Have mercy...i'm quite new on designing this kind of stuff. :(

Name : Bristow Heavy Sniper Weapon [BESiW] (Long name), Bristow (Common name)
Codename : HG-S1
Alternate Name : Darteye
Role : Long range soft target interdiction, anti materiel rifle
Weight : 17 kg (without sight system), 17.5 kg (with sight system)
Length : 1.3 meters (extended stock), 1.15 meters (collapsed stock)
Barrel Length : 1000mm
Operation : Long recoil, semi-automatic
Rifling : Octagonal (polygonal rifling), 10:1 twist (complete twist in 250mm)
Sight System : Hadassi SGC-01 Telescopic Sight
Chambered in : 15 mm x 165 mm (Haishan's AMR/AP standard Five-Two; HAMP 5-2 designation)
Effective Maximum Range : 2200 meters (Arsu EA1), 2200 meters (Siv GP1, Siv GP2), 2300 meters (Teke BG1).
Feed System : Seven rounds detachable box feed magazine with translucent side wall for ammo count purposes, bullpup configuration.
Rail system : Picatanny
Support System : Hadassi SGS-01 Rangefinder
Support System Weight : 0.65 kg
Support System Memory : 10 Gb

Introduction

Bristow Heavy Sniper Weapon or its common name of Bristow (called as Liuxing Chui in Haishan; means Meteor Hammer) is the direct byproduct of high powered sniping weapon designed for long range interdiction. Work on the sniper begun in the early days of 2005 in quest to find a new weapon to fill long range sniping needs of Haishan's Ground Contingent, supplementing overall combat effectiveness of Haishan's ground troops. The weapon was completely designed by Jekon Arms Manufacturing Corps as requested personally by Sashan Vidin as he noticed Haishan lack any proper long ranged sniper weapons. Even though avionics and missile technologies are progressing rapidly, the cost of such missiles are still more expensive than a common bullet round. In addition to the dilemma, a common missile can be jammed from working effectively and shot down whilst a traveling bullet would be hard to intercept. Bristow was the first gun built completely based on opinions of Haishan's snipers which eventually set a common tradition of weapon manufacturers asking the cooperation and opinions of armed forces for the planned product(s). The weapon is designed for several aims in mind; accuracy at long ranges, durability for long term operations and ease of usage for faster reaction times and lesser maintenance or replacing problems.

Sighting System Design

The designers of Bristow seek to revamp, collate and ease the operations and usage of common day long ranged sniper weapon. They merged the common day ballistic computer into the scoping system of Bristow and added various functions to the accompanying rangefinder binoculars. These changes are reflected in the Hadassi SGC-01 Telescopic Sight and Hadassi SGS-01 Rangefinder systems. Hadassi SGC-01 Telescopic Sight, a parallelogram-shaped device installed on the top of Bristow is composed of several subsystems as listed in the following; a customisable digital-optic CCD camera subsystem 'Coran' (1x - 40x zoom with auto focus, anti-vibration, anti-glare and auto colour balance correction) and a NV/IR camera system. The vision systems are interlaced with the scope's dedicated ballistic computer called as HSGI. It samples critical meteorological readings such as air humidity, air temperature, wind direction & speed and air density automatically via usage of an interferometer ladar sensor and calculates a proper ballistic solution to be utilized by the sniper. The calculated data then is provided to the sniper as simple units displayed in the main digital scope so the sniper can adjust Bristow manually to fit the given data for an accurate shot. To ensure redundancy of the system, a separate telescopic reflex sight(1-20x zoom) with red LED illumination, own zinc-air battery power source and auto brightness control is provided with the weapon which is still compatible with the HSGI; the ballistic computer unit is simply a rectangular unit affixed to a slot found on the top of Hadassi SGC-01 Telescopic Sight system and can be simply affixed to the support scope if the need arises and when the Hadassi SGC-01 Telescopic Sight is not available for usage. Power for the Bristow scope system is provided by HSGTF-1 power unit.

Hadassi SGS-01 Rangefinder serve to complement the effectiveness of the Bristow weapon; the rangefinder provide extended surveillance capabilities and targeting capabilities for the sniper gun. It's composed of several key components, 'Coran' linked to a microprocessor MRT2, NV/IR vision scope, 'Junka' system and 'Runka' IR targeting system. The MRT2 microprocessor allows the user to 'mark' multiple potential targets via help of 'Runka' IR targeting system and allowing to discern various types of potential targets. The 'Runka' IR targeting system is also responsible to provide support IR laser beam guidance for Bristow's advanced ammunition, as well calculating the distance between the target and the sniper. 'Junka' system is a specialized IR laser based hearing unit; it's composed of three IR laser beams(for redundancy and better sound resolution) working in conjunction of their respective a high powered lens and micro optical stabilizer system(to compensate and cancel excess vibration). It works by analyzing the return of the pulsed IR laser into a reflective surface near the target, building up audio profile from calculated data that uses vibrations contained within the bounced beam as a source.

Additional support separate system of the rangefinder is a dedicated Nion-2 VHF communication node for the sniper team to communicate with other assets in the field when the need arises. The rangefinder is capable to track and 'mark' multiple potential different targets at one time, ranging from a human soldier, to a flying helicopter, low flying CAS airplanes and to armoured units such as APC and tanks. These different targets are assigned different icon overlays by the MRT2 microprocessor, allowing quick and easy identification of potential targets. Additional function of Hadassi SGS-01 Rangefinder is 'Snapshot' mode whereby its 'Coran' camera can be used in conjunction of NV/IR vision scope to take a picture of the viewed area, taking either a focused picture or a limited panoramic view which can include identified target icons as optional overlay. The 'snapshot' mode ranges from IR only, to NV only, to Digital only or combined snapshot mode. It's also capable of recording audio data gained from 'Junka' laser based listening system. The rangefinder is powered by HSGTF-1 power unit while the optional telescopic holo-circle reflex sight is powered by a zinc-air battery unit. The targeting data produced by the rangefinder can be transferred to the Hadassi SGC-01 Telescopic Sight system with a durable lightweight cord wire. Similarly the Bristow scope system can transfer data to the rangefinder, particularly the corrected ballistic data and optional meteorological data via the same wired connection.

The rangefinder is a binocular with a slot in the middle for installing separate support telescopic reflex sight that is illuminated by a red LED(includes its own lithium-ion polymer battery) with auto brightness control. Battery for the rangefinder is located on the underside of the unit which can be removed by opening the battery cover. Near the battery port would be a five port jack with their jack cover (made of vinyl) respectively; these port jack allows the user of the rangefinder and the sniper to use a headphone in conjunction of 'Junka' laser based listening system, allowing data transfer between the rangefinder and the scope system and connect to the Nion-2 VHF communication node. The rangefinder includes two USB slot ports with the port jack portion, for purpose of transferring data between an USB thumbdrive or a handheld additional ballistic computer pad or for transferring data to a computer.

HSGTF-1 is made of two components, an automatic integrated voltage control circuit and several cells of lithium-ion polymer battery in a hard plastic casing. The integrated voltage control circuit(made of gallium arsenide) ensure even charging and discharge of the cell units when in operation and help to reduce inconsistencies in power deliverance. Both optical systems are comparatively smaller than its mechanically-served optical systems' counterpart on similar performance which feature is made plausible with usage of specially constructed spatial light modulator (SLM) lens. The development of SLM allows Jekon Arms Manufacturing Corp to create a foveated imaging where common day bulky and heavy fisheye lens is replaced by a relatively small, lightweight wide view vision area system; the SLM is made of nematic liquid crystal layer between two transparent tin oxide electrode layer with 48 electrode connection per electrode layer that allow it to correct aberrations in small area at any point within a wide area of vision and allowing variable focus length similar to a human's lens. The SLM provides accurate foveated imaging up to 120 degrees field of vision. This SLM is coupled with a spherical air filled glass shell which is put on the electrode layer that faces outward. The sniper or the rangefinder user can easily change his or her scope's focus via pressing specific command buttons; the optic command buttons (zoom and snapshot button) for the rangefinder is located on the top sides of the rangefinder while for the sniper gun, such buttons are located above the Hadassi SGC-01 Telescopic Sight optical system.

Gun Design

The main frame of the Bristow sniper gun is constructed from aluminum-steel alloy while other components that do not touch the barrel assembly are made with a durable plastic polymer which is thermally bonded to fiber glass composite and applied an acrylic coat before being applied with cameo coat. To control recoil of the weapon, the designers of Bristow borrowed a concept from shotguns whereby a long recoil mechanism is used to dampen the weapon's recoil. This recoil system is aided by a shock absorbing hydropneumatic sleeve in order to further reduce recoil. A bipod(located under the hydropnenumatic cylinder sleeve portion, before the barrel) with similar hydropneumatic sleeve incorporated in its legs ensure even level placement of the weapon. This bipod system is interlinked to the sniper whereby the user can adjust the level of the Bristow placemen height by depressing command button located on the right side of the weapon and above the grip area. The bipod when deployed will indicate a sixty degree arc between its legs, and the user can lock the bipod's deployed legs from any further movement by pressing a small lock button near the bipod's leg hinge. Ignition of the bullet's primer uses an electrical ignition system(with its own lithium-ion polymer battery unit) compared to normal hammer strike of common firearms as to increase accuracy and reduce mechanical complexity. Thus to use Bristow effectively, the electrical ignition system must be firstly started by depressing a safety button near the grip area which if it's engaged, the scope system of Bristow will display a full overlay opposed to safety mode incomplete targeting overlay (no distance graduation overlay). The designers include several small compartments in Bristow whereby the sniper may utilize by putting specific weight to calibrate the weapon balance level. Bristow gun barrel is equipped with a heavy duty muzzle brake, in order to reduce weapon's flash and further reduce recoiling gasses from returning inside the barrel.

Barrel Design

The sniper gun uses a ceramic gun barrel whereby the ceramic is a ceramic-fiber reinforced ceramic matrix (CFRCM) which is formed via powder injection molding. The barrel is firstly constructed from feedstock comprising of SiC/AlON and an organic binder filled into the mold. The mold also serve to impart a polygonal rifiling pattern on the barrel, cutting the need to machine the barrel rifling at later time. The filled mold then heated up, to melt the feedstock and form the first ceramic layer. After the barrel is formed from the powder, the mold is removed and the barrel undergoes sintering process to further strengthen its structure. SiC fibers then laid onto the sintered barrel with a binder which binder then melted off to leave the fibers on the barrel. This pre-completed barrel then gain an another layer of SiC/AlON via CVD process before sintered again to ensure even uniformity. The inner barrel layer then layered with carbo-nitride layer via CVD.

The designers looked into carbon composites for the jacket of the barrel as carbon composites are light weight and provide good heat dissipation capabilities to avoid barrel wrap. Usage of PAN(Polyacrylonitrile, epoxy)+carbon fibers as the barrel jacket had failed because the barrel and the composite jacket themselves expand and contract at different rates. Solution to the problem then achieved by including a carbon pitch fiber inside the PAN+carbon fiber mixture, providing structural support to the composite. The PAN+carbon fiber material is laid on the external layer of the barrel assembly, angled 89 degrees from x-axis and winded till appropriate thickness is achieved. This composite layer then is set on the barrel via high pressure and high temperature press in order to melt the epoxy and bind the carbon composite materials together. Usage of the composite carbon layer also help to reduce resonating harmonics in the barrel when the sniper gun fires, further increasing the barrel's structural integrity and durability.

Ammunition Design

• Arsu EA1
  
  Given the Bristow was completely designed from scratch, the designers of the weapon seek to produce dedicated rounds for it. Arsu EA1 was the initial result of seeking a suitable anti-materiel round to use against lightly armoured targets. It's a 15mm x 165 mm round that takes the concept from present day Raufoss Mk 211 round. The munition is composed of copper casing that enclose a tungsten carbide kinetic penetrator in its core, accompanied by a highly explosive charge of FOX-7/HTPB and a specific incendiary section (after the HE section, near the cone of the bullet) that is composed of white phosphorus/zirconium powder mixture. A mild steel core form the base cup of the munition. A small high explosive charge(made of FOX-12/GAP mix) is laid directly on the back end of the kinetic penetrator, to further drive it forward for increased penetration power. Arsu EA1 uses a pyrotechnic fuze train(coupled with a small piezoelectric fuze fitted on the nose of the bullet to initiate the pyrotechnic fuze train) that is responsible to detonate the high explosive section (which can disperse the incendiary section) and detonating the HE charge behind the KE penetrator. The bullet have a flat boat tail end design and helical grooves on its body for purpose of stable flight.
  
  
• Teke BG1
  
  The second round developed for Bristow is Teke BG1 upon continuation of seeking better munitions. Teke BG1 is a dedicated armour-piercing penetrator round enclosed in a sabot; the penetrator dart itself is made of tungsten carbide (14.5mm diameter and 160mm long) that have a specific corkscrew shape for increased transonic flight stability via rotation opposed of similar saboted KE darts that relies on fins to retain flight stability. The bullet uses similar gun propellant as Arsu EA1.
  
  
• Siv GP1
  
  Siv GP1 serve as the third special ammunition created for Bristow gun; it's a 15mm x 165 mm (the actual bullet is 130mm long) guided bullet round. Recent miniaturization of electronics and micro engineering made the bullet concept plausible; Siv GP1 have a brass jacket that enclose a tungsten carbide round with one IR laser sensor on the tip of the bullet. Flight path correction is made plausible by implementation of micro piezoelectric actuators (which is powered by a lithium-ion polymer battery) that is connected to several extendable fins on the bullet's body which fin when extended changes the revolution of the spinning round thus changing the round's overall vector. An additional electronically controlled mass balance(micro-actuators with attached small tungsten weights on their ends) also help to change the ballistic path of the bullet. Similarly to other bullet designs of Bristow, Siv GP1 uses a mixture of FOX-12/GAP as a bullet propellant. The sniper or the rangefinder can set a specific IR laser pattern for the bullet's IR laser sensor to pick up, to avoid the bullet from being swerved by stray IR laser beams that might be cluttering the battlefield. Upon that concept, the designers in Jekon Arms Manufacturing Corp seek to further pursue potential variants of Siv GP1 while retaining similar jacket material.
  
  
• Siv GP2
  
  Siv GP2 is a revolutionary different design than its precursor, instead of using small fins, the bullet uses venturi effect to change the direction of its flight path. This is made plausible with incorporation of several small ports and channels inside the bullet assembly. The opening and closing of the ports are made with several micro actuators that control cover on their respective ports. By opening the port in one side and opening another in an another side, it will induce a low pressure region on the said port which translate into changing the revolution of the bullet thus changing the bullet's vector. Siv GP2 however carries a similar core as Siv GP1.

Sources and References

Steyr IWS 2000
SLM Lens
LC Lens
BORS - Ballistic Computer Reference
Composite Barrel Assembly
Ceramic Matrix Composite
Raufoss reference
Corkscrew Projectile
Guided Bullet Design
Guided Bullet Design 2(Sandia Labs)
Guided Bullet Reference (Sandia Labs)
Guided Bullet Reference 2

"The weapon is designed for several aims in mind; accuracy at long ranges, durability for long term operations and ease of usage for faster reaction times and lesser maintenance or replacing problems."

Should snipers be shooting laser beams all over the place?

Well it doesn't exactly shooting laser beam ( infra-red[IR] laser beam btw so quite invisible to human eyes) all place. The IR laser is there to guide the Siv GP1 and Siv GP2 bullet (when in flight) and allow their path correction ability to work. The scope might be shooting laser beams everywhere but that's how the scope ballistic computer collects data via IR laser analysis, pulsed lidar doppler method. The IR laser only present on the ballistic computer unit and as well on the rangefinder; in any condition that the sniper does not shoots out a laser beam. The same IR laser is responsible to calculate distance between the sniper and the target as one of primary data input for the ballistic computer, for proper gun calibration after taking many factors into account such as wind speed and such. I know my writeup is bad, it's just bare mechanics. :unsure:

Wonder what lidar looks like? I'm guessing a disco ball. Depending on wavelength, your lasers may be invisible to ordinary night vision, but thermal sights are increasingly common. Hint: You've got IR sensors small and cheap enough to go on the ends of bullets.

Some of this looks familiar, but it's really complicated for something designed in 2005.

Military lidars can be small. If I can't escape the IR imaging or NV system, then i will go around it. Thinking that the IR laser optics would have wavelength band ranges from 3 micrometers to 50 micrometers, utilizing very short pulse time window (>1 second, 10 nanosecond - 50 nanosecond) and random frequency band hop(per pulse) inclusion to defeat common IR imaging system from tracking into the specific IR laser frequency and confusing the enemy sensor with variable wavelength pulses(hopefully!) and addition of GPS receiver for more accuracy. The sniper won't be constantly spewing IR laser beam, it's when the gun is ready to shoot that the IR laser systems will be used and mind that the sniper is used not only for night operations but also for daytime operations so to detect the IR laser pulse from Bristow particularly in daytime is quite difficult due to background clutter. Changed pulsed ladar doppler thing with ladar interferometer design. If the sniper is detected then, it's time for the sniper team to get out of the current area (by the time the enemy detect the IR laser pulse, chances are a bullet will be flying at the enemy from 2 kilometers away and with the sniper team packing up and go). As i said before, i'm no expert and my design bound to have flaws, it won't be 100% perfect.

All inspiring and interesting stuff ITT, pretty unconventional but daring.

I've readed about the "guided bullet" before, BLAM munitions IIRC? It was meant for 20mm+ and most likely more than that. Your bullet is a little larger in length but still this might be insufficient in width.

If it is designed for ease of use, eh... Well it doesn't really look easy to use. It's pretty complicated actually. Especially the scope. I'm not saying it is wrong, but your requirements do not align with your final product.

There also is a bit of stuff that is just plain unnecesary; bipod for example. Why deploy it electronically? Mechanical deployment sounds easier and more fail-proof.

BLAM(37 cal) was tested in 95-97 by USAF Armament Directorate and fully tested to work properly but the program was terminated. It's continuation, Range Extended Adaptive Munition(REAM, 0.5 cal) in 98-99 under DAPRA was once again proven and tested but the funding for it was cut off and the program was terminated. Source link, http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA432910. Considering the Bristow's Siv GP1 and GP2 are significantly larger than 0.5 cal, it's plausible. Now it's Sandia Labs that work on guided bullet rounds, plausibly under DAPRA's EXACTO program.

Image of current Sandia Lab bullet, http://cdn5.thefirearmsblog.com/blog/wp-co..._bullet-tfb.jpg , spoiler code doesn't seem to work.

I will work on the writeup more.

i cringe at the mandarin name

why name an AMR after a hammer

at least give it an awesome flowery poetic old timey name

Will work on it, additional source link on Sandia Labs work, link here https://ip.sandia.gov/technology.do/techID=78 and the source pdf here, https://ip.sandia.gov/techpdfs/Small%20Cali...202011-1847.pdf. Technology Readiness Level 5, the guided bullet concept is now available for manufacture and usage. Writeup particularly dates are clunky, so i guess the Siv GP1 and Siv GP2 is just recently designed for Bristow, prolly year 2009 (Sandia Labs released their news in 2011, ICly Haishan is quite advanced in terms of electronic technologies and fast to test and adopt them so release year of 2009). Changed up the writeup a bit, added some reference links for design credibility of Siv GP1 and Siv GP2.