The US Army has released the video of futuristic XM-25 smart gun being fired in trials.

The XM-25 works much as a normal rifle does, but instead of firing ordinary bullets it shoots 25mm exploding fragmentation mini-shells which are fitted with a very precise time fuse set at the moment of firing by the gun's electronics.

Developer ATK, which has so far made just five prototype weapons, inked a $65.8m deal this week to move the weapon into manufacturing.

The video also shows several types of different ammo: not just the airbursting frag shell, but training rounds and armour-piercing ones working on the shaped-charge principle. Officials have also said that other types - airbursting flash-crash stun bombs, rubber or plastic riot slugs, door-breachers, and anti-personnel rounds could all be developed.

The latter would be rounds firing a cluster of flechettes - metal darts - or perhaps spherical shot similar to that from a normal shotgun, though probably made of tungsten in this case for better penetrating properties, the A Register reported.

XM25 from PEO Soldier on Vimeo.

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