The U.S. Military Is Reportedly Testing Underwater Bullets

You can shoot them with a regular gun.

Underwater Bullets

The U.S. Special Operations Command is reportedly testing bullets that can be shot underwater, according to Defense One. Regular bullets slow down significantly underwater, posing little threat, because water is eight times denser than air.

The goal is to allow frogmen, naval soldiers that are trained in underwater environments, to attack boats from under the surface, or for personnel stationed on helicopters to hit submarines.

Tungsten Tip

According to Business Insider, the bullets are being tested by the Office of the Secretary of Defense's Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office.

Military contractor DSG Technologies created a bullet that has its tip coated in tungsten, allowing it to create a small air bubble in front of it — a process called "supercavitation." The bubble reduces drag in the same way that similar air bubbles reduce drag of torpedoes, as Defense One reports. BI was also not able to confirm if DSG is working with the CTTSO or SOCOM.

CavX

DSG Technologies showed off its CavX Multi Environment Ammunition at a shooting range outside of Fayetteville, North Carolina by firing a Colt AR-15 through 13 blocks of 1.3 feet thick blocks of ballistic gelatin.

A .50 caliber CavX round can travel 60 meters underwater, according to Defense One.

READ MORE: The US military is testing water-penetrating bullets, reportedly so Navy SEALs can shoot from underwater [Business Insider]

More on bullets: Wanted’s Course-Changing Bullet is Now A Reality