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Posted on 12/12/2004 4:20:42 PM PST by stockpirate

The Technology

Introduction

Metal Storm's technology provides a means whereby objects, such as bullets that have been tightly grouped in multiple tube containers such as barrels, can be stored, transported in and electrically fired from those same containers. These containers or barrels can be grouped in any configuration, to meet any particular application.

The technology has no known equivalent, and can provide an electronically variable burst rate of fire, from conventionally slow to previously unobtainable rates, in excess of one million rounds per minute.

The technology was originally inspired by a desire to try to reduce the number of mechanical steps required to load, fire, eject and reload weapons. In a quantum leap Metal Storm takes ballistics from nineteenth century mechanical operations into the new millennium.

The Concept

Metal Storm's technology achieves its unparalleled performance through the concept of numerous bullets stacked in a barrel, with each bullet separated by a propellant load, such that the leading propellant can be reliably ignited to fire the bullet, without the resulting high pressure and temperature causing unplanned blowby ignition of the trailing propellant load, and without collapse of the projectile column in the barrel.

This unique concept has been accomplished through the invention of a bullet which on the one hand expands and locks in the barrel in response to high pressure immediately in front of the bullet. As a consequence, each bullet in turn can be fired in sequence from the barrel, and an individual barrel tube, loaded with numerous rounds and exclusive of any ammunition feed or ejection system, breech opening, or any mechanical operation whatsoever, when provided with an electric priming system is, in effect, a complete weapon.

Barrels can be grouped in any configuration required for a particular application, while remaining simple and compact, and have no moving parts, no separate magazine, no ammunition feed or ejection system. Excluding consideration of appropriate ancillary systems such as recoil control systems, target acquisition systems and turreting systems, the only moving parts in Metal Storm's barrel technology are the bullets.

Use of the Technology

As an effective military weapon system, the technology offers the safety of 100% electronic keying capabilities, the advantage of on-board selection of a non-lethal response capability, and in another form, the potential to provide an area denial capability without the use of conventional landmines.

The technology also has potential application in a range of diverse commercial areas, including fire fighting, fireworks, precision agricultural chemical distribution, fastening systems for use in the construction industry, and seismic surveying for minerals and oil.

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