I posted this a couple of years ago now, but it is still as...

I posted this a couple of years ago now, but it is still as relevant today as it was then and possibly more so!

NB, the link no longer works it has been removed, why??? luckily I copied some of it's contents.

www.acq.osd.mil/ip/docs/dibcs_fa_10-29-04.pdf DIBCS : FA

FORCE APPLICATION “WATCH LIST” TECHNOLOGIES

Million-Rounds-Per-Minute Gun (“Metal Storm”) and Electro-Hydraulic Cavitation

Devices are the two FA “Watch List” technologies as shown below.

Million-Rounds-Per-Minute Gun (“Metal Storm”). In the “Defeat Land, Sea, or Air

Targets with Projectiles” BA/BWA (stands for Be Ahead/Be Way Ahead) warfighting capability, we identified technologies such as electromagnetic railgun, hypervelocity rods, and railgun projectiles. U.S. sources have demonstrated railgun prototypes and railgun projectile component technology;hypervelocity rod is in early stage concept development.

However, none of these technologies have the rate-of-fire capabilities of the Million-Rounds-Per-Minute gun developed by Metal Storm, Ltd. """This technology has no known equivalent and can provide an electronically variable burst rate of fire, from conventionally slow to rates in excess of one million rounds per minute—rates beyond U.S. capabilities"""". We assess this technology and """"its applications to the railgun and hypervelocity rods"""" as being ahead of those associated with current U.S. capabilities.

*************************Across numerous applications, the technology incorporated in the Million-Rounds-Per-Minute Gun could accelerate and synergize U.S. science and technology initiatives in the field of projectile weaponry.*********************************

From an operational perspective in the JFAFC area, it would provide an enhanced capability for special operations, and for destroying adversary command stations and key power grid sources from either an airborne or land platform. It could also prove valuable for ship defense, mine clearing, and other defense applications. Conversely, """were this technology to proliferate, it is not clear that air, land, and sea-based counter-measures exist which could defeat this system.""""

The sole source of this foreign technology, the force multiplier effect of this technology, and the lack of U.S. warfighter “pull” for the technology warrants its inclusion as a “Watch List” item—and as a potential candidate for the Industrial Base Investment Fund.