Cubic contracted for sniper components

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SAN DIEGO, March 24 (UPI) -- Cubic Defense Applications of California has been contracted by Teledyne Scientific and Imaging LLC for a laser data link for sniper system.

A Teledyne team is developing the small-caliber guided weapon system for the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

The contract awarded Cubic is worth $2.5 million.

The goal of the Extreme Accuracy Tasked Ordnance system is to produce a guided, actively controlled .50-caliber sniper rifle system with significantly improved range and accuracy over current systems. Cubic will develop optical command link components for the fire control and guidance subsystems.

"EXACTO will enable our ground troops to operate with greater precision at long range and under difficult environmental conditions," said Steve Sampson, vice president of Advanced Programs for Cubic Defense Applications. "Our optical link will be a critical piece of this new guided system."

Cubic said the sniper system will draw on the company's research and development efforts in optical communications, including creation of a two-way optical combat identification system designed to reduce the incidence of fratricide.

Cubic developed the combat ID solution with funding from DARPA and the U.S. Army.