Many high-tech weapons are announced by military scientists and defence firms with great fanfare, then fade into obscurity once they face the realities of war. But the XM25 Counter Defilade Target Engagement System – a grenade launcher with a ballistic computer that places airbursting rounds with precision – has actually been field-tested in Afghanistan, where a limited number of troops determined its readiness for wider deployment.

In 2010, the US Army delivered five XM25s to soldiers in Afghanistan; they fired 55 rounds in combat and dubbed the weapon “the Punisher”. This year, XM25 developer ATK received R474 million to finalise the design. Based on soldier feedback, the system will be lighter and have longer battery life than the prototypes and an increased range. It could enter service in 2013. – Joe Pappalardo

Ready
A soldier uses the data from a laser range finder to manually set the distance at which the round will detonate.

Aim
A ballistic computer on the weapon determines the flight profile and sends information to a microchip in the round.

Fire
A reciprocating barrel reduces recoil. The round measures distance travelled by the number of times it spins.

Detonate
The round explodes in the air near an otherwise shielded target.

Check out “The Punisher” at work.