOLDIERS IN THE SQUAD, BUT THE SAWs ARE STILL LIGHT ENOUGH FOR THEM TO MOVE EFFECTIVELY IN COMBAT.
McConnell: THE LIGHTER YOUR WEAPON IS, THE EASIER IT IS TO MANEUVER AND FLANK, AND YOUR MOBILITY IS JUST A LOT FASTER AND SMOOTHER.
THE INFANTRYMAN CAN ALSO, ALONG WITH HIS STANDARD GEAR, CAN CARRY A SAW AND TWO OR THREE BANDOLIERS OF 200-ROUND DRUMS.
THAT MEANS THAT A SINGLE INFANTRYMAN IS CARRYING A FULLY AUTOMATIC SQUAD LIGHT MACHINE GUN AND 600 OR 800 ROUNDS BY HIMSELF.
THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FIREPOWER FOR AN INDIVIDUAL TO POSSESS TO SUPPORT HIS SQUAD AND HIS FIRE TEAM.
Narrator: FOR A SQUAD LEADER, THE SAW DELIVERS OVERPOWERING SUPPRESSIVE FIRE THAT FREES UP EVERY OTHER GUNNER IN THE UNI TO TAKE MORE SURGICALLY PRECISE SHOTS.
Courter: THE MACHINE GUN WILL DEFINITELY BE STRAFING, CONTROLLING THE WHOLE OBJECTIVE, MAKING THE ENEMY KEEP THEIR HEAD DOWN, WHILE THE INDIVIDUAL RIFLES OR CARBINES ARE TAKING MORE PRECISE SHOTS.
Man: CONSERVE YOUR AMMO! CONSERVE YOUR AMMO! Courter: YOU'RE CONSTANTLY LISTENING TO YOUR TEAM LEADER TO DIRECT THAT FIRE WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO TO SUPPRESS THE ENEMY TO COVER YOUR BUDDIES.
BEHIND THE BERM! BEHIND THE BERM! GO! Narrator: THE SAWs IN A SQUAD WORK MOST EFFECTIVELY WHEN THE GUNNERS SUFFICIENTLY COORDINATE THEIR FIREPOWER.
Courter: YOU WANT YOUR GUNS TO TALK, SO, ESSENTIALLY, THEY'RE HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH EACH OTHER.
ONE GUN WILL FIRE A 6-TO-9-ROUND BURST ON THE LEFT, THE ONE ON THE RIGHT WILL FIRE A 6-TO-9-ROUND BURST.
THAT CONTROLS YOUR AMMO EXPENDAGE AND OVERHEATING OF THE BARRELS.
Narrator: IN AN INTENSE FIRE FIGHT, THE SAW HAS ONE DESIGN FEATURE THAT COULD PROVE CRUCIAL TO THE GUNNER'S SURVIVAL.
IT FIRES NATO's STANDARD 5.
56x45-MILLIMETER ROUND -- THE SAME AS THAT OF THE MILITARY'S UBIQUITOUS ASSAULT RIFLE, THE M16.
Wardrop: ONE ADVANTAGE TO HAVING THE SAME AMMUNITION IN THE SAW AS THE M16s IS THAT IF YOU DO RUN OUT OF 5.
56 LINKED AMMO FOR THE SAW, YOU CAN, OF COURSE, JUST PLUG IN AN M16 MAGAZINE RIGHT INTO THE SIDE OF THE SAW, AND IT'LL FUNCTION JUST FINE.
Horowitz: THE SAW GUNNER CAN PICK UP A CARTRIDGE FROM, YOU KNOW, HIS FRIEND RIGHT NEXT TO HIM WHO'S FIRING AN M16 AND KEEP ON USING IT, AND THAT MAKES IT INCREDIBLY EFFECTIVE.
Narrator: THE SAW HAS PROVIDED AMERICA'S INFANTRY SQUADS EXCEPTIONAL RAPID FIREPOWER SINCE 1984, BUT A NEW GENERATION OF FOOT SOLDIERS SEEKING EVEN GREATER COMBAT MOBILITY IS RECOGNIZING ITS LIMITS.
McConnell: AS FAR AS THE SAW IS RIGHT NOW, I MEAN, YOU STILL HAVE MOBILITY, BUT YOU'RE STILL KIND OF LAGGING.
IT'S NOT HEAVY, BUT IT'S STILL A LOT OF WEIGH THAT YOU'VE GOT TO TOTE AROUND.
Courter: IF I HAD THE SAME VERSION OF THIS WEAPON THAT WAS LIGHTER, SAME STOPPING-POWER CAPABILITY, I WOULD BE PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
Narrator: THIS COMPACT MARVEL IS THE SAW GUNNER'S FUTURE -- THE LMG, SHORT FOR "LIGHT MACHINE GUN.
" IT WEIGHS JUST 10 POUNDS -- NEARLY HALF THAT OF THE SAW -- BUT STILL PACKS A COMPARABLE DESTRUCTIVE PUNCH.
IT'S A PROTOTYPE IN DEVELOPMEN BY THE U.
S.
ARMY'S LIGHTWEIGHT SMALL ARMS TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM, OR LSAT.
THE ARMY IS CURRENTLY RUNNING THE LMG THROUGH A GAUNTLET OF TESTS, PITTING IT AGAINST THE SAW IN COMBAT PERFORMANCE DRILLS LIKE THIS ONE.
SOLDIERS MUST NAVIGATE A VARIETY OF OBSTACLE COURSES TWICE -- ONCE WITH THE SAW AND ONCE WITH THE LMG.
ALONG THE WAY, THEY TAKE THEIR BEST SHOTS AT A FIRING RANGE.
THE GOAL OF THIS EVENT WAS TO PHYSICALLY FATIGUE THE SOLDIERS AND THEN ASSESS THEIR ABILITY TO ACCURATELY ENGAGE TARGETS AFTER BEING FATIGUED.
Narrator: 82% OF THE SOLDIERS WHO TOOK PART IN THIS TES STATED THAT THEY'D RATHER TAKE THE LMG TO WAR THAN THE SAW.
Hammack: THE SAW, HANDS DOWN, IS WAY HEAVIER.
IT TOLLS ON YOU A LOT HARDER.
ESPECIALLY GOING UP A HILL, YOU FEEL THE WEIGHT ON YOU.
LSAT's A LOT LIGHTER WEAPON.
IT'S REALLY A JOY TO HAVE.
Narrator: THE KEY TO THE LMG's LIGHTNESS GOES BEYOND ITS SLEEK, COMPACT DESIGN.
THE OTHER KEY FACTOR IS ITS LIGHTWEIGHT AMMUNITION.
IT WEIGHS 48% LESS THAN THE AMMO USED IN THE SAW.
THAT'S A GAME-CHANGING EDGE FOR THE FOOT SOLDIER THAT HAS TO CARRY 1,000 ROUNDS BY HIMSELF INTO THE COMBAT ZONE.
A SAW AND ITS 1,000 ROUNDS WEIGHS 51 POUNDS.
THE LMG WITH ITS AMMO, 31.
A REVOLUTIONARY CONCEPT MAKES THIS POSSIBLE.
THE SAW, LIKE MOST GUNS, USES A CARTRIDGE IN WHICH THE BULLET PROPELLANT AND PRIMER ARE CONTAINED BY A BULKY BRASS CASING.
WHEN FIRED, THE BULLET SEPARATES FROM THE CASING AND THE CASING IS EJECTED.
THE LSAT AMMUNITION USES A LIGHTWEIGHT POLYMER CARTRIDGE CASE WITH THE PROJECTILE FULLY ENCASED IN THE CARTRIDGE.
WHEN FIRED, IT BURNS OFF IN A FLASH.
ELIMINATING BRASS SHELLS LIKE THESE MAKE A SOLDIER ARMED WITH THE LMG LESS BURDENED, MORE MOBILE, AND MORE LETHAL -- A GAME-CHANGING DEVELOPMENT THAT COULD REVOLUTIONIZE HOW FIREARMS ARE DEPLOYED ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
THE ADVANTAGE IS THAT, WITH THE NEW BRASSLESS CARTRIDGE, THAT YOUR MACHINE GUNNER CAN NOW CARRY AROUND AN INCREDIBLY LARGE AMOUNT OF AMMUNITION VERY EASILY ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
Narrator: WHEN THE LMG FINALLY ENTERS SERVICE, ITS LIGHT WEIGHT WON'T BE ITS ONLY TACTICAL ADVANTAGE.
IT'S ALSO DESIGNED TO BE MORE DURABLE IN HARSH COMBAT ENVIRONMENTS.
IN TESTS, THE GUN HAS BEEN COMPLETELY IMMERSED IN DUST, YET FIRED UNERRINGLY.
THE RESULTS WERE THE SAME WHEN THE LMG WAS ENCASED IN ICE.
IF THIS NEW LIGHTWEIGHT MACHINE GUN FULFILLS ITS PROMISE ON FUTURE BATTLEFIELDS, IT COULD SET NEW STANDARDS FOR GUN DESIGNERS FOR YEARS TO COME.
COMING UP, THE DEVASTATING WEAPON OF CHOICE OF AN ELITE GROUP OF SPECIAL-OPERATIONS WARRIORS AND ITS STUNNING ORIGINS INSIDE NAZI GERMANY.
Narrator: NO DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE ENEMY CAN BE UNDERTAKEN WITHOUT FIREARMS, AND THE GUNS WIELDED TODAY ARE THE MOST FEARSOME AND LETHAL EVER PRODUCED.
A GUN'S PERFORMANCE IS ESPECIALLY CRUCIAL FOR SPECIAL-OPERATIONS FORCES LIKE THE U.
S.
NAVY S.
E.
A.
L.
s, WHO, WHEN REQUIRED, MUST STRIKE WITH DEVASTATING FIREPOWER.
THEIR WEAPON OF CHOICE -- THE M60.
GOING HOT.
[ GUNFIRE .]
Hallaran: WHEN YOU HEAR THAT SOUND, DOWNRANGE, EVERYONE'S GETTING THEIR HEADS DOWN.
THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THE SOUND OF A COUPLE 60s GOING OFF TO HELP TAKE THE FIGHT OUT OF WHO YOU'RE DEALING WITH.
Narrator: DAVE HALLARAN IS A FORMER S.
E.
A.
L.
DURING HIS TOUR OF DUTY, THE M60 SERVED HIS ELITE PLATOON BY COMBINING EXCEPTIONAL RELIABILITY, ACCURACY, AND STOPPING POWER.
Hallaran: IT'S VERY PORTABLE, IT'S EASY TO MOVE AROUND, AND IT SHOOTS ABOUT 550 ROUNDS PER MINUTE, AND IT HAS AN EFFECTIVE RANGE OF ABOUT 1,100 METERS, SO IT CAN REACH OUT AND TOUCH SOMEBODY IF WE NEED TO.
Narrator: THE M60 WEIGHS 24 POUNDS AND IS NORMALLY MANNED BY A CREW OF THREE.
BUT ON A S.
E.
A.
L.
TEAM, IT'S ONE MAN.
THIS CAN HELP A SMALL S.
E.
A.
L.
SQUAD MANEUVER TO ADVANTAGE AS IT PINS DOWN THE ENEMY.
IT'S A SQUAD MULTIPLIER.
IF YOU'RE GOING AGAINST SMALLER NUMBERS, YOU CAN USE THIS WEAPON SYSTEM TO PUT THE HEADS DOWN AND MAKE IT SEEM LIKE YOU'RE A LOT BIGGER THAN YOU REALLY ARE.
Narrator: THE M60 BOLSTERS THIS ILLUSION BY ALLOWING ITS GUNNER TO FIRE FROM A VARIETY OF POSITIONS.
ONE S.
E.
A.
L.
CAN SEEM LIKE THREE.
Hallaran: SHOWING YOU HOW EASY IT IS TO SHOOT THIS IN A KNEELING POSITION, AS WELL.
OR IF I NEEDED TO STAND UP AND SHOOT OFFHAND, I CAN SHOOT IT EASILY, AS WELL.
Narrator: LIKE MOST MACHINE GUNS, THE M60 IS GAS-OPERATED.
BUT UNLIKE OTHER RAPID-FIRE WEAPONS WITH COMPARABLE STOPPING POWER, IT FIRES WITHOUT A SERIOUS JOLT TO THE GUNNER.
WELL, FIRING IT IS PRETTY DECEIVING BECAUSE IT HARDLY HAS ANY RECOIL WHATSOEVER.
IT'S GOT A GREAT BUFFER SYSTEM INSIDE OF IT, SO MOST PEOPLE THAT SHOOT THIS ARE REALLY SURPRISED AT THE FACT THAT IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY KICK, BUT YOU CAN CERTAINLY SEE THE EFFECTS DOWNRANGE.
Narrator: THIS ALL-AMERICAN GUN HAS SURPRISING ROOTS.
IT'S MODELED AFTER ONE OF THE DEADLIEST WEAPONS OF ADOLF HITLER'S GERMANY -- THE MASCHINENGEWEHR 42.
ALL RIGHT, KIDS, YOU READY? Man: YES, SIR, WE'RE HOT.
ROLLING.
[ GUNFIRE .]
Narrator: THE MG 42 FIRES AT A CYCLIC RATE OF 1,150 ROUNDS PER MINUTE -- NEARLY 1/3 FASTER THAN ANY OTHER MACHINE GUN IN WORLD WAR II.
FOR ITS DISTINCTIVE RIPPING SOUND, G.
I.
s NICKNAMED IT "HITLER'S BUZZ SAW.
" Borglum: THE OPEN-BOLT DESIGN, THE STAMPED SHEET-METAL DESIGN -- A LOT OF THAT IS VERY SIMILAR TO THAT OF A M60.
THIS GUN HAS BEEN UPDATED WITH AN MG3 TOP COVER THAT ALLOWS IT TO SHOOT M60 AMMUNITION -- MAKES IT A VERY UNIVERSAL RIFLE WITH A VERY FAST FIRING RATE OF ABOUT 1,000 ROUNDS A MINUTE.
Narrator: AFTER WORLD WAR II, THE MG 42 INSPIRED GUN DESIGNERS TO INCORPORATE ITS DESIGN PRINCIPLES INTO A NEW RAPID-FIRE WEAPON, AND THE M60 WAS BORN.
IT SAW ITS FIRST ACTION IN THE JUNGLES OF VIETNAM, WHERE IT GAINED NOTORIETY AS AN INTIMIDATING FORCE.
McBride: ONE OF ITS SIGNATURES WAS THE WAY IT SOUNDED.
IT HAD A VERY DISTINCT SOUND.
WHEN THE 60 WAS IN POSITION AND YOU OPENED THAT UP, THE ENEMY KNEW HE WAS IN TROUBLE.
Narrator: THE MOST RECENT VERSION OF THE M60 -- THE M60E4 -- CONTINUES TO PROVIDE AMERICA'S ARMED FORCES DEVASTATING FIREPOWER.
AS THE NAVY S.
E.
A.
L.
s ENGAGE IN INCREASINGLY DEMANDING SPECIAL OPERATIONS, THEY MAXIMIZE THE M60's PERFORMANCE, USING EFFECTIVE AND TIME-HONORED TACTICS.
Hallaran: A WAY THAT WE WOULD EMPLOY THESE IN A TYPICAL ASSAULT OR RAID, THE 60 GUNNERS WOULD LIGHT THE TARGET UP, START SWEEPING THROUGH THE TARGE IN PREDETERMINED FIELDS OF FIRE SO THAT IT COULD SOFTEN THE TARGE BEFORE A MANEUVER ELEMENT CAME IN WITH M4-TYPE SYSTEMS AND STARTED POINT-SHOOTING WHATEVER TARGETS THEY NEEDED TO.
Narrator: FEW EXECUTE THIS COORDINATED MOVE-AND-SHOOT MANEUVER BETTER THAN THE NAVY S.
E.
A.
L.
s.
SUCH TACTICS, PAIRED WITH THE M60's SUPERIOR FIREPOWER, CAN BE AN INVINCIBLE COMBINATION ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
M60 MACHINE GUN -- BADASS MOTHER [BLEEP.]
WEAPON OF CHOICE.
DESPITE THE M60's EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMANCE IN U.
S.
SPECIAL OPERATIONS, SPEC-OP TEAMS ALSO NEED FIREPOWER BETTER SUITED FOR CLOSE-QUARTERS COMBAT.
FOR MANY, THE ANSWER IS THE M1911 -- AN ICONIC .
45-CALIBER HANDGUN NAMED FOR THE YEAR IT FIRST CAME INTO SERVICE.
OVER THE PAST CENTURY, FROM WORLD WAR I TO OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM, IT'S COMPILED A TRACK RECORD OF INCOMPARABLE RELIABILITY AND DEADLINESS.
THAT BIG .
45-CALIBER BULLET HAS A LOT OF STOPPING POWER, WHICH MEANS THAT IF YOU PULL OUT A 1911 AND YOU HIT SOMEBODY WITH IT, THEY'RE GOING DOWN.
Narrator: THE 1911 FIRES A MAGAZINE OF EIGHT .
45-CALIBER ROUNDS IN SIX SECONDS.
LIKE THE M2 MACHINE GUN, IT USES ITS RECOIL ACTION TO CHAMBER EACH ROUND AUTOMATICALLY.
IT REMAINED U.
S.
STANDARD ISSUE UNTIL 1985, WHEN THE PENTAGON PHASED IT OU IN FAVOR OF THE M9 SEMIAUTOMATIC PISTOL, WHICH FIRES A LARGER CLIP OF 15 9-MILLIMETER CARTRIDGES.
STILL, MANY IN SPECIAL-OPERATIONS FORCES CONTINUE TO WIELD THE 1911.
TO THEM, THE M9 LACKS THE OVERWHELMING PUNCH THAT THE 1911 IS RENOWNED FOR.
Horowitz: SPECIAL OPERATORS PREFER IT, BECAUSE IN THE SITUATIONS WHERE THEY'RE OPERATING, THEY NEED THAT STOPPING POWER, AND THE HEFT AND STOPPING POWER OF THE M1911 IS MORE IMPORTANT TO THEM THAN THE SLIGHTLY LARGER MAGAZINE OF THE M9.
Narrator: AND FOR MANY SPECIAL-FORCES OPERATORS, THE 1911 HAS AN ADDITIONAL EDGE OVER THE M9.
YOU ALSO HAVE THE ERGONOMICS PRINCIPLE, WHERE, WHEN YOU HOLD THE GUN, IT JUST PLAIN FEELS MORE COMFORTABLE IN YOUR HAND.
THE 1911 HAS A NARROW GRIP, WHEREAS THE M9 PISTOL HAS A VERY WIDE GRIP THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE FIND UNCOMFORTABLE.
Narrator: UNTIL GUNMAKERS CAN TRUMP ITS SIMPLE AND EFFECTIVE DESIGN, THIS CENTURY-OLD WEAPON SEEMS DESTINED TO SERVE FOR DECADES TO COME.
NEXT, THE SUPERSIZED GUN THAT COMBINES AWESOME POWER, LONG-DISTANCE RANGE, AND SURGICAL PRECISION.
ITS OPERATORS WILL REVEAL HOW THE INNOVATIVE ROUND IT FIRES HOLDS THE SECRET TO AN UNSEEN BULL'S-EYE FROM 18 MILES AWAY.
Narrator: GUNS ARE THE MOST ESSENTIAL ASSETS OF WAR.
WHATEVER THEIR CALIBER OR RANGE OR RATE OF FIRE, THEY PUT LETHAL FORCE INTO THE HANDS OF EVERY SOLDIER ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
BUT AS MUCH AS A SOLDIER DEPENDS ON HIS GUN, THE MARGIN BETWEEN VICTORY AND DEFEA CAN OFTEN HINGE ON MASSIVE GUNS MILES AWAY, GUNS SO POWERFUL AND COMPLEX, THEY REQUIRE A LARGE TEAM OF SOLDIERS TO OPERATE.
[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING .]
THE 40-FOOT-LONG M777 IS AN IMPOSING ARTILLERY PIECE THAT PROVES SIZE REALLY DOES MATTER.
IT FIRES 6-INCH, 100-POUND PROJECTILES OUT TO 18 MILES.
THE 777's PURPOSE IS TO PROJECT AWESOME FIREPOWER OVER THE HEADS OF FRONTLINE COMRADES INTO ENEMY TERRITORY.
WITH DEVASTATING ACCURACY, IT CAN FIRE A BARRAGE CAPABLE OF CLEARING A PATH FOR ADVANCING TROOPS OR RESCUING THOSE THAT ARE THREATENED.
THE M777 IS AN INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS WEAPON -- THE MOST DANGEROUS PIECE OF ARTILLERY IN THE AMERICAN ARSENAL.
IT'S A FIELD ARTILLERY CANNON THAT IS USED TO BLOW PEOPLE UP.
I LIKE KNOWING THAT WE CAN DEMOLISH BUILDINGS, DEMOLISH WHATEVER WE WANT.
Narrator: ACCURATELY STRIKING TARGETS BEYOND VISUAL RANGE REQUIRES THE LATEST IN HIGH TECH.
THE 777 HAS A DIGITAL-CONTROL FIRE SYSTEM.
GLOBAL POSITIONING SATELLITES TELL THE GUN'S COMPUTER PRECISELY WHERE IT IS ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
THEN THE COMPUTER IS FED THE GPS COORDINATES OF THE TARGE AND AIMS THE GUN ACCORDINGLY.
AS MUCH AS THE 777's DIGITAL-CONTROL FIRE SYSTEM IMPROVES ACCURACY, THE GUN'S TRUE GAME-CHANGING FEATURES ARE TWO SMART ARTILLERY PROJECTILES.
[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING .]
ONE IS CALLED THE PRECISION GUIDANCE KIT, OR PGK.
THE OTHER IS CALLED "EXCALIBUR.
" Horowitz: IT'S A 155-MILLIMETER SHELL WITH A LITTLE GPS TRANSCEIVER IN I THAT ALLOWS US TO GUIDE IT IN A VERY PRECISE WAY.
Narrator: THE PGK AND THE EXCALIBUR ARE REVOLUTIONIZING GUN TECHNOLOGY.
UNTIL NOW, AN UNQUESTIONED PREMISE HAS BEEN THAT A PROJECTILE FLIES WHEREVER IT'S AIMED.
THESE SMART SHELLS USE GPS TO MAKE COURSE CORRECTIONS AS THEY SPEED TOWARD THE TARGET.
THEY ALSO RELY ON DATA RANGING FROM GUN AND TARGET LOCATION, LAUNCH ANGLE, AND MUZZLE VELOCITY.
THEIR ACCURACY IS UNRIVALED.
Horowitz: SO, A NORMAL PIECE OF UNGUIDED ARTILLERY HAS A CIRCULAR ERROR PROBABLE OF ABOUT 200 METERS, SO OVER AN AREA OF 15, 20 MILES, SAY, YOU CAN MAYBE LAND IN A 200-METER RANGE.
WITH THE EXCALIBUR SHELL, THAT'S REDUCED TO 20, WHICH MEANS OVER A DISTANCE OF 25 MILES, AN EXCALIBUR SHELL CAN LAND WITHIN 25 METERS.
Narrator: SUCH SUPERIOR ACCURACY CAN PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN AVOIDING COLLATERAL DAMAGE AND REDUCING RISKS OF FRIENDLY CASUALTIES.
A COMMON TACTIC AMONG TERRORISTS AND INSURGENTS IS TO BASE THEIR OPERATIONS NEAR HOSPITALS OR SCHOOLS.
ANY ARMED FORCE THAT DARES A LONG-RANGE MUNITIONS ATTACK RISKS KILLING OR INJURING INNOCENT CIVILIANS.
A SMART ARTILLERY PROJECTILE LIKE THE EXCALIBUR CAN LITERALLY EXPLODE THAT STRATEGY AT A COST OF $100,000 PER ROUND.
EVEN THOUGH THESE ROUNDS ARE EXPENSIVE ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS, THE PRECISION THEY GIVE YOU CAN BE WELL WORTH I BECAUSE YOU WANT TO TAKE OUT THE TARGE AND NOT THE NEARBY BUILDINGS.
Duncan: IN ORDER FOR US TO SHOOT THESE ROUNDS, WE NEED CLEARANCE FROM HIGHER.
IT HAS TO BE A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT REASON.
LIKE, IT HAS TO BE AN ACTUAL OPERATION GOING ON, WHERE IT'D PROBABLY GET APPROVED BY THE GENERAL.
Narrator: APPLYING PRECISION-GUIDED TECH TO ARTILLERY ROUNDS HAS BEEN DAUNTING BECAUSE THE DELICATE ELECTRONICS HAVE LOW STRESS TOLERANCES.
SO DID THE ELECTRONICS INSIDE THE SMART BOMBS AND MISSILES THAT ARE NOW WELL-ESTABLISHED, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE TO ENDURE THE HIGH GRAVITATIONAL FORCES THAT FIELD PROJECTILES DO.
Gordon: THE TRICK WAS TO TRY TO MINIATURIZE THE GPS TECHNOLOGY AND HARDEN IT -- HARDEN THE GPS SYSTEM -- SO IT COULD WITHSTAND 10,000 TO 15,000 G's THAT THE SHELL EXPERIENCES AS IT'S FIRED FROM THE CANNON.
A GPS-GUIDED BOMB DROPPING OFF THE WING OF AN AIRPLANE DOESN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
Narrator: AS THE 777's SMART ROUNDS MAKE IT A MORE LETHAL COMBAT WEAPON, SO DO THE GUN'S DESIGN ELEMENTS.
IT'S THE WORLD'S FIRST ARTILLERY PIECE TO MAKE USE OF TITANIUM AND ALUMINUM, SO IT WEIGHS ONLY 9,800 POUNDS.
THAT MAY SOUND HEAVY, BUT IT'S NEARLY HALF THE WEIGH OF THE GUN IT RECENTLY REPLACED -- THE M198.
BEING LIGHTER MEANS IT CAN BE MOVED ACROSS THE COMBAT ARENA MORE QUICKLY TO WHERE IT'S NEEDED.
AND FOR AN ARTILLERY CREW, SPEED MEANS EVERYTHING.
Horowitz: BECAUSE THE M777 IS SO PORTABLE AND FAST ACROSS THE BATTLEFIELD, IT HELPS THE AMERICAN MILITARY DELIVER MUNITIONS ON-TARGE IN A WAY THAT SAVES LIVES.
IT MEANS WHEN AMERICAN SOLDIERS GET TO THE FRONT OF THE BATTLEFIELD, IN MANY CASES, IF THE JOB HAS BEEN DONE RIGHT, THE ENEMY IS ALREADY DEAD.
Narrator: TO HELP ENSURE THE JOB IS DONE RIGHT, THE 777 IS DESIGNED TO BE SET UP IN AS QUICKLY AS TWO MINUTES.
IT'S A VAST IMPROVEMENT OVER THE OLDER M198, WHICH USUALLY TOOK 16.
[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING .]
Clavette: EACH SOLDIER HAS A SPECIFICALLY ASSIGNED JOB, HOWEVER, WE TRY TO GET EACH SOLDIER PROFICIENT ON ALL THE POSITIONS.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE TRY TO INSTILL WITH BATTLE DRILLS IS MUSCLE MEMORY SO THEY CAN DO A RAPID ACTION WITHOUT EVEN THINKING ABOUT IT.
Narrator: SPEED IS JUST AS CRUCIAL DURING THE FIRING CYCLE.
THE 777's CREW OF SEVEN CAN SHOOT AS MANY AS FIVE ROUNDS EVERY MINUTE.
THE PRESSURE TO KEEP THIS BOOMING GUN BOOMING CAN BE EXTREME.
Duncan: WE HAVE SOMEBODY DOWNRANGE -- NORMALLY THE INFANTRY THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SUPPORT.
WE GOT TO GET THIS ROUND OUT OF THIS TUBE FASTER.
Horowitz: FIRING ARTILLERY IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE MORE INTENSE COMBAT EXPERIENCES IN THE MILITARY, IN PART BECAUSE OF HOW LOUD IT IS.
IT'S LIKE BEING IN THE FRONT ROW OF THE LOUDEST ROCK SHOW YOU CAN IMAGINE.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST THAT.
IT'S THAT YOU ARE A TARGET.
IT'S SUCH A DEVASTATING WEAPON THAT IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE ENEMY IS GOING TO TARGET FIRST ON THE BATTLEFIELD, AND YOU HAVE TO CONSTANTLY BE AWARE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF INCOMING ROUNDS FROM ENEMY ARTILLERY.
Narrator: TO AVOID THAT TERRIFYING POSSIBILITY, 777 CREWS ARE TRAINED TO FIRE IN QUICK SALVOS, THEN RAPIDLY RELOCATE AND FIRE AGAIN.
THE TACTIC IS CALLED "SHOOT AND SCOOT.
" THERE ARE RARE TIMES WHEN AN ENEMY THREAT IS SO CLOSE TO AN ARTILLERY CREW THAT MOVING ISN'T AN OPTION.
THE ONLY MEANS OF DEFENSE THEN IS AN EXTREME MANEUVER CALLED "DIRECT FIRE.
" Horowitz: DIRECT FIRE IS WHEN YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE THING THAT YOU'RE FIRING AT.
IF A MODERN ARTILLERY CREW IS FACED WITH DIRECT FIRE, THAT'S INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS.
Gordon: IN DIRECT FIRE, USUALLY THE ARTILLERY GUN CREW IS SHOOTING AT SOMETHING A FEW HUNDRED YARDS AWAY OR POSSIBLY NO MORE THAN 1,000 YARDS OR SO, SO THE GUN TUBE TENDS TO BE REALLY FLAT TRAJECTORY.
AS RECENTLY AS THE FIGHTING NORTH OF BAGHDAD IN 2003, THERE WAS AN AMERICAN ARMY ARTILLERY UNI THAT USED DIRECT FIRE TO ENGAGE APPROACHING IRAQI TANKS.
Narrator: WHETHER ITS TARGET IS WITHIN SIGHT OR ACROSS THE HORIZON, THE 777 FILLS THE SAME BASIC ROLE THAT ALL COMBAT GUNS DO.
ON A SUPERSIZED SCALE, IT PROVIDES THE DEVASTATING FIREPOWER NECESSARY TO SEIZE CONTROL OF THE BATTLE SPACE.
NEXT, THE REVOLUTIONARY NEW GUN THAT PUTS SMART-ROUND TECHNOLOGY INTO THE HANDS OF THE FOOT SOLDIER.
WE'LL SHOW YOU THE GAME-CHANGING SHOT IT CAN PULL OFF THAT WILL REWRITE THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT.
Narrator: OVER THE PAST HOUR, WE'VE EXAMINED THE EXPLOSIVE ELEMENTS OF THE DEADLIEST GUNS EVER CARRIED INTO BATTLE.
EACH GUN HAS UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS DESIGNED FOR DIFFERENT COMBAT ROLES, FROM DELIVERING DEVASTATING SUPPRESSIVE FIRE TO EXECUTING A CLOSE-QUARTERS KNOCKOUT PUNCH.
BUT THEY SHARE ONE TACTICAL LIMITATION.
THE ENEMY HAS TAKEN COVER BEHIND A DEFENSIVE BARRIER.
A GUNNER HAS ONLY TWO WAYS TO STRIKE HIS TARGET -- MANEUVER AROUND THE BARRIER OR BLAST THROUGH IT.
A GRENADE LAUNCHER CAN BE A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE WEAPON IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES, LOBBING AN EXPLOSIVE PROJECTILE OVER A WALL OR DESTROYING THE WALL ITSELF.
THE MILITARY'S WORKHORSE GRENADE LAUNCHER IS THE M203.
IT ATTACHES TO A RIFLE AND FIRES A 40-MILLIMETER PROJECTILE THAT EXPLODES ON CONTACT.
ITS EFFECTIVE RANGE IS ABOUT 400 METERS.
A SQUAD IS TYPICALLY ARMED WITH TWO.
Boland: THE STANDARD ROUND IS AN H.
E.
D.
P.
, WHICH IS HIGH-EXPLOSIVE, DUAL-PURPOSE.
IT HAS A SHAPED CHARGE, AND IT'S DESIGNED PRIMARILY TO PENETRATE THINGS LIKE LIGHT-ARMORED VEHICLES, HOUSING STRUCTURES, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
HOWEVER, IT DOES HAVE A LIMITED ANTIPERSONNEL ROLE, AS WELL.
SO IF SOMEONE'S BEHIND A HILL OR BEHIND A WALL, YOU CAN LOB SOMETHING THERE AND AT LEAST MAKE HIS DAY A LITTLE LESS PLEASANT.
Narrator: SINCE THE M203's GRENADE BLOWS UP ON IMPACT, A CRUCIAL SAFETY FEATURE PROTECTS THE GUNNER FROM KILLING OR INJURING HIMSELF OR HIS COMRADES IF THE TARGET IS TOO CLOSE.
THE GRENADE REMAINS UNARMED UNTIL IT'S FIRED.
IN FLIGHT, THE GRENADE SPINS LIKE A BULLET, ROTATED BY THE BARREL'S RIFLING.
THE SPINNING GENERATES CENTRIFUGAL FORCE.
AFTER A SPECIFIC NUMBER OF REVOLUTIONS, THE FORCE IS SUFFICIEN TO PUSH WEIGHTED PINS INSIDE THE GRENADE OUTWARD TO TRIGGER THE ARMING MECHANISM.
Boland: THE H.
E.
D.
P.
ROUND ITSELF HAS ABOUT A 25-METER, OR 25-YARD, ARMING RADIUS.
IF YOU HIT SOMEONE INSIDE THAT, IT'S JUST GONNA LEAD TO PRETTY MUCH A BIG 40-MILLIMETER HOLE IN THEIR CHEST, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO EXPLODE.
Narrator: AS EFFECTIVE AS THE M203 CAN BE, WEAPONS MAKERS ENVISIONED A SMART VERSION THAT COULD FIRE GRENADES THAT DIDN'T JUST EXPLODE ON IMPACT, BUT IN MIDAIR AT A PRECISE POINT CHOSEN BY THE GUNNER.
SUCH A WEAPON COULD KILL ENEMY PERSONNEL SHIELDED BY WALLS OR OTHER OBSTACLES.
Man: BOOM! Narrator: THE XM25 IS A REVOLUTIONARY, NEW WEAPON THAT CAN DO JUST THAT.
IT WAS FIRST DEPLOYED IN AFGHANISTAN IN 2010, WHERE TROOPS NICKNAMED IT "THE PUNISHER.
" McBride: WITH THE XM25, YOU CAN SET THE RANGE, AND IF THEY'RE HIDING BEHIND A WALL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU CAN HAVE IT DETONATE BEHIND THE WALL.
Narrator: THE XM25's LASER RANGE FINDER CALCULATES THE EXACT DISTANCE TO THE TARGET, THEN A BUTTON ALLOWS THE GUNNER TO ADD ANY INCREMENTAL DISTANCE OF HIS CHOICE.
IF HIS TARGET IS CONCEALED BEHIND A WALL, HE COULD ADD ONE METER.
AFTER THE PROJECTILE IS FIRED, A COMPUTER CHIP INSIDE IT SIGNALS HOW FAR IT'S TRAVELED.
WHEN IT REACHES ITS PROGRAMMED DISTANCE, IT EXPLODES WITH A BLAS COMPARABLE TO THAT OF A HAND GRENADE.
MANY EXPERTS BELIEVE THE XM25 IS PIONEERING A RADICAL, NEW ERA IN WARFARE.
UNTIL NOW, SMART COMBAT TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN LIMITED TO WEAPONS ON A LARGER SCALE.
SOON, THAT GAME-CHANGING TECHNOLOGY COULD APPLY TO EVERY GUN ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
Horowitz: THE SAME SORTS OF SMART TECHNOLOGIES WE'VE COME TO EXPECT FROM MISSILES AND FROM BOMBS THAT THE AIR FORCE OR NAVY USES, WE'LL INCREASINGLY SEE IN MODERN MUNITIONS -- SMART MUNITIONS THAT ARE IN THE HANDS, INCREASINGLY, OF INDIVIDUAL INFANTRYMEN AND WOMEN.
Narrator: IF GUNS ON FUTURE BATTLEFIELDS ARE SO SMART AND LETHAL THAT THE CONCEPT OF COVER BECOMES OBSOLETE, WAR PLANNERS WILL HAVE TO REWRITE COMBAT'S STRATEGIC PLAYBOOK.
AS GUN TECHNOLOGY CONTINUES TO ADVANCE IN THE DECADES AHEAD, COMBAT MAY BE REDEFINED IN WAYS FEW CAN PREDICT.
Horowitz: THE AMERICAN MILITARY IS WORKING ON NEW GUNS THAT HAVE LONGER RANGES, ARE MORE RELIABLE, ARE MORE ACCURATE, IN WAYS THAT WILL MAKE THE SOLDIER OF 20 YEARS FROM NOW MUCH MORE DEADLY THAN THE SOLDIER OF TODAY.
SOLDIERS 20 YEARS FROM NOW WILL BE ABLE TO FIRE WEAPONS OVER LONGER DISTANCES THAT ARE OF LIGHTER WEIGHT AND MORE ACCURATE.
Narrator: THIS REVOLUTION IN GUN TECHNOLOGY MAY BE JUST THE BEGINNING.
THE TIME-HONORED PRACTICE OF FIRING PROJECTILES MAY SOON GIVE WAY TO GUNS THAT PROJECT A DEADLY BEAM OF ENERGY.
Horowitz: THE ERA OF "SET YOUR PHASERS TO 'STUN' OR 'KILL'" IS NOT YET UPON US, BUT IT'S PROBABLY A LOT CLOSER THAN PEOPLE REALIZE.
INDIVIDUAL SOLDIERS WIELDING DIRECTED-ENERGY WEAPONS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE UNLIKELY TO SEE ON THE BATTLEFIELD IN THE SHORT TERM, BUT IN THE MEDIUM TO LONG TERM, IS EXTREMELY LIKELY.
Narrator: WHATEVER FORM GUNS TAKE IN THE WARS OF THE FUTURE, THEY WILL PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN DICTATING WHO WINS AND WHO LOSES.
BUT IN ALL COMBAT OPERATIONS, A GUN IS ONLY AS EFFECTIVE AS THE SOLDIER WIELDING IT.
THE MOST ADVANCED BALLISTIC TECHNOLOGY WILL STILL DEPEND ON THE SKILL, EXPERIENCE, AND RESOLVE OF THE WARRIORS WITH THEIR FINGERS ON THE TRIGGERS.
Horowitz: IT'S A MOBILE MACHINE GUN TO WREAK HAVOC ON ANYBODY THAT GETS IN ITS WAY.
Narrator: EXPLORE THE INNER WORKINGS OF SOME OF THE DEADLIEST PIECES OF HARDWARE ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
WE'VE GAINED SPECIAL ACCESS TO SOME OF THE MILITARY'S TOP MARKSMEN.
IF YOU'RE EVER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT WEAPON, IT'S DEVASTATING.
Narrator: AND NOW WE TAKE YOU INSIDE LIVE FIRE ZONES TO SEE THEIR GAME-CHANGING WEAPONRY IN ACTION -- EVERYTHING FROM LASER-RANGE GRENADE LAUNCHERS TO ADVANCED CASELESS AMMO IN A SUPER-LIGHT MACHINE GUN TO THE NAVY S.
E.
A.
L.
WEAPON THAT TRACES ITS ORIGINS TO HITLER'S GERMANY.
NOW ON "DEADLIEST TECH: GUNS.
" CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS [ GUNFIRE .]
OF ALL OF WAR'S WEAPONS, THE GUN IS THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL.
IT IS A LETHAL PROJECTION OF THE SOLDIER'S WILL.
GUNS ARE THE MOST UBIQUITOUS ASSETS ON THE BATTLEFIELD -- ASSERTING THEIR POWER ON LAND, AT SEA, AND IN THE AIR.
NO ARMED FORCE CAN SEIZE TERRITORY OR REPEL THE ENEMY WITHOUT THEM.
THE TECHNOLOGY OF THE GUN AND THE SKILL OF THE SOLDIER FIRING I CAN DETERMINE WHO WINS AND WHO LOSES.
ONE GUN REPRESENTS YEARS OF COMBAT EVOLUTION AND DESIGN INNOVATION -- ONE OF THE MOST AWESOME AND TERRIFYING WEAPONS ON EARTH -- THE M134 MINIGUN.
IT'S ELECTRICALLY POWERED AND USES SIX SPINNING BARRELS TO FIRE 3,000 ROUNDS PER MINUTE.
THAT'S A BLISTERING 50 SHOTS EVERY SECOND.
THE M134 SPITS FIRE, AND YOU GOT TO LIKE A WEAPON THAT DOES THAT.
THE MINIGUN IS REALLY COOL FOR US, BUT EXTREMELY INTIMIDATING FOR ANYBODY ON THE OTHER END.
Narrator: THE M134 IS CALLED "MINI" ONLY BECAUSE IT'S MODELED AFTER A ROTARY CANNON THAT FIRES LARGER CALIBER ROUNDS.
IT'S ALSO A DIRECT DESCENDANT OF THE 19th-CENTURY GATLING GUN, HISTORY'S ORIGINAL MACHINE GUN.
Wardrop: I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMEN ACTUALLY WENT BACK TO DIG UP THE ORIGINAL GATLING PATENTS SO THEY COULD DESIGN THE NEW ELECTRONICALLY FED, BASICALLY, GATLING GUNS.
THEY BOTH USE A FEED SYSTEM THAT DROPS IN ROUNDS AS THE BARRELS ARE ROTATING.
AND WHAT THAT DOES IS THAT ALLOWS THE MECHANISM TO FULLY SEAT A CARTRIDGE WELL IN ADVANCE OF WHEN IT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO FIRE.
YOU BASICALLY HAVE CO2 OR SOME SORT OF GAS THAT'S ADVANCING A BARREL, THAT'S ROTATING A BARREL FORWARD, AND AS THE BARREL ROTATES, ALMOST LIKE A REVOLVER, THE NEXT BULLET COMES OUT.
Narrator: FROM VIETNAM TO AFGHANISTAN, MOUNTED MOSTLY ON CHOPPERS AND AERIAL GUNSHIPS, THE M134 HAS WIPED OUT AND INTIMIDATED AMERICA'S ENEMIES.
ITS ABILITY TO SATURATE TARGETS WITH OVERWHELMING FIREPOWER PUTS IT IN A CLASS BY ITSELF.
I'VE ACTUALLY CALLED IN AC-130s THAT USE MINIGUNS, AND I WAS TOLD AT THE TIME THAT IF YOU PLACED A DIME ONE INCH APAR ON A FOOTBALL FIELD AND THEY DID A LONG-ENOUGH GUN RUN, THEY'D HIT EVERY DIME ON THE FIELD.
Horowitz: ONE OF THE ULTIMATE WEAPONS FOR PROTECTING AN ENTRENCHED POSITION AGAINST ATTACKERS, IN THAT IF THERE ARE ATTACKERS COMING AT YOU AND THERE'S ANY OPEN GROUND, THEY'RE EITHER GONNA BE DEAD OR DIVING FOR COVER IF THE M134 IS FIRING AGAINST THEM.
WHEN YOU COMBINE THAT WITH THE TRADEMARK CHAIN-SAW SOUND AND THE FIRE SPITTING OUT OF THE BARREL, IT'S GOT TO BE A PRETTY INTIMIDATING THING, ESPECIALLY FOR UNTRAINED PEOPLE ON THE OTHER END.
Narrator: THE M134 IS JUST ONE OF THE INTIMIDATING GUNS IN THE U.
S.
ARMY'S FEARSOME ARSENAL.
GUNNERS, TAKE YOUR POSITION ON THE FIRING LINES.
Narrator: THIS IS THE M2 .
50-CALIBER MACHINE GUN.
IT HAS SERVED AMERICA'S ARMED FORCES DUTIFULLY SINCE 1933.
Man: YOU MAY COMMENCE FIRE WHEN YOUR TARGETS APPEAR.
TARGETS.
Narrator: THE M2's STOPPING POWER AND RELIABILITY ARE LEGENDARY.
OVER THE DECADES, IT'S EARNED A COLORFUL NICKNAME -- MA DEUCE.
Schmitz: WHEN I FIRST SAT DOWN AND SHOT IT, THE GROUND SHOOK, AND MY FIRST THOUGHT, AUTOMATICALLY, WAS JUST, "THAT SOUNDS POWERFUL.
" YOU'RE SHOOTING ROUNDS THAT ARE THIS BIG, SO AS FAR AS THE INTIMIDATION FACTOR, THIS WEAPON PACKS A PRETTY BIG PUNCH, SO IT STOPS PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING THAT COMES YOUR WAY BESIDES A FREAKING TANK.
Man: WHOA! RELOADING! [ GUNFIRE .]
Narrator: THE .
50-CALIBER M2 CAN FIRE A HALF-INCH-DIAMETER BULLET FOUR MILES AT THREE TIMES THE SPEED OF SOUND.
ITS EFFECTIVE RANGE IS AN IMPRESSIVE HALF-MILE.
Hillis: THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF WEAPON SYSTEMS THAT CAN ACCURATELY ENGAGE A TARGET -- KEYWORD "ACCURATELY" -- ENGAGE A TARGET AT OVER 1,800 METERS.
Narrator: INCREDIBLY, THE M2 -- NOT A SNIPER RIFLE -- HOLDS THE RECORD FOR THE LONGEST COMBAT KILL IN THE 20th CENTURY.
IN VIETNAM, MARINE SNIPER CARLOS HATHCOCK RIGGED A SCOPE TO THE BARREL AND PICKED OFF HIS VICTIM FROM A DISTANCE OF 1.
39 MILES.
Man: CEASE FIRE, CEASE FIRE! CLEAR CONDITION FOUR.
Narrator: THIS ICONIC WEAPON IS THE BRAINCHILD OF RENOWNED GUNMAKER JOHN BROWNING.
Wardrop: THE M2 HAS BEEN AN EFFECTIVE WEAPON FOR SO LONG BECAUSE LIKE ANY OTHER BROWNING DESIGN, IT'S BUILT LIKE A TANK.
JOHN BROWNING, WHEN HE WAS DESIGNING HIS FIRST GUN, ACTUALLY HAD A PHILOSOPHY -- BUILD IT STRONG ENOUGH AND THEN DOUBLE IT.
Horowitz: EVERYTHING FROM THE RECOIL ACTION TO THE BELT-FEEDING WAS DESIGNED IN A WAY THAT WOULD STAND THE TEST OF TIME.
Narrator: THE M2 CAN FIRE MORE THAN 600 ROUNDS A MINUTE, POWERED BY THE INGENIOUS TECH THAT CYCLES THE CARTRIDGES RAPIDLY THROUGH THE FIRING CHAMBER.
M2 GUNNERS CAN STUDY THE SYSTEM FOR THEMSELVES AT U.
S.
ORDNANCE IN McCARRAN, NEVADA, WHICH PRODUCES THE GUN.
Fassler: GOT AN M2 THAT'S CUT IN HALF TO SHOW THE INNER WORKINGS OF THE M2.
IT'LL GRAB THE ROUND.
IT'LL PULL THE ROUND BACK.
IT'LL PUT THE ROUND INTO THE CHAMBER.
IT'LL USE A FIRING PIN TO FIRE THE ROUND.
AND IT'LL CYCLE BACK, AND IT'LL BE IN A CONTINUOUS MOTION.
EXTRACT, DROP DOWN, GO FORWARD, FIRE, COME BACK, RELEASE, LOAD ANOTHER ROUND, AND KEEP GOING.
Narrator: LIKE MANY MACHINE GUNS, THE M2 IS FED BY AN AMMO BEL THAT LINKS HUNDREDS OF ROUNDS OF CARTRIDGES.
A POPULAR PHRASE OWES ITS ORIGIN TO THE FACT THAT THE BELTS ON THE WORLD WAR II FIGHTERS WERE 27 FEET LONG.
YOU'VE HEARD THE EXPRESSION "GIVE 'EM THE WHOLE NINE YARDS.
" THIS IS NINE YARDS OF .
50-CALIBER AMMUNITION, AND WHEN THEY SAID, "GIVE 'EM THE WHOLE NINE YARDS," YOU GAVE THEM THIS.
Horowitz: SO, THE PHRASE "THE WHOLE NINE YARDS" ACTUALLY CAME FROM AN AMERICAN GUNNER WHO NEEDED TO USE ALL OF THEIR AMMUNITION, FROM THE FIRST BULLET TO THE LAST BULLET IN AN ENGAGEMENT.
Narrator: FIRING SO MANY ROUNDS AT SUCH A HIGH RATE OF SPEED COMES WITH A PRICE.
IN JUST SECONDS, THE M2's BARREL BECOMES RED-HOT.
SAY YOU FIRE 100 ROUNDS THROUGH IT.
IT'LL BRING IT UP TO A TEMPERATURE OF ROUGHLY 350 TO 450 DEGREES.
YOU START BRINGING IT UP MORE THAN THAT, IT'LL SERIOUSLY DEGRADE THE ACCURACY OF THE WEAPON.
Narrator: FOR ALL MACHINE GUNS, OVERHEATING AND INACCURACY GO HAND IN HAND.
Wardrop: AS THE BULLETS COME DOWN THE BARREL, THEY'RE ENGAGING THAT RIFLING INSIDE THE BARREL TO CREATE SPIN ON THE BULLET.
AND WHEN YOU CREATE THE SPIN ON THAT BULLET, YOU'RE ACTUALLY CREATING A WHOLE LOT OF FRICTION.
AND THE FRICTION IS GOING TO CAUSE A LOT OF HEAT, WHICH IS GOING TO EXPAND THE BARREL.
Horowitz: THAT FRICTION BASICALLY MEANS THAT THE BULLET ISN'T CATCHING ON ALL THE GROOVES OF THE BARREL IN THE SAME WAY AS WHEN IT'S NOT QUITE AS HOT, WHICH MAKES IT A LOT LESS ACCURATE.
Narrator: TO HELP COOL ITSELF, THE M2 HAS A PERFORATED JACKE THAT SETS UP AIR CURRENTS AND RADIATES HEAT FROM THE BARREL.
BUT THIS AIR COOLING GOES ONLY SO FAR, SO THE M2 ALSO COMES EQUIPPED WITH A REPLACEABLE BARREL.
ONE ADDITIONAL FEATURE ALSO HELPS TO OFFSE THE TREMENDOUS HEAT THE GUN PRODUCES.
Horowitz: THE M2 HAS AN OPEN BOL ABOVE THE BELT WHERE THE AMMUNITION IS LOADING THROUGH, AND THAT OPEN BOLT MEANS THAT AIR CAN FLOW THROUGH THE WEAPON AS IT'S BEING FIRED, WHICH DECREASES THE AMOUNT OF HEA THAT YOU NEED TO FIRE EVERY GIVEN BULLET, WHICH MEANS THAT YOU CAN USE ONE BARREL OF AN M2 FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME BEFORE YOU HAVE TO REPLACE IT.
Narrator: IN COMBAT, M2 GUN CREWS MUST STILL SWAP BARRELS FREQUENTLY.
IF THEY FAIL TO SWITCH A BARREL SOON ENOUGH, IT CAN BECOME MISSHAPEN.
ONCE YOU GET TO A CERTAIN POINT AND CERTAIN TEMPERATURE, THE BARREL COULD ACTUALLY MELT.
Wardrop: SOME MACHINE GUNNERS HAVE ACTUALLY EXPRESSED THAT MACHINE-GUN BARRELS START TO DROOP AND DIP AT THE END.
AND YOU'VE ACTUALLY GOT MACHINE GUNNERS, WHEN THEIR BARRELS START GETTING RED-HOT, SAY THAT THEY'LL TAKE IT OFF AND HOLD IT WITH THE HANDLE SO THAT IT'S POINTING STRAIGHT DOWN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE SO HOPEFULLY IT'LL COOL STRAIGHT.
Narrator: A NEW, MODIFIED VERSION OF THE M2 -- THE M2A1 -- HAS AN IMPROVED, QUICK-CHANGE BARREL THAT'S FASTER AND EASIER TO SWAP OUT.
THE NEW BARREL'S DESIGN ALSO MINIMIZES ITS MUZZLE FLASH, MAKING THE GUN BOTH EASIER TO AIM AND LESS VISIBLE TO THE ENEMY.
THE HEAT PRODUCED BY BOTH VERSIONS OF THE M2 CREATES ANOTHER CONCERN -- A POTENTIALLY FATAL PHENOMENON CALLED A "COOK-OFF.
" A COOK-OFF IS WHEN THE FIRING CHAMBER OF A MACHINE GUN, OR ANY GUN, REALLY, IS SO HOT, THAT ONCE A BULLET IS LOADED IN THE CHAMBER, IT'LL FIRE WITHOUT ANYONE EVER TOUCHING THE TRIGGER.
Wardrop: SOMETIMES, YOU CAN EVEN HAVE AN ISSUE WHERE THE BULLETS CAN ONLY MOVE HALFWAY DOWN THE BARREL BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH FORCE TO ACTUALLY LEAVE THE END OF THE BARREL, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT AN ISSUE WHERE THE SECOND, FOLLOWING ROUND IS GONNA COME OFF AND POSSIBLY IMPACT THAT BARREL AND BLOW UP THE WHOLE BARREL.
Narrator: BUT IF A GUNNER CAN KEEP THE M2 FROM OVERHEATING, HE CAN STOP ANYONE AND JUST ABOUT ANYTHING WITHIN ITS RANGE.
AMONG THE PRIME TARGETS FOR THE M2 IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN ARE CAR OR TRUCK BOMBS.
IF A SUICIDE BOMBER IS SPEEDING INTO A CHECKPOINT, THE M2 CAN IMMEDIATELY NEUTRALIZE THE THREAT.
THIS PICKUP TRUCK IS OUR GUINEA PIG IN A TEST CONDUCTED BY ORDNANCE EXPERT JASON MUNN.
HE'LL BEGIN BY TESTING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A SINGLE SHOT -- THE TRUCK'S ENGINE BLOCK VERSUS JUST ONE OF THE M2's .
50-CALIBER BULLETS.
THREE, TWO, ONE.
THE SHOT WENT RIGHT THROUGH THE HEADLIGHT.
WE LOOK DOWN INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.
WE CAN SEE THAT THE FIRST ROUND HAS GONE DIRECTLY THROUGH THE ENGINE, MAKING IT A ONE-SHOT KILL.
IN COMBAT, YOU'D PUT MORE ROUNDS THAN THAT THROUGH IT, SO WHAT WE'LL DO NOW IS WE'LL PUT SOME ROUNDS THROUGH THIS AND SEE WHAT WE CAN REALLY DO.
WE'RE GOING HOT! TAKE THAT, BAD GUYS.
LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF DAMAGE HERE.
OBVIOUSLY, JUST FROM LOOKING AT THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, YOU CAN TELL THAT THE BURST OF ROUNDS WENT DIRECTLY INTO THE ENGINE.
YOU CAN SEE HERE, WHERE IT'S COMPLETELY SHREDDED THE COOLING SYSTEM, RADIATOR, AIR CLEANERS, AND THE WHOLE TOP OF THE ENGINE IS COMPLETELY DEMOLISHED.
IT ESSENTIALLY DISINTEGRATED THE ENGINE.
THERE WAS AN ENGINE THERE BEFORE.
THIS CLEARLY SHOWS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE M2 MACHINE GUN.
WITHOUT A DOUBT, THIS WILL STOP THE INSURGENTS' VEHICLES DEAD IN THEIR TRACKS.
Narrator: THE M2 HAS DELIVERED THIS CALIBER OF PERFORMANCE FOR AN UNPRECEDENTED NINE DECADES -- A TESTAMENT TO THE TALENT OF THE GUNMAKER WHO DESIGNED IT.
Wardrop: IF JOHN BROWNING CAME ALIVE TODAY AND LOOKED AT THE MACHINE GUNS WE'VE GOT TODAY, HE'D SAY, "WHAT CHANGED?" NOTHING'S REPLACED IT, NOTHING'S BETTER THAN IT, BECAUSE WHAT ARE YOU GONNA IMPROVE? GUN TEAMS ON THE LINE, MAKE READY! Narrator: IF A COMMANDER NEEDS RAPID FIREPOWER AS FORMIDABLE AS THE M2s IN A LIGHTER PACKAGE, THE ANSWER IS THE M240 BRAVO.
READY! READY.
Man: YOU MAY COMMENCE FIRE WHEN YOUR TARGETS APPEAR! TARGET! [ GUNFIRE .]
Narrator: THE 240 BRAVO WEIGHS 60 POUNDS LESS THAN THE M2 AND FIRES A 7.
62-MILLIMETER ROUND -- CONSIDERABLY SMALLER THAN THE M2's .
50-CALIBER PROJECTILE.
THAT MEANS IT DOESN'T HAVE THE STOPPING POWER OF THE M2 BUT IS MORE MOBILE ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
LIKE THE M2, IT CAN BE FIRED FROM A TRIPOD, BUT ALSO PRONE, OR FROM THE SHOULDER OR HIP.
Kim: I JUST ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE WEAPON.
IT GIVES ME THAT EXCITEMENT INSIDE.
CAN FEEL THE BLOOD RUSHING.
IT'S A GOOD RUSH.
Narrator: FOR THE ENEMY IN THE CROSSHAIRS, THE SENSATION IS FAR DIFFERENT.
Man: IT'S JUST DEVASTATING.
IF YOU'RE EVER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT WEAPON, IT'S DEVASTATING.
Horowitz: THE M240 CAN FIRE 700 TO 900 ROUNDS PER MINUTE AT A RANGE OF UP TO ABOUT 4,000 YARDS, IF NOT A LITTLE BIT MORE, AND IT ONLY WEIGHS 25 POUNDS, AND THAT MAKES THE M240 AN INCREDIBLY DEADLY WEAPON ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
IT'S A MOBILE MACHINE GUN THAT THE AMERICAN MILITARY CAN USE TO WREAK HAVOC ON ANYBODY THAT GETS IN ITS WAY.
Narrator: LANCE CORPORAL MARTIN KIM EXPERIENCED THIS FOR HIMSELF DURING HIS TOUR OF DUTY IN AFGHANISTAN.
WHEN HIS COMPANY WAS AMBUSHED BY THE TALIBAN, A 240 BRAVO CAME TO HIS RESCUE AFTER HIS OWN WEAPON JAMMED.
Kim: THE ONLY WEAPON I WAS SHOOTING WAS A 240.
WITHOUT THAT 240, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOT TOUGHER TO GET OUT OF THAT FIRE FIGHT.
Narrator: THE 240 BRAVO DIFFERS FROM THE M2 IN THAT USES AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT MECHANISM TO CYCLE ITS CARTRIDGES THROUGH THE FIRING CHAMBER.
INSTEAD OF USING THE GUN'S RECOIL, IT HARNESSES THE GAS FROM EVERY DISCHARGE.
THE GAS PRESSURE THAT BUILDS UP WHEN THE FIRST BULLET IS FIRED IS VENTED BACK INTO THE CHAMBER TO DRIVE THE BOLT FORWARD AND BRING THE NEXT ROUND INTO THE CHAMBER.
Narrator: AS THE 240 BRAVO FIRES AT MORE THAN 10 ROUNDS EVERY SECOND, ITS BARREL STARTS TO OVERHEAT, JUST LIKE THE M2's.
BUT IT'S SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO BE EASILY REMOVED AND REPLACED.
A BARREL CHANGE IS QUICK.
LIKE, IT'S A MATTER OF SECONDS.
A BUTTON PRESSED, A LEVER SWITCHED OVER, AND THEN A NEW BARREL IS ON THERE.
Narrator: GUNNERS VALUE THE 240 BRAVO'S EXCEPTIONAL RELIABILITY EVEN MORE.
IT'S BUILT TO ENDURE EVEN THE MOST INHOSPITABLE BATTLEFIELD ENVIRONMENT.
Man: YOU DEFINITELY DON'T HAVE TO PAMPER IT OR BABY IT FOR IT TO SHOOT.
THROW IT IN THE MUD, THE DIRT, IT'S GONNA SHOOT.
NO MATTER WHAT, IT'S GONNA SHOOT.
Narrator: SUPERIOR RELIABILITY, STOPPING POWER, AND ACCURACY MAKE THE M240 BRAVO AN INTIMIDATING AND EFFECTIVE WEAPON, NO MATTER WHERE IT'S DEPLOYED.
Horowitz: IF YOU COMBINE THE MOBILITY, THE RATE OF FIRE, THE SIZE OF THE MUNITIONS, THE M240 IS GONNA BE ABLE TO HELP THE AMERICAN MILITARY PUNCH A HOLE IN JUST ABOUT ANYTHING IT WANTS.
Narrator: NEXT, ANOTHER GUN IN AMERICA'S ARSENAL MAY REVOLUTIONIZE HOW FIREARMS ARE DEPLOYED ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
ITS COMPACT SIZE BELIES ITS LETHAL EFFICIENCY.
WE'LL REVEAL THE SURPRISING SECRET THAT MAKES IT SO DEADLY.
Narrator: GUNS ARE THE MOST INDISPENSABLE ASSETS ANCHORING ALL COMBAT OPERATIONS.
THE M134, M2, AND M240 DELIVER DEADLY RAPID FIREPOWER THAT CAN SPEARHEAD AN ARMY TO VICTORY.
THEY ARE ALSO A REMINDER THAT THE MILITARY'S MOST POWERFUL GUNS ARE USUALLY BULKY AND HEAVY -- NOT ABLE TO BE WIELDED BY A SINGLE, HIGHLY MOBILE SOLDIER.
THE GUN THAT ANSWERS THAT CHALLENGE IS THE M249 SAW.
SHORT FOR "SQUAD AUTOMATIC WEAPON," IT WEIGHS JUST 17 POUNDS.
AT THE SQUAD LEVEL, IT'S THE MOST LETHAL GUN IN AMERICA'S ARSENAL.
AN AMERICAN SOLDIER HOLDING AN M249 IS GENERALLY THE MOST DANGEROUS PERSON ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
THE M249 SAW IS ACTUALLY AN INCREDIBLE INNOVATIVE PIECE OF MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, IN THAT IT COMBINES THE BEST, IN SOME WAYS, OF THE RIFLE WITH THE BEST OF THE MACHINE GUN.
Narrator: THE BELT-FED SAW HAS A MACHINE GUN'S HIGH RATE OF FIRE, UNLEASHING 850 ROUNDS PER MINUTE, PAIRED WITH A RIFLE'S ACCURACY AND PORTABILITY.
Courter: IT'S PRETTY EXCITING.
THIS IS THE MOST CASUALTY-PRODUCING WEAPON IN THE SQUAD.
YOU KNOW, YOU GOT A BIG RESPONSIBILITY, AND IT'S FUN TO SHOOT A LOT OF BULLETS.
Narrator: FOR THE ENEMY IN THE CROSSHAIRS, THE EXPERIENCE IS FAR DIFFERENT.
McConnell: I DON'T THINK ANYONE ENJOYS 100 ROUNDS FLYING AT YOU IN LIKE A MINUTE.
IF YOU'RE GETTING ROUNDS SHOT AT YOU, YOU AIN'T GONNA LIKE IT, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S A FULLY AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN.
JUST THE SOUND OF IT ALONE MAY STRIKE FEAR IN YOU.
I'VE BEEN ON THE RECEIVING END, AND I'VE EXPERIENCED IT FIRSTHAND.
DEFINITELY WILL SLOW YOU DOWN FOR A MINUTE AND MAKE YOU THINK TWICE.
Wardrop: AS FAR AS THE MARINE CORPS IS CONCERNED, YOU HAVE THREE SAWs FOR EVERY INFANTRY SQUAD, SO THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FIREPOWER FOR A SQUAD OF 13 GUYS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE JUST HAVE SEMIAUTOMATIC OR THREE-ROUND-BURST RIFLES.
Narrator: THE SAW GUNNERS ARE THE MOST HEAVILY BURDENED SOLDIERS IN THE SQUAD, BUT THE SAWs ARE STILL LIGHT ENOUGH FOR THEM TO MOVE EFFECTIVELY IN COMBAT.
McConnell: THE LIGHTER YOUR WEAPON IS, THE EASIER IT IS TO MANEUVER AND FLANK, AND YOUR MOBILITY IS JUST A LOT FASTER AND SMOOTHER.
THE INFANTRYMAN CAN ALSO, ALONG WITH HIS STANDARD GEAR, CAN CARRY A SAW AND TWO OR THREE BANDOLIERS OF 200-ROUND DRUMS.
THAT MEANS THAT A SINGLE INFANTRYMAN IS CARRYING A FULLY AUTOMATIC SQUAD LIGHT MACHINE GUN AND 600 OR 800 ROUNDS BY HIMSELF.
THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FIREPOWER FOR AN INDIVIDUAL TO POSSESS TO SUPPORT HIS SQUAD AND HIS FIRE TEAM.
Narrator: FOR A SQUAD LEADER, THE SAW DELIVERS OVERPOWERING SUPPRESSIVE FIRE THAT FREES UP EVERY OTHER GUNNER IN THE UNI TO TAKE MORE SURGICALLY PRECISE SHOTS.
Courter: THE MACHINE GUN WILL DEFINITELY BE STRAFING, CONTROLLING THE WHOLE OBJECTIVE, MAKING THE ENEMY KEEP THEIR HEAD DOWN, WHILE THE INDIVIDUAL RIFLES OR CARBINES ARE TAKING MORE PRECISE SHOTS.
Man: CONSERVE YOUR AMMO! CONSERVE YOUR AMMO! Courter: YOU'RE CONSTANTLY LISTENING TO YOUR TEAM LEADER TO DIRECT THAT FIRE WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO TO SUPPRESS THE ENEMY TO COVER YOUR BUDDIES.
BEHIND THE BERM! BEHIND THE BERM! GO! Narrator: THE SAWs IN A SQUAD WORK MOST EFFECTIVELY WHEN THE GUNNERS SUFFICIENTLY COORDINATE THEIR FIREPOWER.
Courter: YOU WANT YOUR GUNS TO TALK, SO, ESSENTIALLY, THEY'RE HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH EACH OTHER.
ONE GUN WILL FIRE A 6-TO-9-ROUND BURST ON THE LEFT, THE ONE ON THE RIGHT WILL FIRE A 6-TO-9-ROUND BURST.
THAT CONTROLS YOUR AMMO EXPENDAGE AND OVERHEATING OF THE BARRELS.
Narrator: IN AN INTENSE FIRE FIGHT, THE SAW HAS ONE DESIGN FEATURE THAT COULD PROVE CRUCIAL TO THE GUNNER'S SURVIVAL.
IT FIRES NATO's STANDARD 5.
56x45-MILLIMETER ROUND -- THE SAME AS THAT OF THE MILITARY'S UBIQUITOUS ASSAULT RIFLE, THE M16.
Wardrop: ONE ADVANTAGE TO HAVING THE SAME AMMUNITION IN THE SAW AS THE M16s IS THAT IF YOU DO RUN OUT OF 5.
56 LINKED AMMO FOR THE SAW, YOU CAN, OF COURSE, JUST PLUG IN AN M16 MAGAZINE RIGHT INTO THE SIDE OF THE SAW, AND IT'LL FUNCTION JUST FINE.
Horowitz: THE SAW GUNNER CAN PICK UP A CARTRIDGE FROM, YOU KNOW, HIS FRIEND RIGHT NEXT TO HIM WHO'S FIRING AN M16 AND KEEP ON USING IT, AND THAT MAKES IT INCREDIBLY EFFECTIVE.
Narrator: THE SAW HAS PROVIDED AMERICA'S INFANTRY SQUADS EXCEPTIONAL RAPID FIREPOWER SINCE 1984, BUT A NEW GENERATION OF FOOT SOLDIERS SEEKING EVEN GREATER COMBAT MOBILITY IS RECOGNIZING ITS LIMITS.
McConnell: AS FAR AS THE SAW IS RIGHT NOW, I MEAN, YOU STILL HAVE MOBILITY, BUT YOU'RE STILL KIND OF LAGGING.
IT'S NOT HEAVY, BUT IT'S STILL A LOT OF WEIGH THAT YOU'VE GOT TO TOTE AROUND.
Courter: IF I HAD THE SAME VERSION OF THIS WEAPON THAT WAS LIGHTER, SAME STOPPING-POWER CAPABILITY, I WOULD BE PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
Narrator: THIS COMPACT MARVEL IS THE SAW GUNNER'S FUTURE -- THE LMG, SHORT FOR "LIGHT MACHINE GUN.
" IT WEIGHS JUST 10 POUNDS -- NEARLY HALF THAT OF THE SAW -- BUT STILL PACKS A COMPARABLE DESTRUCTIVE PUNCH.
IT'S A PROTOTYPE IN DEVELOPMEN BY THE U.
S.
ARMY'S LIGHTWEIGHT SMALL ARMS TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM, OR LSAT.
THE ARMY IS CURRENTLY RUNNING THE LMG THROUGH A GAUNTLET OF TESTS, PITTING IT AGAINST THE SAW IN COMBAT PERFORMANCE DRILLS LIKE THIS ONE.
SOLDIERS MUST NAVIGATE A VARIETY OF OBSTACLE COURSES TWICE -- ONCE WITH THE SAW AND ONCE WITH THE LMG.
ALONG THE WAY, THEY TAKE THEIR BEST SHOTS AT A FIRING RANGE.
THE GOAL OF THIS EVENT WAS TO PHYSICALLY FATIGUE THE SOLDIERS AND THEN ASSESS THEIR ABILITY TO ACCURATELY ENGAGE TARGETS AFTER BEING FATIGUED.
Narrator: 82% OF THE SOLDIERS WHO TOOK PART IN THIS TES STATED THAT THEY'D RATHER TAKE THE LMG TO WAR THAN THE SAW.
Hammack: THE SAW, HANDS DOWN, IS WAY HEAVIER.
IT TOLLS ON YOU A LOT HARDER.
ESPECIALLY GOING UP A HILL, YOU FEEL THE WEIGHT ON YOU.
LSAT's A LOT LIGHTER WEAPON.
IT'S REALLY A JOY TO HAVE.
Narrator: THE KEY TO THE LMG's LIGHTNESS GOES BEYOND ITS SLEEK, COMPACT DESIGN.
THE OTHER KEY FACTOR IS ITS LIGHTWEIGHT AMMUNITION.
IT WEIGHS 48% LESS THAN THE AMMO USED IN THE SAW.
THAT'S A GAME-CHANGING EDGE FOR THE FOOT SOLDIER THAT HAS TO CARRY 1,000 ROUNDS BY HIMSELF INTO THE COMBAT ZONE.
A SAW AND ITS 1,000 ROUNDS WEIGHS 51 POUNDS.
THE LMG WITH ITS AMMO, 31.
A REVOLUTIONARY CONCEPT MAKES THIS POSSIBLE.
THE SAW, LIKE MOST GUNS, USES A CARTRIDGE IN WHICH THE BULLET PROPELLANT AND PRIMER ARE CONTAINED BY A BULKY BRASS CASING.
WHEN FIRED, THE BULLET SEPARATES FROM THE CASING AND THE CASING IS EJECTED.
THE LSAT AMMUNITION USES A LIGHTWEIGHT POLYMER CARTRIDGE CASE WITH THE PROJECTILE FULLY ENCASED IN THE CARTRIDGE.
WHEN FIRED, IT BURNS OFF IN A FLASH.
ELIMINATING BRASS SHELLS LIKE THESE MAKE A SOLDIER ARMED WITH THE LMG LESS BURDENED, MORE MOBILE, AND MORE LETHAL -- A GAME-CHANGING DEVELOPMENT THAT COULD REVOLUTIONIZE HOW FIREARMS ARE DEPLOYED ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
THE ADVANTAGE IS THAT, WITH THE NEW BRASSLESS CARTRIDGE, THAT YOUR MACHINE GUNNER CAN NOW CARRY AROUND AN INCREDIBLY LARGE AMOUNT OF AMMUNITION VERY EASILY ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
Narrator: WHEN THE LMG FINALLY ENTERS SERVICE, ITS LIGHT WEIGHT WON'T BE ITS ONLY TACTICAL ADVANTAGE.
IT'S ALSO DESIGNED TO BE MORE DURABLE IN HARSH COMBAT ENVIRONMENTS.
IN TESTS, THE GUN HAS BEEN COMPLETELY IMMERSED IN DUST, YET FIRED UNERRINGLY.
THE RESULTS WERE THE SAME WHEN THE LMG WAS ENCASED IN ICE.
IF THIS NEW LIGHTWEIGHT MACHINE GUN FULFILLS ITS PROMISE ON FUTURE BATTLEFIELDS, IT COULD SET NEW STANDARDS FOR GUN DESIGNERS FOR YEARS TO COME.
COMING UP, THE DEVASTATING WEAPON OF CHOICE OF AN ELITE GROUP OF SPECIAL-OPERATIONS WARRIORS AND ITS STUNNING ORIGINS INSIDE NAZI GERMANY.
Narrator: NO DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE ENEMY CAN BE UNDERTAKEN WITHOUT FIREARMS, AND THE GUNS WIELDED TODAY ARE THE MOST FEARSOME AND LETHAL EVER PRODUCED.
A GUN'S PERFORMANCE IS ESPECIALLY CRUCIAL FOR SPECIAL-OPERATIONS FORCES LIKE THE U.
S.
NAVY S.
E.
A.
L.
s, WHO, WHEN REQUIRED, MUST STRIKE WITH DEVASTATING FIREPOWER.
THEIR WEAPON OF CHOICE -- THE M60.
GOING HOT.
[ GUNFIRE .]
Hallaran: WHEN YOU HEAR THAT SOUND, DOWNRANGE, EVERYONE'S GETTING THEIR HEADS DOWN.
THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THE SOUND OF A COUPLE 60s GOING OFF TO HELP TAKE THE FIGHT OUT OF WHO YOU'RE DEALING WITH.
Narrator: DAVE HALLARAN IS A FORMER S.
E.
A.
L.
DURING HIS TOUR OF DUTY, THE M60 SERVED HIS ELITE PLATOON BY COMBINING EXCEPTIONAL RELIABILITY, ACCURACY, AND STOPPING POWER.
Hallaran: IT'S VERY PORTABLE, IT'S EASY TO MOVE AROUND, AND IT SHOOTS ABOUT 550 ROUNDS PER MINUTE, AND IT HAS AN EFFECTIVE RANGE OF ABOUT 1,100 METERS, SO IT CAN REACH OUT AND TOUCH SOMEBODY IF WE NEED TO.
Narrator: THE M60 WEIGHS 24 POUNDS AND IS NORMALLY MANNED BY A CREW OF THREE.
BUT ON A S.
E.
A.
L.
TEAM, IT'S ONE MAN.
THIS CAN HELP A SMALL S.
E.
A.
L.
SQUAD MANEUVER TO ADVANTAGE AS IT PINS DOWN THE ENEMY.
IT'S A SQUAD MULTIPLIER.
IF YOU'RE GOING AGAINST SMALLER NUMBERS, YOU CAN USE THIS WEAPON SYSTEM TO PUT THE HEADS DOWN AND MAKE IT SEEM LIKE YOU'RE A LOT BIGGER THAN YOU REALLY ARE.
Narrator: THE M60 BOLSTERS THIS ILLUSION BY ALLOWING ITS GUNNER TO FIRE FROM A VARIETY OF POSITIONS.
ONE S.
E.
A.
L.
CAN SEEM LIKE THREE.
Hallaran: SHOWING YOU HOW EASY IT IS TO SHOOT THIS IN A KNEELING POSITION, AS WELL.
OR IF I NEEDED TO STAND UP AND SHOOT OFFHAND, I CAN SHOOT IT EASILY, AS WELL.
Narrator: LIKE MOST MACHINE GUNS, THE M60 IS GAS-OPERATED.
BUT UNLIKE OTHER RAPID-FIRE WEAPONS WITH COMPARABLE STOPPING POWER, IT FIRES WITHOUT A SERIOUS JOLT TO THE GUNNER.
WELL, FIRING IT IS PRETTY DECEIVING BECAUSE IT HARDLY HAS ANY RECOIL WHATSOEVER.
IT'S GOT A GREAT BUFFER SYSTEM INSIDE OF IT, SO MOST PEOPLE THAT SHOOT THIS ARE REALLY SURPRISED AT THE FACT THAT IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY KICK, BUT YOU CAN CERTAINLY SEE THE EFFECTS DOWNRANGE.
Narrator: THIS ALL-AMERICAN GUN HAS SURPRISING ROOTS.
IT'S MODELED AFTER ONE OF THE DEADLIEST WEAPONS OF ADOLF HITLER'S GERMANY -- THE MASCHINENGEWEHR 42.
ALL RIGHT, KIDS, YOU READY? Man: YES, SIR, WE'RE HOT.
ROLLING.
[ GUNFIRE .]
Narrator: THE MG 42 FIRES AT A CYCLIC RATE OF 1,150 ROUNDS PER MINUTE -- NEARLY 1/3 FASTER THAN ANY OTHER MACHINE GUN IN WORLD WAR II.
FOR ITS DISTINCTIVE RIPPING SOUND, G.
I.
s NICKNAMED IT "HITLER'S BUZZ SAW.
" Borglum: THE OPEN-BOLT DESIGN, THE STAMPED SHEET-METAL DESIGN -- A LOT OF THAT IS VERY SIMILAR TO THAT OF A M60.
THIS GUN HAS BEEN UPDATED WITH AN MG3 TOP COVER THAT ALLOWS IT TO SHOOT M60 AMMUNITION -- MAKES IT A VERY UNIVERSAL RIFLE WITH A VERY FAST FIRING RATE OF ABOUT 1,000 ROUNDS A MINUTE.
Narrator: AFTER WORLD WAR II, THE MG 42 INSPIRED GUN DESIGNERS TO INCORPORATE ITS DESIGN PRINCIPLES INTO A NEW RAPID-FIRE WEAPON, AND THE M60 WAS BORN.
IT SAW ITS FIRST ACTION IN THE JUNGLES OF VIETNAM, WHERE IT GAINED NOTORIETY AS AN INTIMIDATING FORCE.
McBride: ONE OF ITS SIGNATURES WAS THE WAY IT SOUNDED.
IT HAD A VERY DISTINCT SOUND.
WHEN THE 60 WAS IN POSITION AND YOU OPENED THAT UP, THE ENEMY KNEW HE WAS IN TROUBLE.
Narrator: THE MOST RECENT VERSION OF THE M60 -- THE M60E4 -- CONTINUES TO PROVIDE AMERICA'S ARMED FORCES DEVASTATING FIREPOWER.
AS THE NAVY S.
E.
A.
L.
s ENGAGE IN INCREASINGLY DEMANDING SPECIAL OPERATIONS, THEY MAXIMIZE THE M60's PERFORMANCE, USING EFFECTIVE AND TIME-HONORED TACTICS.
Hallaran: A WAY THAT WE WOULD EMPLOY THESE IN A TYPICAL ASSAULT OR RAID, THE 60 GUNNERS WOULD LIGHT THE TARGET UP, START SWEEPING THROUGH THE TARGE IN PREDETERMINED FIELDS OF FIRE SO THAT IT COULD SOFTEN THE TARGE BEFORE A MANEUVER ELEMENT CAME IN WITH M4-TYPE SYSTEMS AND STARTED POINT-SHOOTING WHATEVER TARGETS THEY NEEDED TO.
Narrator: FEW EXECUTE THIS COORDINATED MOVE-AND-SHOOT MANEUVER BETTER THAN THE NAVY S.
E.
A.
L.
s.
SUCH TACTICS, PAIRED WITH THE M60's SUPERIOR FIREPOWER, CAN BE AN INVINCIBLE COMBINATION ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
M60 MACHINE GUN -- BADASS MOTHER [BLEEP.]
WEAPON OF CHOICE.
DESPITE THE M60's EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMANCE IN U.
S.
SPECIAL OPERATIONS, SPEC-OP TEAMS ALSO NEED FIREPOWER BETTER SUITED FOR CLOSE-QUARTERS COMBAT.
FOR MANY, THE ANSWER IS THE M1911 -- AN ICONIC .
45-CALIBER HANDGUN NAMED FOR THE YEAR IT FIRST CAME INTO SERVICE.
OVER THE PAST CENTURY, FROM WORLD WAR I TO OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM, IT'S COMPILED A TRACK RECORD OF INCOMPARABLE RELIABILITY AND DEADLINESS.
THAT BIG .
45-CALIBER BULLET HAS A LOT OF STOPPING POWER, WHICH MEANS THAT IF YOU PULL OUT A 1911 AND YOU HIT SOMEBODY WITH IT, THEY'RE GOING DOWN.
Narrator: THE 1911 FIRES A MAGAZINE OF EIGHT .
45-CALIBER ROUNDS IN SIX SECONDS.
LIKE THE M2 MACHINE GUN, IT USES ITS RECOIL ACTION TO CHAMBER EACH ROUND AUTOMATICALLY.
IT REMAINED U.
S.
STANDARD ISSUE UNTIL 1985, WHEN THE PENTAGON PHASED IT OU IN FAVOR OF THE M9 SEMIAUTOMATIC PISTOL, WHICH FIRES A LARGER CLIP OF 15 9-MILLIMETER CARTRIDGES.
STILL, MANY IN SPECIAL-OPERATIONS FORCES CONTINUE TO WIELD THE 1911.
TO THEM, THE M9 LACKS THE OVERWHELMING PUNCH THAT THE 1911 IS RENOWNED FOR.
Horowitz: SPECIAL OPERATORS PREFER IT, BECAUSE IN THE SITUATIONS WHERE THEY'RE OPERATING, THEY NEED THAT STOPPING POWER, AND THE HEFT AND STOPPING POWER OF THE M1911 IS MORE IMPORTANT TO THEM THAN THE SLIGHTLY LARGER MAGAZINE OF THE M9.
Narrator: AND FOR MANY SPECIAL-FORCES OPERATORS, THE 1911 HAS AN ADDITIONAL EDGE OVER THE M9.
YOU ALSO HAVE THE ERGONOMICS PRINCIPLE, WHERE, WHEN YOU HOLD THE GUN, IT JUST PLAIN FEELS MORE COMFORTABLE IN YOUR HAND.
THE 1911 HAS A NARROW GRIP, WHEREAS THE M9 PISTOL HAS A VERY WIDE GRIP THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE FIND UNCOMFORTABLE.
Narrator: UNTIL GUNMAKERS CAN TRUMP ITS SIMPLE AND EFFECTIVE DESIGN, THIS CENTURY-OLD WEAPON SEEMS DESTINED TO SERVE FOR DECADES TO COME.
NEXT, THE SUPERSIZED GUN THAT COMBINES AWESOME POWER, LONG-DISTANCE RANGE, AND SURGICAL PRECISION.
ITS OPERATORS WILL REVEAL HOW THE INNOVATIVE ROUND IT FIRES HOLDS THE SECRET TO AN UNSEEN BULL'S-EYE FROM 18 MILES AWAY.
Narrator: GUNS ARE THE MOST ESSENTIAL ASSETS OF WAR.
WHATEVER THEIR CALIBER OR RANGE OR RATE OF FIRE, THEY PUT LETHAL FORCE INTO THE HANDS OF EVERY SOLDIER ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
BUT AS MUCH AS A SOLDIER DEPENDS ON HIS GUN, THE MARGIN BETWEEN VICTORY AND DEFEA CAN OFTEN HINGE ON MASSIVE GUNS MILES AWAY, GUNS SO POWERFUL AND COMPLEX, THEY REQUIRE A LARGE TEAM OF SOLDIERS TO OPERATE.
[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING .]
THE 40-FOOT-LONG M777 IS AN IMPOSING ARTILLERY PIECE THAT PROVES SIZE REALLY DOES MATTER.
IT FIRES 6-INCH, 100-POUND PROJECTILES OUT TO 18 MILES.
THE 777's PURPOSE IS TO PROJECT AWESOME FIREPOWER OVER THE HEADS OF FRONTLINE COMRADES INTO ENEMY TERRITORY.
WITH DEVASTATING ACCURACY, IT CAN FIRE A BARRAGE CAPABLE OF CLEARING A PATH FOR ADVANCING TROOPS OR RESCUING THOSE THAT ARE THREATENED.
THE M777 IS AN INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS WEAPON -- THE MOST DANGEROUS PIECE OF ARTILLERY IN THE AMERICAN ARSENAL.
IT'S A FIELD ARTILLERY CANNON THAT IS USED TO BLOW PEOPLE UP.
I LIKE KNOWING THAT WE CAN DEMOLISH BUILDINGS, DEMOLISH WHATEVER WE WANT.
Narrator: ACCURATELY STRIKING TARGETS BEYOND VISUAL RANGE REQUIRES THE LATEST IN HIGH TECH.
THE 777 HAS A DIGITAL-CONTROL FIRE SYSTEM.
GLOBAL POSITIONING SATELLITES TELL THE GUN'S COMPUTER PRECISELY WHERE IT IS ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
THEN THE COMPUTER IS FED THE GPS COORDINATES OF THE TARGE AND AIMS THE GUN ACCORDINGLY.
AS MUCH AS THE 777's DIGITAL-CONTROL FIRE SYSTEM IMPROVES ACCURACY, THE GUN'S TRUE GAME-CHANGING FEATURES ARE TWO SMART ARTILLERY PROJECTILES.
[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING .]
ONE IS CALLED THE PRECISION GUIDANCE KIT, OR PGK.
THE OTHER IS CALLED "EXCALIBUR.
" Horowitz: IT'S A 155-MILLIMETER SHELL WITH A LITTLE GPS TRANSCEIVER IN I THAT ALLOWS US TO GUIDE IT IN A VERY PRECISE WAY.
Narrator: THE PGK AND THE EXCALIBUR ARE REVOLUTIONIZING GUN TECHNOLOGY.
UNTIL NOW, AN UNQUESTIONED PREMISE HAS BEEN THAT A PROJECTILE FLIES WHEREVER IT'S AIMED.
THESE SMART SHELLS USE GPS TO MAKE COURSE CORRECTIONS AS THEY SPEED TOWARD THE TARGET.
THEY ALSO RELY ON DATA RANGING FROM GUN AND TARGET LOCATION, LAUNCH ANGLE, AND MUZZLE VELOCITY.
THEIR ACCURACY IS UNRIVALED.
Horowitz: SO, A NORMAL PIECE OF UNGUIDED ARTILLERY HAS A CIRCULAR ERROR PROBABLE OF ABOUT 200 METERS, SO OVER AN AREA OF 15, 20 MILES, SAY, YOU CAN MAYBE LAND IN A 200-METER RANGE.
WITH THE EXCALIBUR SHELL, THAT'S REDUCED TO 20, WHICH MEANS OVER A DISTANCE OF 25 MILES, AN EXCALIBUR SHELL CAN LAND WITHIN 25 METERS.
Narrator: SUCH SUPERIOR ACCURACY CAN PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN AVOIDING COLLATERAL DAMAGE AND REDUCING RISKS OF FRIENDLY CASUALTIES.
A COMMON TACTIC AMONG TERRORISTS AND INSURGENTS IS TO BASE THEIR OPERATIONS NEAR HOSPITALS OR SCHOOLS.
ANY ARMED FORCE THAT DARES A LONG-RANGE MUNITIONS ATTACK RISKS KILLING OR INJURING INNOCENT CIVILIANS.
A SMART ARTILLERY PROJECTILE LIKE THE EXCALIBUR CAN LITERALLY EXPLODE THAT STRATEGY AT A COST OF $100,000 PER ROUND.
EVEN THOUGH THESE ROUNDS ARE EXPENSIVE ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS, THE PRECISION THEY GIVE YOU CAN BE WELL WORTH I BECAUSE YOU WANT TO TAKE OUT THE TARGE AND NOT THE NEARBY BUILDINGS.
Duncan: IN ORDER FOR US TO SHOOT THESE ROUNDS, WE NEED CLEARANCE FROM HIGHER.
IT HAS TO BE A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT REASON.
LIKE, IT HAS TO BE AN ACTUAL OPERATION GOING ON, WHERE IT'D PROBABLY GET APPROVED BY THE GENERAL.
Narrator: APPLYING PRECISION-GUIDED TECH TO ARTILLERY ROUNDS HAS BEEN DAUNTING BECAUSE THE DELICATE ELECTRONICS HAVE LOW STRESS TOLERANCES.
SO DID THE ELECTRONICS INSIDE THE SMART BOMBS AND MISSILES THAT ARE NOW WELL-ESTABLISHED, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE TO ENDURE THE HIGH GRAVITATIONAL FORCES THAT FIELD PROJECTILES DO.
Gordon: THE TRICK WAS TO TRY TO MINIATURIZE THE GPS TECHNOLOGY AND HARDEN IT -- HARDEN THE GPS SYSTEM -- SO IT COULD WITHSTAND 10,000 TO 15,000 G's THAT THE SHELL EXPERIENCES AS IT'S FIRED FROM THE CANNON.
A GPS-GUIDED BOMB DROPPING OFF THE WING OF AN AIRPLANE DOESN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
Narrator: AS THE 777's SMART ROUNDS MAKE IT A MORE LETHAL COMBAT WEAPON, SO DO THE GUN'S DESIGN ELEMENTS.
IT'S THE WORLD'S FIRST ARTILLERY PIECE TO MAKE USE OF TITANIUM AND ALUMINUM, SO IT WEIGHS ONLY 9,800 POUNDS.
THAT MAY SOUND HEAVY, BUT IT'S NEARLY HALF THE WEIGH OF THE GUN IT RECENTLY REPLACED -- THE M198.
BEING LIGHTER MEANS IT CAN BE MOVED ACROSS THE COMBAT ARENA MORE QUICKLY TO WHERE IT'S NEEDED.
AND FOR AN ARTILLERY CREW, SPEED MEANS EVERYTHING.
Horowitz: BECAUSE THE M777 IS SO PORTABLE AND FAST ACROSS THE BATTLEFIELD, IT HELPS THE AMERICAN MILITARY DELIVER MUNITIONS ON-TARGE IN A WAY THAT SAVES LIVES.
IT MEANS WHEN AMERICAN SOLDIERS GET TO THE FRONT OF THE BATTLEFIELD, IN MANY CASES, IF THE JOB HAS BEEN DONE RIGHT, THE ENEMY IS ALREADY DEAD.
Narrator: TO HELP ENSURE THE JOB IS DONE RIGHT, THE 777 IS DESIGNED TO BE SET UP IN AS QUICKLY AS TWO MINUTES.
IT'S A VAST IMPROVEMENT OVER THE OLDER M198, WHICH USUALLY TOOK 16.
[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING .]
Clavette: EACH SOLDIER HAS A SPECIFICALLY ASSIGNED JOB, HOWEVER, WE TRY TO GET EACH SOLDIER PROFICIENT ON ALL THE POSITIONS.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE TRY TO INSTILL WITH BATTLE DRILLS IS MUSCLE MEMORY SO THEY CAN DO A RAPID ACTION WITHOUT EVEN THINKING ABOUT IT.
Narrator: SPEED IS JUST AS CRUCIAL DURING THE FIRING CYCLE.
THE 777's CREW OF SEVEN CAN SHOOT AS MANY AS FIVE ROUNDS EVERY MINUTE.
THE PRESSURE TO KEEP THIS BOOMING GUN BOOMING CAN BE EXTREME.
Duncan: WE HAVE SOMEBODY DOWNRANGE -- NORMALLY THE INFANTRY THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SUPPORT.
WE GOT TO GET THIS ROUND OUT OF THIS TUBE FASTER.
Horowitz: FIRING ARTILLERY IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE MORE INTENSE COMBAT EXPERIENCES IN THE MILITARY, IN PART BECAUSE OF HOW LOUD IT IS.
IT'S LIKE BEING IN THE FRONT ROW OF THE LOUDEST ROCK SHOW YOU CAN IMAGINE.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST THAT.
IT'S THAT YOU ARE A TARGET.
IT'S SUCH A DEVASTATING WEAPON THAT IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE ENEMY IS GOING TO TARGET FIRST ON THE BATTLEFIELD, AND YOU HAVE TO CONSTANTLY BE AWARE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF INCOMING ROUNDS FROM ENEMY ARTILLERY.
Narrator: TO AVOID THAT TERRIFYING POSSIBILITY, 777 CREWS ARE TRAINED TO FIRE IN QUICK SALVOS, THEN RAPIDLY RELOCATE AND FIRE AGAIN.
THE TACTIC IS CALLED "SHOOT AND SCOOT.
" THERE ARE RARE TIMES WHEN AN ENEMY THREAT IS SO CLOSE TO AN ARTILLERY CREW THAT MOVING ISN'T AN OPTION.
THE ONLY MEANS OF DEFENSE THEN IS AN EXTREME MANEUVER CALLED "DIRECT FIRE.
" Horowitz: DIRECT FIRE IS WHEN YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE THING THAT YOU'RE FIRING AT.
IF A MODERN ARTILLERY CREW IS FACED WITH DIRECT FIRE, THAT'S INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS.
Gordon: IN DIRECT FIRE, USUALLY THE ARTILLERY GUN CREW IS SHOOTING AT SOMETHING A FEW HUNDRED YARDS AWAY OR POSSIBLY NO MORE THAN 1,000 YARDS OR SO, SO THE GUN TUBE TENDS TO BE REALLY FLAT TRAJECTORY.
AS RECENTLY AS THE FIGHTING NORTH OF BAGHDAD IN 2003, THERE WAS AN AMERICAN ARMY ARTILLERY UNI THAT USED DIRECT FIRE TO ENGAGE APPROACHING IRAQI TANKS.
Narrator: WHETHER ITS TARGET IS WITHIN SIGHT OR ACROSS THE HORIZON, THE 777 FILLS THE SAME BASIC ROLE THAT ALL COMBAT GUNS DO.
ON A SUPERSIZED SCALE, IT PROVIDES THE DEVASTATING FIREPOWER NECESSARY TO SEIZE CONTROL OF THE BATTLE SPACE.
NEXT, THE REVOLUTIONARY NEW GUN THAT PUTS SMART-ROUND TECHNOLOGY INTO THE HANDS OF THE FOOT SOLDIER.
WE'LL SHOW YOU THE GAME-CHANGING SHOT IT CAN PULL OFF THAT WILL REWRITE THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT.
Narrator: OVER THE PAST HOUR, WE'VE EXAMINED THE EXPLOSIVE ELEMENTS OF THE DEADLIEST GUNS EVER CARRIED INTO BATTLE.
EACH GUN HAS UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS DESIGNED FOR DIFFERENT COMBAT ROLES, FROM DELIVERING DEVASTATING SUPPRESSIVE FIRE TO EXECUTING A CLOSE-QUARTERS KNOCKOUT PUNCH.
BUT THEY SHARE ONE TACTICAL LIMITATION.
THE ENEMY HAS TAKEN COVER BEHIND A DEFENSIVE BARRIER.
A GUNNER HAS ONLY TWO WAYS TO STRIKE HIS TARGET -- MANEUVER AROUND THE BARRIER OR BLAST THROUGH IT.
A GRENADE LAUNCHER CAN BE A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE WEAPON IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES, LOBBING AN EXPLOSIVE PROJECTILE OVER A WALL OR DESTROYING THE WALL ITSELF.
THE MILITARY'S WORKHORSE GRENADE LAUNCHER IS THE M203.
IT ATTACHES TO A RIFLE AND FIRES A 40-MILLIMETER PROJECTILE THAT EXPLODES ON CONTACT.
ITS EFFECTIVE RANGE IS ABOUT 400 METERS.
A SQUAD IS TYPICALLY ARMED WITH TWO.
Boland: THE STANDARD ROUND IS AN H.
E.
D.
P.
, WHICH IS HIGH-EXPLOSIVE, DUAL-PURPOSE.
IT HAS A SHAPED CHARGE, AND IT'S DESIGNED PRIMARILY TO PENETRATE THINGS LIKE LIGHT-ARMORED VEHICLES, HOUSING STRUCTURES, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
HOWEVER, IT DOES HAVE A LIMITED ANTIPERSONNEL ROLE, AS WELL.
SO IF SOMEONE'S BEHIND A HILL OR BEHIND A WALL, YOU CAN LOB SOMETHING THERE AND AT LEAST MAKE HIS DAY A LITTLE LESS PLEASANT.
Narrator: SINCE THE M203's GRENADE BLOWS UP ON IMPACT, A CRUCIAL SAFETY FEATURE PROTECTS THE GUNNER FROM KILLING OR INJURING HIMSELF OR HIS COMRADES IF THE TARGET IS TOO CLOSE.
THE GRENADE REMAINS UNARMED UNTIL IT'S FIRED.
IN FLIGHT, THE GRENADE SPINS LIKE A BULLET, ROTATED BY THE BARREL'S RIFLING.
THE SPINNING GENERATES CENTRIFUGAL FORCE.
AFTER A SPECIFIC NUMBER OF REVOLUTIONS, THE FORCE IS SUFFICIEN TO PUSH WEIGHTED PINS INSIDE THE GRENADE OUTWARD TO TRIGGER THE ARMING MECHANISM.
Boland: THE H.
E.
D.
P.
ROUND ITSELF HAS ABOUT A 25-METER, OR 25-YARD, ARMING RADIUS.
IF YOU HIT SOMEONE INSIDE THAT, IT'S JUST GONNA LEAD TO PRETTY MUCH A BIG 40-MILLIMETER HOLE IN THEIR CHEST, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO EXPLODE.
Narrator: AS EFFECTIVE AS THE M203 CAN BE, WEAPONS MAKERS ENVISIONED A SMART VERSION THAT COULD FIRE GRENADES THAT DIDN'T JUST EXPLODE ON IMPACT, BUT IN MIDAIR AT A PRECISE POINT CHOSEN BY THE GUNNER.
SUCH A WEAPON COULD KILL ENEMY PERSONNEL SHIELDED BY WALLS OR OTHER OBSTACLES.
Man: BOOM! Narrator: THE XM25 IS A REVOLUTIONARY, NEW WEAPON THAT CAN DO JUST THAT.
IT WAS FIRST DEPLOYED IN AFGHANISTAN IN 2010, WHERE TROOPS NICKNAMED IT "THE PUNISHER.
" McBride: WITH THE XM25, YOU CAN SET THE RANGE, AND IF THEY'RE HIDING BEHIND A WALL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU CAN HAVE IT DETONATE BEHIND THE WALL.
Narrator: THE XM25's LASER RANGE FINDER CALCULATES THE EXACT DISTANCE TO THE TARGET, THEN A BUTTON ALLOWS THE GUNNER TO ADD ANY INCREMENTAL DISTANCE OF HIS CHOICE.
IF HIS TARGET IS CONCEALED BEHIND A WALL, HE COULD ADD ONE METER.
AFTER THE PROJECTILE IS FIRED, A COMPUTER CHIP INSIDE IT SIGNALS HOW FAR IT'S TRAVELED.
WHEN IT REACHES ITS PROGRAMMED DISTANCE, IT EXPLODES WITH A BLAS COMPARABLE TO THAT OF A HAND GRENADE.
MANY EXPERTS BELIEVE THE XM25 IS PIONEERING A RADICAL, NEW ERA IN WARFARE.
UNTIL NOW, SMART COMBAT TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN LIMITED TO WEAPONS ON A LARGER SCALE.
SOON, THAT GAME-CHANGING TECHNOLOGY COULD APPLY TO EVERY GUN ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
Horowitz: THE SAME SORTS OF SMART TECHNOLOGIES WE'VE COME TO EXPECT FROM MISSILES AND FROM BOMBS THAT THE AIR FORCE OR NAVY USES, WE'LL INCREASINGLY SEE IN MODERN MUNITIONS -- SMART MUNITIONS THAT ARE IN THE HANDS, INCREASINGLY, OF INDIVIDUAL INFANTRYMEN AND WOMEN.
Narrator: IF GUNS ON FUTURE BATTLEFIELDS ARE SO SMART AND LETHAL THAT THE CONCEPT OF COVER BECOMES OBSOLETE, WAR PLANNERS WILL HAVE TO REWRITE COMBAT'S STRATEGIC PLAYBOOK.
AS GUN TECHNOLOGY CONTINUES TO ADVANCE IN THE DECADES AHEAD, COMBAT MAY BE REDEFINED IN WAYS FEW CAN PREDICT.
Horowitz: THE AMERICAN MILITARY IS WORKING ON NEW GUNS THAT HAVE LONGER RANGES, ARE MORE RELIABLE, ARE MORE ACCURATE, IN WAYS THAT WILL MAKE THE SOLDIER OF 20 YEARS FROM NOW MUCH MORE DEADLY THAN THE SOLDIER OF TODAY.
SOLDIERS 20 YEARS FROM NOW WILL BE ABLE TO FIRE WEAPONS OVER LONGER DISTANCES THAT ARE OF LIGHTER WEIGHT AND MORE ACCURATE.
Narrator: THIS REVOLUTION IN GUN TECHNOLOGY MAY BE JUST THE BEGINNING.
THE TIME-HONORED PRACTICE OF FIRING PROJECTILES MAY SOON GIVE WAY TO GUNS THAT PROJECT A DEADLY BEAM OF ENERGY.
Horowitz: THE ERA OF "SET YOUR PHASERS TO 'STUN' OR 'KILL'" IS NOT YET UPON US, BUT IT'S PROBABLY A LOT CLOSER THAN PEOPLE REALIZE.
INDIVIDUAL SOLDIERS WIELDING DIRECTED-ENERGY WEAPONS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE UNLIKELY TO SEE ON THE BATTLEFIELD IN THE SHORT TERM, BUT IN THE MEDIUM TO LONG TERM, IS EXTREMELY LIKELY.
Narrator: WHATEVER FORM GUNS TAKE IN THE WARS OF THE FUTURE, THEY WILL PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN DICTATING WHO WINS AND WHO LOSES.
BUT IN ALL COMBAT OPERATIONS, A GUN IS ONLY AS EFFECTIVE AS THE SOLDIER WIELDING IT.
THE MOST ADVANCED BALLISTIC TECHNOLOGY WILL STILL DEPEND ON THE SKILL, EXPERIENCE, AND RESOLVE OF THE WARRIORS WITH THEIR FINGERS ON THE TRIGGERS.