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Tom Clancy Drool-Fest

January 27, 2009 - 8:51 am - by Stephen Green

Here’s an iPhone app I bet Steve Jobs never dreamed of:

Apple computer now has two sniper rifle software applications for the iPhone and iPod Touch (which looks like the iPhone, but is just an iPod with a big screen and wi-fi capability). The BulletFlight software is available at the iPhone software store, and it performs the calculations needed to account for atmospheric conditions (wind, temperature, humidity, altitude and barometric pressure) for long range shooting. The output tells you how many clicks to adjust your scope to make the shot more accurately. Before use, you input basic data like rifle type and bullet weight.
Now a highly experienced sniper can do this in his head. There are similar dedicated devices that cost about $7,000. But BulletFlight is affordable, does the job and appeals to inexperienced snipers, hunters, recreational shooters and those who are just curious. The software costs $12.

Whoa.

(Sniper and rifle and ammo and spotter and unsuspecting enemy not included.)

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7 Comments, 7 Threads

  1. 1. Nick Bourbaki

    That will come in handy for this:

    http://www.rondak.org/Images/diary-pix/rooftops.jpg

    January 27, 2009 - 9:07 am   Link to this Comment
  2. 2. NukemHill

    (Sniper and rifle and ammo and spotter and unsuspecting enemy not included.)

    Not gonna make it easy for us, are they?

    January 27, 2009 - 9:49 am   Link to this Comment
  3. 3. Garrett

    Sweet.

    January 27, 2009 - 10:27 am   Link to this Comment
  4. 4. Chris Byrne

    Ballistic calculators are no longer all that expensive. There are several good software packages for Palm and windows mobile devices for free or low cost; as well as commercial software packages in the $50 to $100 range, and several dedicated ballistic calculator devices in the $100 to $1500 range.

    I have both iSnipe and BulletFlight, and BF is definitely better.

    January 27, 2009 - 12:15 pm   Link to this Comment
  5. 5. bgates

    If I had an army with 100+ years of institutional memory in sniper training and several decades of technical and technological superiority over every conceivable opponent, this would be a nice toy, but if I were running a shoestring (sandal strap?) operation to turn a few dozen drooling psychopaths into long range killers, this would be a gift from Allah.

    January 28, 2009 - 1:11 am   Link to this Comment
  6. 6. rosignol

    Nah, jihadis expect allah to do the aiming for them. I seriously doubt they’re even aware of this little toy…

    January 28, 2009 - 4:31 am   Link to this Comment
  7. 7. Alsadius

    Rosignol, you’re right that there’s probably a lot of jihadis who think that way. However, those are the ones who are already dead. The dangerous ones are the smart ones, and the smart ones are the ones who will use things like this.

    Technology is an ever more impressive tool. It gives people a lot more capability, but unfortunately the bad guys are people too. Not worth stopping the train for, of course, but it is occasionally unfortunate which stations it visits.

    January 28, 2009 - 2:13 pm   Link to this Comment