METALSTORM in anti-RPG study

[2RHPZ]

Metal Storm Selected by the US Navy for Anti-RPG Feasibility Study

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA --- Metal Storm Limited

International ballistics company Metal Storm will take the lead role in a US Navy program to develop a system to defeat incoming rocket propelled grenades (RPGs).

The program is part of a Phase 1 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award to the company’s US subsidiary, Metal Storm Inc.

Metal Storm will be prime contractor in this funded program designed to demonstrate the feasibility of producing an RPG defence system that integrates Metal Storm’s electronic ballistics technology with the sensor, mount and fire control system of subcontractor Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC).

Metal Storm Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Charles Vehlow, said the company is now recognised as having the capability to take the lead in critical defence feasibility projects, such as the RPG defence system, and has the engineering and technical depth to deliver on such a significant program.

“Increasingly, US and allied forces are finding themselves vulnerable to RPG attacks, which generally occur at short range and allow only a fraction of a second for a response.”

“We believe Metal Storm technology provides unique advantages to address the threat posed by RPGs. Importantly, this project will draw on the technology platforms already being developed by the company,” Mr Vehlow said.

Phase I of the program aims to develop the system concept, and will span a six-month period commencing August 30, 2004. If successful, the program would then proceed to Phase II, during which a demonstrator system would be developed.

[MEGR]

I've seen the Metal Storm in action. It's an amazing piece of hardware; however, it is rather large, too large to be effective on a humvee.

[agcsy]

The concept is cool and i can see it being used in an anti missile role on ships and maybe as remote controlled area denial weapons. But when it comes to mounting on vehicles like APCS or Humvees i dont see it working out.

Its ROF may be very high but that is countered by the fact that it cannot be reloaded while in combat. I see its role kind of like that gun in the movie aliens you park it somewhere you dont want people to go and have it light them up.

It also could replace the vulcan system on ships with its high rate of fire and wide spread. It would be much easier to reload on a ship just crate the old load off and move the new on into the mounting.

[EasyC]

the bloody gun could turn a humvee into scrap metal within a few seconds, so use it on an army of soldiers.

[James]

Is metalstorm that crazy weapon system that fires like 1 billion rounds a minute?

[Herrmannek]

Is metalstorm that crazy weapon system that fires like 1 billion rounds a minute?

or more...


I just got great idea..metalstorm is great thing for grenade part of OICW project. I wonder why nooone thought about that...yet. Just imagine three or four 30mm barrels of metal storm with 2 rounds in each mounted like 203 or if you realy want long barrels over the xm8 and reloaded more or less like double bareled shotgun or like plasma in doom3... 4barelsx30mmx2rounds of oicv will easily fit double mag pouches, it will have 8 shots with far more versality of rates of fire then normal OICW.. You will be also able to make mixed sets of rounds in mag to(metalstorm said it works on that)...
example uses normal OICW can't...

-put butstock on ground, aim and fire all greanades at once making hell on other end.
-no jam capability
-no problems with bullpup configuration because breach is always closed
-posibility to use special rounds, longer shorter etc anything will fit two standard grenades lenght magazine

many more...

IMHO there is great future for metalstorm, I regret I was too young to actions of it when they were cheap as ****...

[digrar]

I've seen the Metal Storm in action. It's an amazing piece of hardware; however, it is rather large, too large to be effective on a humvee.

I have seen metal storm technology in a pistol, so size isn't really a problem, they can make it as big or small as the job requires.

[Carlos]

I just got great idea..metalstorm is great thing for grenade part of OICW project. I wonder why nooone thought about that...yet. .

Too late... ;)

There is already an concept of an ADVANCED INDIVIDUAL COMBAT WEAPON (AICW) (http://dboy.cpgl.net/austria/steyr/aug/aicw.jpg)

http://www.gun-world.net/austria/steyr/aug/aicw3.jpg
http://www.gun-world.net/austria/steyr/aug/aicw6.jpg
http://www.gun-world.net/austria/steyr/aug/aicw5.jpg



What I see as a major problem with this is the differing length of barrel the grenades will have to pass and the complicated calculation for the right amount of charge to propell these rounds to achieve consistent projectile velocity (which is needed for the required precision on longer ranges and for the timing of the air-burst).


This IMHO is (at least at this time) too complicated and the conservative approach as is represented with a semiatomatic grenade launcher is more feasible.

An remember - a magazine fed laucher allows tactical reloads whereas a Metalstorm tube can only be replaced and (most probably) not reloaded in the field...


So you may also be able to change the type of grenade more easily with a magazine fed launcher...



-no jam capability


What abwout misfires?

With a conventional design you just eject the dud round an rechamber a new one.

With Metalstorm you start removing your barrel and have to discard all included (and perhaps still working) grenades left in it.




-posibility to use special rounds, longer shorter etc anything will fit two standard grenades lenght magazine


That I can also do with a AG36 or any other side/down/up-swinging or muzzle-loaded launcher too.

IMHO there is actually no need for a semiatomatic launcher - two or three conventional launchers with progammable airburst-rounds and a electrooptical sight would be of more use (and most probably cheaper as existing units can be converted).

[Zenchan]

Whatever I saw of Metalstorm — was only a hyped-up prototype rofl with a lot of hyped-up PR. This thing has been around in the news now for more than five, if not even ten years and has been sold to journalists as the ultimate weapon against shipborne missiles, RPGs, machine gun replacement, AAA, and an in-flight-on-board-weapon against hijackers (sic!) .

It seems, its inventor is always latching onto the latest craze...

I will refrain from any positive comments of the viabilty of the concept until I finally see a serial-production, field-tested version of this gun. Currently it smells like a business idea to siphon off some of the R & D money bandied around by the Pentagon and MoD...

Basically the idea stems back to the 16th century , when it was known in teutonic language as an "Orgelgeschütz" - organ gun. :roll: It did not work then very well...

[Carlos]

Actually I see a certain use in the fields of CIWS and Area Denial where precision is defined different as with individual weapons carried by a soldier...

[Herrmannek]

I just got great idea..metalstorm is great thing for grenade part of OICW project. I wonder why nooone thought about that...yet. .

Too late... ;)

DAMN :)


What I see as a major problem with this is the differing length of barrel the grenades will have to pass and the complicated calculation for the right amount of charge to propell these rounds to achieve consistent projectile velocity (which is needed for the required precision on longer ranges and for the timing of the air-burst).

This isn't a problem at all, tubes are loaded in fabrique with very strict regimes not in field, this isn't waepon demanding .25 MOA accuracy neither

This IMHO is (at least at this time) too complicated and the conservative approach as is represented with a semiatomatic grenade launcher is more feasible.

IMHO off course its not :) read further....

An remember - a magazine fed laucher allows tactical reloads whereas a Metalstorm tube can only be replaced and (most probably) not reloaded in the field...

Thats why I thougth about multiple barrel design... where you can detach one of the 4 or 3 tubes from the magazine and put there new one. Additionaly I don'tt think that even in case of semi auto GLs soldiers will be equiped with much of rounds not stored in magazines already. so insted of swaping rounds between magazines just swap magazines :)


So you may also be able to change the type of grenade more easily with a magazine fed launcher...

look up, multibarel metalstorm gives much more posibbilities... Imagine that there will be few kinds of tubes from with you can build your magazine, and remember that gun will have complicated FCS with will alow to chose from what tube or what kind of grenade you want to shot... in normal design you can only shot in order random types of grenades are put in your magazine.



-no jam capability


What abwout misfires? && With a conventional design you just eject the dud round an rechamber a new one.

This is electricaly primed weapon once for a milion or even less isn't a problem at all, esspecialy FCS can do multiple trys to prime round subsequent in miliseconds, with isn't possible with normal semiGLs as I said you have many barrels so in case round will not ignite after few FCS trys, FCS will shot other barrel with same or most apropierate available greande, so after succesfull shot FCS will inform shooter about failure of one or more rounds and soldier who will be covered already will have chance to deal with problem..change magazines or if he will have more time he will change tubes... And this is very unprobable event.. With normal semiGL soldier will be informed about failure when he will push the triger often exposing his possition, he sometimes can't have second chance to shot, if he will not die in process he will need search for cover manualy extract dude and search other oportunity to make succesfull shot. So what you were saying about missfires? Did I mentioned that FCS will have chance to do system check and detect dudes right after puting magazine into lanucher?



With Metalstorm you start removing your barrel and have to discard all included (and perhaps still working) grenades left in it.

As I said with multiple barel design you change magazines as normal ones, if you want to play with magazines they are made of few ammo tubes probably containing no more than two rounds each(so whole magazine of 30mm will have roughly dimensions of two 30rd round magazines and should fit normal pouch). So you can from full tubes mount full magazines like in normal guns... Yes its little drawback that after refiling magazines you will statisticaly have one not full magazine left made of partialy used tubes.



-posibility to use special rounds, longer shorter etc anything will fit two standard grenades lenght magazine


That I can also do with a AG36 or any other side/down/up-swinging or muzzle-loaded launcher too.

Does they are semiautomatic? NO there is no comparsion. Now you have automatic launcher that can use multiple kind of rounds(from very long iluminate/smoke/armor piercing ones taking whole one tube to small buckshot/incendiary/markers/training ones with three or four will fit one tube.


IMHO there is actually no need for a semiatomatic launcher - two or three conventional launchers with progammable airburst-rounds and a electrooptical sight would be of more use (and most probably cheaper as existing units can be converted).

Cheaper? Mass produced elecrtonics are cheap as dirt. With ease they can be much cheaper than any mechanical operated weapon.


Did I said that even multiple barel launcher can weight not more than semi auto ones of same kind because weapon action isn't needed anymore and magazine is actualypart of barrel and barrel. Did I said that they will be shorter because there is no need place for weapon action? Additionaly bulk of multiple barrel can be reduced by sideby sie and over and under barrel configuration. Wepon will not breake because of complete of moving parts, will not jam in normal sense and many more just use your imagination... This technology is ideal for OICW kind of weapons.

[MEGR]

I've seen the Metal Storm in action. It's an amazing piece of hardware; however, it is rather large, too large to be effective on a humvee.

I have seen metal storm technology in a pistol, so size isn't really a problem, they can make it as big or small as the job requires.

Really? Haven't seen anything on that. Have any articles, or URLs?

[Herrmannek]

there are videos on the oryginal metalstorm site...

[Herrmannek]

No one disagrees? At least say you agreee..PLZ

[digrar]

I've seen the Metal Storm in action. It's an amazing piece of hardware; however, it is rather large, too large to be effective on a humvee.

I have seen metal storm technology in a pistol, so size isn't really a problem, they can make it as big or small as the job requires.

Really? Haven't seen anything on that. Have any articles, or URLs?

I saw it on the news here in Australia 4 or 5 years ago, they were pitching it at police. The ability to put three rounds in a tight group with one trigger pull was one selling point. The other was that they could slave the weapon to a single user by a ring worn by the opperator, with out the ring the weapon wouldn't fire.

http://www.g4techtv.com/techtvvault/features/35631/Metal_Storm_Ultimate_Killing_Machine.html

This article only makes a passing reference to the pistol about 3/4 of the way through.