Re: Re[2]: Metal Storm (Long-ish)

I tend to agree with Flak on this.  I can see some applications where
metalstorm's limitations aren't liabilities.  One thing I could see it
being used for where it would be superior to the current incarnation is
close-in defense systems ala the Phalanx.  I have a friend who served on
the USS Goldsborough back in the 80's and he said the problem with the
Phalanx was that it took way too long to reload the bloody thing.  If
you
had a "package" of barrels mounted in a frame with one electrical
connection then you could swap the frame out fairly quickly and replace
barrels in the frame after things cool down.

Another application of this technology that I could see would be to make
a
metalstorm-conventional firearm hybrid.  What I have in mind would only
be
practical on a permanent mount, but it would be able to lay down the
fire.
It would work something like this.  You would have a belt of the
metalstorm
barrels, which would be fed into a very large breach.  Each barrel would
be
the equivalent of a conventional cartridge.  The metalstorm barrel would
"lock" into the base of the permanent barrel, and fire.  When the
metalstorm barrel/cartridge was empty it would be ejected and another
would
be fed into the "breach".  This system would take care of the lag time
of
changing barrels, and keep the volume of fire up.  You'd want this in
either a chain gun or mini-gun configuration as you wouldn't be able to
use
the recoil or gases to operate it.  Actually with the volume of fire
that
would be pouring out you'd almost definitely want rotating or otherwise
actively cooled barrels.

Just my opinion.

Bill

									
				       
		    Flak Magnet 					
				       
		    <flakmagnet72@yahoo.com>	    To:     B Lin
<gzg-l@csua.berkeley.edu>		      
		    Sent by:			    cc: 		
				       
		    owner-gzg-l@lists.CSUA.Be	    Subject:	 Re[2]:
Metal Storm (Long-ish)			
		    rkeley.EDU						
				       
									
				       
									
				       
		    01/17/02 05:16 PM					
				       
		    Please respond to gzg-l				 

I can see how the Metal Storm technology would have applications. I
just don't think it will be effective as a soldier's weapon. Vehicle
and aircraft mounted versions and the area-denial concepts I think are
practical though.