The Fastest Machine Gun

Metal Storm's 16-barrel 40mm weapon provides variable rates of fire up to 45,000 rounds per minute per barrel

Metal Storm has been granted another round of patents for the company’s weapon technology using a computer-controlled electronic ignition and a system of stacked projectiles for multiple barrels.

These weapons have no moving parts aside from the projectiles themselves. The bullets are stacked on end in the barrel, separated only by a thin layer of propellant. This offers a variable rate of fire, from semi-automatic to a devastating 45,000 rounds per minute per barrel, with each bullet leaving the barrel at only 4” behind the last.

Metal Storm recently demonstrated the live firing of its 40mm electronic ballistics system.

Our electronic ballistics system has no mechanical parts and provides a lightweight, compact weapon which carries a payload of 16 shots, 10 more than the existing alternative," said Mike O'Dwyer, director of scientific innovation at Metal Storm. "The system is capable of variable rates of fire, selected and fired by remote control. We intend to undertake further development of the Metal Storm system with a view to increasing the payload to 48 shots," Mr O'Dwyer said.

About Metal Storm's Technology

The distinguishing features of this technology are the absence of ammunition feed and casing ejection systems (the only moving parts are the projectiles), and the electronic ignition of the propellant charges.

The clustered barrel allows selective firing from any barrel in a cluster, and within each barrel the ability to control the rate of fire. This allows for responses which range from the equivalent of a volley gun discharge (all projectiles 'at once') to using (selectively) individual munitions with increasingly serious (but non-lethal) effects and lethal munitions including high explosive and air burst shells (all from different barrels in the array).

Metal Storm Weapons Video

Commander and Director of Metal Storm, General Wayne Downing said, "These firings represent a demonstrated capability which is simply not available in the weapon inventory today." The company plans to further develop and demonstrate the multi caliber, multi barrel weapon systems with a variety of lethal and non lethal munitions, providing a new and leading edge capability that fits with the mix and match capabilities that ground commanders are seeking on the battlefield today.

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