Crazy ideas thread

[plawolf]

but you have to be in a state that does not frown on it for some ridiculous reason. additionally I forgot to Correct Wolf, there is no evidence outside of Hollywood movies that a .50 cal semi auto can down a modern helicopter. It's a myth. any modern combat chopper is armored specifically against .50 cal machine gunfire.

Attack helicopters might be armoured to take 50.cal hits, but certainly not transports. Is a 50 cal semi auto likely to down a transport helicopter with a few shots? Probably not, but it most certainly can shoot one down, and with a far greater probability than any other small arms your average infantry squad might be carrying.

 

[plawolf]

On Captain Philips, I never understood why they made him wear that navy shirt. Seemed a rather pointless detail.

When I first saw that in the movies, I thought that might have been made of, or laced with a special material that shows up differently on a thermal sight. Get he hostage to wear that, have 3 snipers with thermal sights and 50.cals line up shots on the guys not wearing the special shirt and just nail them through the hull of that lifeboat.

Far easier and less dependent on luck than having to wait for all three bad guys to pop their head through a window all at the same time.

 

[shen]

Thanks for the detailed reply Popeye, good to know I'm not totally nuts to think about parachuting onto a warship.

Another crazy idea I have had for some time was a semi-auto 50.cal, like an M82, but with a massively cut down barrel (half current length), hell, maybe even a bulpump design to further reduce overall length and weight, to be used as a frontline assault weapon in urban combat.

Doesn't matter if the enemy has take cover behind that wall, I'll blast straight throw it and nail him anyways. Suicide car bomber heading towards my OP with a boot full of ordinance? Let's see him keep coming with his engine pumped full of 50.cal shells.

Even against conventional military enemies, such weapons could be hugely useful. They make body armour a joke, and would also be very effective against enemy light armour and helicopters.

Short barrel .50 cal is going to have huge muzzle flash and recoil. Rather than going the .50 cal route, the better alternative is what armies have deployed for years, grenade launcher based on Hi-Low principle.

 

[airsuperiority]

On Captain Philips, I never understood why they made him wear that navy shirt. Seemed a rather pointless detail.

When I first saw that in the movies, I thought that might have been made of, or laced with a special material that shows up differently on a thermal sight. Get he hostage to wear that, have 3 snipers with thermal sights and 50.cals line up shots on the guys not wearing the special shirt and just nail them through the hull of that lifeboat.

Far easier and less dependent on luck than having to wait for all three bad guys to pop their head through a window all at the same time.

I was thinking the same thing. Being the regular psychology undergrad that I am, I was thinking if that was for psychological reassurance to Captain Philips in any ways; progress? Reassurance? Positive ID maybe because it's dark inside?
Also, I was thinking if they could have asked Captain Philips to duck and hide while they rig the door with breaching charges and then blast the door open. Or some more far-fetched alternatives like slipping a fishing net under the lifeboat, then scuttling it. This can force everyone out of the boat, where then SEAL divers capture everyone.

 

[bd popeye]

Attack helicopters might be armoured to take 50.cal hits, but certainly not transports.

Ahh... wrong again wolfie.. during the Vietnam war many helos bellies were armored. Even transports... I know because when I was assigned with HC-11 circa '83 & '84 we received two Ch-46s rescued from the boneyard at Davis-Motham AFB in AZ both had once belonged to the USMC and both had armor plating on the belly.. which had to be removed.

Also during

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many of the RVN helos recovered by Hancock (all Huey's by the way) had armor on the belly. yes really...

I've haven't been around the World three times for nuthin'!..no foolin'!

 

[plawolf]

Ahh... wrong again wolfie.. during the Vietnam war many helos bellies were armored. Even transports... I know because when I was assigned with HC-11 circa '83 & '84 we received two Ch-46s rescued from the boneyard at Davis-Motham AFB in AZ both had once belonged to the USMC and both had armor plating on the belly.. which had to be removed.

Also during

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many of the RVN helos recovered by Hancock (all Huey's by the way) had armor on the belly. yes really...

I've haven't been around the World three times for nuthin'!..no foolin'!

Even transports have some armour, they are military aircraft after all, I never claimed otherwise. But are transports armoured to withstand 50.cal hits? All over?

If you are telling me that even transports are proof against 50 cal fire no matter where they are hit, that is certainly news to me mate.

 

[TerraN_EmpirE]

Are there sweet spots where a high caliber round could mess up the chopper real good? Yes. The tail rotor, engine intakes and exhausts. But your not likely even with a precise sniper shot to get those just right to down the bird. You might be able to pick off some crew or passengers if the doors are open but chances of nailing the bird are low unless you can either get volume of fire or something like a explosive. American combat choppers transports and attack were built with the Russian 14.5mm mg in mind. There rotors are built to be punched with 20mm cannon. They are not flying tanks but are tougher than any civilian bird. Yet even then its highly unlikely that a .50 cal could down it under normal conditions. Best use of a .50 cal is that of light skinned vehicles and equipment as well as antipersonnel.
but conflicts like Iraq have meant a shift away from thin skin to MRAP logistical vehicles. And so that window is disappearing.

 

[ahho]

Well, since this is a crazy idea thread, I always wonder why they can't shrink the XM-29 and K-11 to a regular M4 and AK series rifle package. Given with all the up to date rifle, such as the M-4 or the AK series, can be quipped with top and side rail. I don't know if it is technology constraint, but what I have in mind is to have an under slung 20 to 30 mm smart grenade launcher and have the distance adjustment on the side of the grenade launcher. Have the battery attached to the top of the rifle, like how they have the battery for the laser. Have the computer attached to the side if it cannot be incorporated in the sights and have a sights attached for aiming.

 

[TerraN_EmpirE]

The thing is they were looking for a semiautomatic or repeater action. This makes it larger than could be reasonable mounted under barrel. The reasons they went with 20mm and 25mm were so that it could fit in a man portable magazine loaded weapon. Now then could they make a system with the air bursting capacity that mounts under barrel? Yes and intact they are. The USMC, IDF, and Singapore all have programs that are looking for 40mm under barrel systems that are capable of offering the same ability's albeit from a single shot.
As well as possibly retrofitting existing multishot grenade launchers.
additional it should be noted that both K11 and XM29 are dead. The XM 29 was to heavy so she became the XM25 now M25 which lacks the carbine and it looks like the Koreans might do the same. Neopup seems the way to go. A stand alone.

 

[ahho]

The thing is they were looking for a semiautomatic or repeater action. This makes it larger than could be reasonable mounted under barrel. The reasons they went with 20mm and 25mm were so that it could fit in a man portable magazine loaded weapon. Now then could they make a system with the air bursting capacity that mounts under barrel? Yes and intact they are. The USMC, IDF, and Singapore all have programs that are looking for 40mm under barrel systems that are capable of offering the same ability's albeit from a single shot.
As well as possibly retrofitting existing multishot grenade launchers.
additional it should be noted that both K11 and XM29 are dead. The XM 29 was to heavy so she became the XM25 now M25 which lacks the carbine and it looks like the Koreans might do the same. Neopup seems the way to go. A stand alone.

For sure I know that the XM-29 was dead and XM25 was the new replacement, but K-11 was cancelled? that is news to me. Not trying to question you, but was there any news link on it.

Well, the one that I am mentioning was not for automatic fire, since it would be heavy, huge and unbalance the gun, but more like current single load and single fire grenade. I am curious, do you have a link on the 40mm system that you mentioned, I am interested to read the article. Also, I know that automatic fire definitely provide advantage, but how much more advantage does it provide for a single soldier. I mean a firing squad can carry a XM-25 around or the XM307 for the crew.

Another thing that I want to ask for everyone, if you were to design an OICW, would you prefer to have separate trigger for the grenade, or to have it within the same trigger. My personal preference is have separate trigger, since in emergency situation, you can fire the rifle right away without turning the switch if you are on the grenade launcher mode