DARPA’s self-guiding bullets can hit a moving target — even if it moves after the shot is fired

About a year ago, DARPA –the advanced research wing of the US Department of Defense– unveiled a prototype for a new kind of bullet. Using a special optical sighting technology and an integrated real-time guidance system, the .50 caliber EXACTO (Extreme Accuracy Tasked Ordinance) bullet was supposedly capable of redirecting itself to compensate for weather, wind, shooter errors, and other unexpected factors that might send it off course.

This week, nearly a year after the first live-fire tests were conducted, DARPA has released new footage of the bullet in action. It’s now able to redirect itself mid-flight to meet a moving target — even if said target starts moving after the shot has already been taken. Check out the video below.

The agency says the tech will help snipers quickly neutralize targets in hostile and remote locations like Afghanistan, where high winds and dusty terrain would otherwise send rounds off course. The rounds are intended for snipers, but it appears that the technology is so foolproof that even bullets fired by first-time shooters will hit their mark. The video shows shots from both experienced and novice marksmen, and no matter how far the target moves, the round always manages to nail it.

What’s even crazier is that what we’re seeing in the video is still just a prototype. The technology inside of the bullets is continually improving, and DARPA has plans to refine the power sources, guidance system, and sensors in the future to enhance performance.