"I believe the extension period is closely aligned, if not...

"I believe the extension period is closely aligned, if not coordinated, with a successful outcome to the Colt negotiations and/or Defence Canada."

I reckon it may have more to do with the choice of MPM, which I think may be a done deal already?

What gives that away is optical fusing, the US asked for optical fusing in the metalstorm weapons in the first place, they had a very special reason for wanting this option so badly in mst weapons, the reason was that that the Firestorm can fire at high velocity or at least has a choice of velocity over a number of ranges without changing the ammo , something that the competition can't do, but lets get down to why the US asked metalstorm to make a round with optical fusing incorporated, the main reason is this-:

Optical fusing is far more accurate than the spin counting method for a start and isn't set before firing, it determines how far away from a target it is optically irrespective of whether the target has moved forward or backward during the flight of the round towards the target i.e after it has left the barrel.


The real reason why they want the fusing so accurate is this-: as I have already alluded to, when they fire the non lethal rounds at high velocity they want a system that can detect how far away from the target the round is accurately, this is whether the target has moved since the firing took place or not, because this distance sensing is VERY important for ONE reason, it allows a mechanism to be incorporated in the round whereby the round can be slowed down dramatically with breaking when it approaches the target, I know optical fusing can be used for this, I have read it in a document before, but I don't know how it achieves the breaking? small parachute deployed perhaps or a propeller blade maybe or even something like the air brakes on the wing of a plane where fins are deployed which disrupt the air flow (aerofoils), it also sets the firing of the grenade in motion as well of course, but I am only guessing how they achieve this braking? but one thing I do know is this, it is extremely important and is required to allow a high velocity non lethal round to stay just that, non lethal!

Ask yourself why the US would have asked metalstorm to find a solution for optical fusing and why it was so important, you could also try finding the document in which they mention optical fusing for braking, it is out there somewhere, I have seen it before, try tags "optical fusing" grenade 40mm perhaps? remember these are stacked rounds also, so one thing that would have been required in order for them to use it in stacked round tech, is a method to prevent the ingress of burnt propellant from the round in front affecting the optics in the round behind.