I am having a very hard time finding information about a new kind of
gun I read about.  It is the size of an M16, with an electronic range
finder that tells the bullet how far away an obstacle/target is, and
at the distance the bullet explodes with shrapnel.  The military is
currently testing this gun now.  Can you find any
articles about this??

Hello amyst777-ga,

It appears that the gun you have read about is the XM29 Integrated Air
Burst Weapon, formerly called the Objective Individual Combat Weapon
(OICW).  It is designed to replace the M-16, has an electronic range
finder that tells the bullet how far away the target is, and at that
distance the bullet explodes with shrapnel.

There are numerous articles on this gun.  Here are several from
various points in its history, as well as information from its primary
developer, Alliant Techsystems Inc.

"XM29 - 'No Place to Hide'"
Alliant Techsystems Inc.
http://www.atk.com/productsPrecision/descriptions/products/Shoulder-firedWeapons/XM29.htm

"The Objective Individual Combat Weapon (XM29)"
Alliant Techsystems Inc.
http://www.atk.com/homepage/features/xm29.htm

"News Release: ATK Conducts Successful Test Firing of OICW Ammunition
with Advanced Air-Bursting Fuze" (Jan. 14, 2002)
Alliant Techsystems Inc.
http://www.atk.com/releases2/2002releases/2002%2D01%2D14%2Doicwtest.htm

"XM29 Objective Individual Combat Weapon (OICW)" (Last Modified:
November 02, 2002)
GlobalSecurity.org
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/m29-oicw.htm

"A Smarter Rifle", by Paul Eng (Sept. 26, 2001)
ABCNEWS.com
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/scitech/CuttingEdge/smartrifle010926.html

"You've got bang!", by Chana R. Schoenberger (06.11.01)
Forbes.com
http://www.forbes.com/global/2001/0611/076.html

"Objective Individual Combat Weapon (OICW)" (Updated August 08, 2000)
Federation of American Scientists
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/oicw.htm

"Digging In Useless Against New High-Tech Army Rifle", by Paul Richter
(Published December 23, 1999 - LA Times)
AlliantAction
http://www.circlevision.org/alliantaction/atk/scoop/oicw/122399latst.html

"Guns That A 'Grunt' Would Love", by Jonathan S. Landay (April 6,
1998)
The Christian Science Monitor
http://csmweb2.emcweb.com/durable/1998/04/06/p1s4.htm

I hope that this information is helpful.

- justaskscott-ga


Search terms used on Google:

m-16 "range finder" shrapnel
m-16 oicw
oicw
xm29 oicw

I cannot believe how fast you found this - I have been looking for
days!  Thank you so much!