In the Eye of the 'Metal Storm'

A terrfying ballistic weapon capable of firing at least 1 million rounds per minute. With its current 96 round configuration, it takes less than a second to fire its entire complement, delivering it entirely on the target. Behold the awesome ferocity of the 'Metal Storm'.

I incidentally found this weapon system in YouTube a few weeks ago as I was loooking into new weapon systems. Its a metal box with 9 barrels in 3x3 configuration, or 16 barrels in a 4x4 configuration. The munitions are lined up in one barrel and fired one by one via electrical trigger. It works on the same principle as the Roman candle where as the first projectile fires, it burns the charge for the next one. The difference is, the firing mechanish is precise enough to encable a single shot for all its load. Not only does it fire bullets but also launch multiple grenades, as a video from the Australian army show.

>

Metal Storm firing at 1,000 rpm

Though the development of the system has had its share of funding problems, I still think it has a lot of application and be a possible replacement for some defensive and offensive weapon systems.

grenade launcher configuration

One example is the smoke grenade dispenser mounted on a lot of models of tanks. The Metal Storm would have more capacity and increase its defensive capability.

Another example is for the multiple missle launcher (AT-6 Spiral with its 9K114 Shturm or 9M114 Kokon missles) on any of the the Russian Mi-24 variants, known throughout the world as the flying tank, or simply the Hind. With its lighter configuration, this system could increase the payload two-fold.

But since there is a restriction on the transfer of such weapon technology, its up to the Americans and the Australians to develop a carrier for this weapon system.

As this system is already referred to in many novels and movies. As many are named in Wikipedia, I suddenly remembered the English movie 'Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy', where there's a striking resemblance to its concept with the gut mounted primary weapon for the Vorgon soldiers.

the lovable Vorgons from 'The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy'