1, 000, 000 Rounds Per Minute

[Conquistador]

A video of a 36 barrel machine gun that can shoot anywhere from 600 to 1, 000, 000 rounds per minute.

http://www.metalstorm.com/clientuploads/directory/videos/ms_36barrel_mpg.zip

 

[48Highlander]

If I remember correctly, this thing isn't really a machinegun, it's morelike a claymore.  The rounds have to be pre-loaded into the barrels, meaning once you've fired however many rounds the barrel holds, you'll be pulling out the ol' 9mm Browning

 

[geo]

cute... but not verry practical

my ideal platform is the CC130U Spectre "U boat"
From the original CC130A which had four 7.62mm GE XMU-470 Miniguns and four 20mm GE M61 Vulcan cannons - you could empty out an aircraft full of ammo in no time at all.
The current "next generation" is equiped with one 25mm GAU-12 Gatling gun, one 40mm L60 Bofors cannon and one 105mm M-102 Howitzer.

And this thing flies!!

 

[GO!!!]

this weapon could still be of some use, even with the requirement for pre-loaded barrels, perhaps as an instant ambush response weapon, kind of like a land variant of a phalanx.

"In sha- BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT"

 

[geo]

then there was the Ontos - 6 X 106mm recoilless rifles on an A Frame - which could be fired individually or all together.

Pair that with the flechette rounds that were developed and I would imagine people at the business end of the gun would look like they had gone thru a cheese grater.

(still fun to watch though)

 

[Danjanou]

this weapon could still be of some use, even with the requirement for pre-loaded barrels, perhaps as an instant ambush response weapon, kind of like a land variant of a phalanx.

"In sha- BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT"

During their counterinsurgery war the Rhodesian Army developed a rather effective anti ambush device for their vehicles which sounds similar to this.

http://members.tripod.com/selousscouts/antiambush_devices.htm

No luck googling a picture yet.

 

[Rory]

Dear god. You could renovate a house with that thing, atleast the making walls dissapear part.  :threat:

 

[Glorified Ape]

this weapon could still be of some use, even with the requirement for pre-loaded barrels, perhaps as an instant ambush response weapon, kind of like a land variant of a phalanx.

"In sha- BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT"

Wouldn't you want a larger dispersal than what that thing gives?

 

[purple peguin]

Wow I dont no if there would be anything left with this thing, it almost looks fake. Until you see the target

 

[Synthos]

imagine cleaning that with 1 cleaning rod !  :-X You'd have to make some sort of multi-cleaning rod system to clean all the barrels >_<

 

[geo]

not sure the barrels will last all that long

 

[Tpr.Orange]

That weapons is called a area denial system. Its used much like the claymore. Metal storm has created that weapon from 10 000 rounds to 1000000 and more... however this is not their best system available. If you can find the video in their "mortar minefield" its some of the most interesting technology soon to be available.

 

[GO!!!]

Wouldn't you want a larger dispersal than what that thing gives?

The Phalanx operates on the principle of moving the barrel in a preset pattern and firing at a ridiculous rate to have the effect of a "wall of lead" It fires over a large area by moving very quickly. I dont see why this weapon could not be used to saturate an entire area (say 2-4 o'clock), especially with a rate of fire of up to 1 000 000 rounds/minute.

Accuracy would become alot less of an issue, with that many rounds going downrange, but collateral damage could become problematic, especially if this thing had a 360 degree "crowd control" setting.

 

[Glorified Ape]

The Phalanx operates on the principle of moving the barrel in a preset pattern and firing at a ridiculous rate to have the effect of a "wall of lead" It fires over a large area by moving very quickly. I dont see why this weapon could not be used to saturate an entire area (say 2-4 o'clock), especially with a rate of fire of up to 1 000 000 rounds/minute.

Accuracy would become alot less of an issue, with that many rounds going downrange, but collateral damage could become problematic, especially if this thing had a 360 degree "crowd control" setting.

But doesn't the phalanx engage targets at the kilometre-esque range? Conceivably, an anti-ambush weapon should be able to work at as little as 25 or 50 metres - would this thing really be able to achieve a sufficient dispersal at that range?

 

[geo]

Glorifiedape,
think that Phalanx is programmed to engage at distance - instruct the software to tell the hardware when to go... not a question of a limitation.

With respect to anti ambush - my personal view would be that you'd load shotgun shells in all of those barrels - possibly a mix of shell types - make the firing of the thing so loud and so long that it would force people to keep their heads down low while you fight your way out of the ambush. The nature of shotgun dispersal should take care of the uninvited guests.

 

[GO!!!]

There is also nothing stipulating that only one of these could be used.

They appear small enough that 2-4 could be mounted in each direction. Also, if these are firing 9mm, it is not very accurate beyond 10m without a rifled barrel, so I think dispersal would be a pleasant side effect.

The Phalanx engages at range so that it has a higher likelihood of a successful hit, not due to some limitation of the kit.

The Shotgun shells would be a good idea too (although I am partial to flechettes  >), perhaps in combination with an incendiary element, for smoke to obscure vision and aid in extraction.

 

[a_majoor]

Metalstorm has demonstrated this concept up to 40mm grenades, and has several variations on their web site. Readers not familier with the concept should think of a metalstorm weapon's barrel serving as the magazine, firing mechanism and barrel all at once. http://www.metalstorm.com/

One idea is an area denial weapon with 40mm and 81mm barrels grouped together in a remote launcher box. One or more boxes are set up and aimed to cover an area. An operator can control one or several, and can lanch single rounds, volly a barrel or salvo fire multiple barrels depending on the effect desired. "Fire for effect" certainly takes a different meaning when several hundred mortar and grenade rounds suddenly fall out of the sky on you in an instant...

The also used to feature a "roof rack" with 40mm barrels pointed 3600. Presumably the barrels come pre loaded with HE, flechette and smoke all burped out in rapid succession to break the ambush and cover the getaway. (Sucks to be the C/S behind the launching vehicle).

Their current projects seem to be centred on more scaled down projects, such as a "M-203" like grenade launcher attached to the Styr AUG. Here are two pictures, maybe Wes Allen has more info.

 

[Lost_Warrior]

Thats like the entire CF training ammo budget in one shot....

 

[a_majoor]

More on Metalstorm weapons here