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NM engineers create ‘self-guided’ bullet

Officials say the self-guided bullet can make up to thirty corrections per second while in the air

Associated Press

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — New Mexico-based Sandia National Laboratories says its engineers have invented a bullet that directs itself to a target like a tiny guided missile.

KRQE-TV reports that according to Sandia Labs engineers, the bullet twists and turns to guide itself toward a laser-directed point. Officials say it can make up to thirty corrections per second while in the air.

Sandia technical staff member Jim Jones says he thinks the .50-caliber bullets would work well with military machine guns, so soldiers could hit their mark faster and with precision.

The team needs a sponsor to manufacture the prototype on a commercial scale. Research and development grants have taken the project this far.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press