www.metalstorm.com

Metal Storm Limited (ASX : MST) is a research and development company that specializes in electronically initiated superposed load weapons technology. Metal Storm is the name of the company and the technology.

The company is based in Brisbane, Australia with a subsidiary in Arlington, Virginia, U.S.A. Metal Storm owns the proprietary rights to the electronic ballistics technology invented by J. Mike O’Dwyer.

Contents

1 Technology

2 Features

3 Products

3.1 Redback

3.2 GLL4042

3.3 3GL

3.4 MAUL

3.5 36 barrel prototype

4 Limitations

5 Financials and funding

6 Key personnel

6.1 Directors

6.2 Ex-directors

6.3 Other key personnel

7 Total personnel

8 Patents

8.1 Patent holders

9 In popular culture

10 See also

11 References

12 External links

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Technology

The concept of stacked projectiles (multiple projectiles loaded nose to tail in a single gun barrel with propellant packed between them) predates Metal Storm. The roman candle, a traditional firework design, employs the same basic concept; however, the propellant for the leading projectile continues to burn in the roman candle’s barrel, igniting the charge behind the subsequent projectile. The process is repeated by each charge in turn, ensuring that all projectiles in the barrel are discharged sequentially (and inevitably) from the single ignition. Various methods of separately firing each propellant package behind stacked projectiles have been proposed which would allow a ‘single shot’ capability more suitable to firearms.

J. Mike O’Dwyer, an Australian inventor observed that these methods did not eliminate the problem of unintended propellant ignition caused by hot gases ‘leaking’ back up the barrel. Mike O’Dwyer’s original Metal Storm patents demonstrated a method whereby projectiles placed in series along the length of a barrel could be fired sequentially and selectively without the danger associated with unintended propellant ignition.

In the original Metal Storm patents the propellant immediately behind the projectile closest to the muzzle of the gun barrel was ignited by an electronically fired primer, the projectile was set in motion, and at the same time a reactive force acted on the remaining stacked projectiles in the barrel, pushing them backwards. By design, the remaining projectiles would distort under this load, expanding radially and sealing against the gun barrel wall. This created a seal which prevented the hot propellant gases (expanding behind the lead projectile) prematurely igniting the remaining propellant charges in the barrel (blow-back). As each of these propellant charges was selectively (electronically) ignited, the force ‘unlocked’ the projectile in front and propelled it down the gun barrel, and reinforced the radial expansion (and hence the seal) between the projectiles remaining in the barrel and the barrel wall.

Subsequent designs discarded the ‘distorting shell sealing against the barrel’ concept in favor of containing the propellant in ‘skirts’ that form the rear part of each projectile. These skirted projectiles differ from conventional ‘shells and cartridge’ units in that the skirts are part of the projectile, and in that the skirts are ‘open-ended’ (at the rear). The rearward seal to the skirt is provided by the nose of the following projectile in the barrel. As in the previous design, the firing of a projectile results in a rearward impulse on the remaining projectiles stacked in the barrel. This results in the skirts of the remaining shells in the barrel being compressed against the following shell heads, effectively creating a seal that prevents hot gases in the barrel triggering unintended propellant ignition (‘blow-back’) along the length of the barrel. Metal Storm also introduced inductive electronic ignition of the propellant, effectively from outside the barrel. This overcame technical issues in maintaining physical contacts with the propellant charges, which due

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The skirt-to-nose joint has in recent designs incorporated an easy-release arrangement which allow the shells to be clipped together to form robust ammunition ‘tubes’ which can be transported more readily

than individual shells, and inserted directly into Metal Storm barrels. Metal Storm has indicated the tubes can be ‘pulled apart’ and reconstructed in the field to make up custom combinations of ammunition, and to facilitate ‘topping off’ a partly discharged tube that is still in the barrel.

Features

The distinguishing features of this technology are the absence of ammunition feed and casing ejection systems (the only moving parts are the projectiles), and the electronic ignition of the propellant charges. The relatively simple external shape of the Metal Storm barrel allows for the clustering of Metal Storm barrels into a barrel array or ‘pod’, or for their attachment (as single units) ‘bolted on’ to existing weapons mounts, including infantry weapons. The absence of a mechanical feed mechanism and the inherently compact lightweight nature of Metal Storm systems also makes them suitable for attachment to light robotic ground and aerial vehicles. The electronic ignition allows for the firing of the stacked ammunitions at ‘electronic speed’ without any delays caused by mechanical ammunition feed mechanisms.

The clustered barrel array has been further developed with the design and building of prototypes of electronic firing control systems, allowing selective firing from any barrel in a cluster, and

within each barrel the ability to control the rate of fire. This allows for responses which range from the equivalent of a volley gun discharge (all projectiles ‘at once’) to using (selectively) individual munitions with increasingly serious (but non-lethal) effects and lethal munitions including high explosive and air burst shells (all from different barrels in the array).

Products

Redback

The Redback weapon system is being developed under a teaming agreement with Electro-Optic Systems (EOS), Metal Storm (MS) and Singapore Technologies Kinetics (ST Kinetics). The Redback is a 4-barrel, 16-shot remotely operated weapon system that can automatically track targets and slew at speeds of up to 700 degrees/second (almost 2 complete revolutions per second). The primary role of Redback is as a lightweight vehicle or fixed asset mounted 40 mm weapon system.

GLL4042

The GLL4042 is an electronically-fired, stacked-round launcher. It can fire lethal and less-than-lethal munitions. The GLL4042 is not configured to be fired as a stand-alone weapon and requires direct connection using a military cable to a fire control unit.

3GL

The 3GL is a 40 mm semi-automatic 3 shot underslung grenade launcher that can be fitted to a soldier assault weapon. In February 2009 the 3GL achieved certification for safe man-firing using 40 mm ammunition with non-explosive warheads. Qualification for man-firing using high explosive 40 mm ammunition is currently in progress.

MAUL

The Multi-shot Accessory Under-barrel Launcher (MAUL) is an electronically-fired, 12-gauge shotgun for use as an accessory weapon to the M4 rifle. Metal Storm reported the first shoulder-firing of the MAUL during tests on 24 April 2009 at its test facilities in Chantilly, Virginia.

Metal Storm Inc has received an order from Defence Research and Development Canada to purchase three Metal Storm MAUL 12 gauge Multi-shot Accessory Under-barrel Launchers together with ammunition.

36 barrel prototype

Metal Storm has created a 36-barreled stacked projectile machine gun, boasting the highest rate of fire in the world. The prototype weapon demonstrated a firing rate of 1.62 million rounds per minute for a 180-round burst.

Limitations

Widespread public awareness of Metal Storm technology was due to media coverage in relation to the theoretical 1 million rounds/minute rate of fire. In the United Kingdom it was featured along with its inventor on the popular BBC show Tomorrow’s World. As a result of this, and other publicity, there have at times been unrealistic expectations of the technology, particularly in regard to the ease with which such technology might be developed and implemented.

Some limitations with the technology became apparent during the late 1990s as development continued. Much of the detail of the technology remains classified but it is understood that:

While the simplified mechanics and relative light weight of Metal Storm gun/barrel array suggested that they might have advantages when deployed on light unmanned aerial vehicles, it was anticipated that recoil management may become a significant issue relative to the light weight of the vehicle and consequently to flight stability. However, a Dragonfly Pictures DP-5X unmanned helicopter (in free flight) has since been demonstrated firing Metal Storm 40 mm weapons.

High barrel pressures were noted in early testing when multiple shells were ‘fired’ so rapidly that the second (and subsequent) shells were in motion within the barrel before the first had left the muzzle of the gun. While this resulted in very high muzzle velocities it also (appeared) to cause concern about barrel wear and barrel integrity. Metal Storm took out a patent on a barrel pressure relief valve system; but has concentrated in recent years on the development of low pressure 40 mm systems, and has in recent demonstrations deployed a microchip at the barrel muzzle which detects the passage of each projectile and locks the firing mechanism (of each subsequent shell) until the first shell has cleared the muzzle. This still allows for much higher rates of fire than conventional weapons, but appears to guard against unintended high pressure situations in the barrels.

Financials and funding

The company was founded in 1994, listed on the Australian Stock Exchange in 1999 and on the Nasdaq in 2001. In mid-2008, Metal Storm received notice from the Nasdaq that the company was below the minimum threshold levels for market capitalization, shareholders equity and net income needed to maintain its NASDAQ listing. In response, Metal Storm removed its American Depositary Shares from the Nasdaq and relisted them on the U.S. Pink Sheets Market.

On February 28, 2008, Metal Storm’s auditor, PricewaterhouseCoopers (“PwC”), issued an adverse going concern opinion regarding Metal Storm. Specifically, that Metal Storm has “Significant Uncertainty Regarding Continuation as a Going Concern.” The reason cited by PwC is uncertainty whether the Company can “continue to comply with the terms of its Trust Deed in relation to the covenants set out for minimum cash levels.” On May 19, 2008, Metal Storm announced that it was “giving consideration to extending the maturity date of its listed convertible notes from 1 September 2009 to a later date” and “raising approximately A$ 6 million by the offer

of new convertible notes.”

On October 22, 2009 Australian weapons developer Metal Storm Limited announced that it had secured an equity and debt placement of up to $ US35 million from international investment company Assure Fast Holdings Limited BVI (AFHL). The negotiations were completed in Hong Kong with AFHL and its bank, the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Key personnel

Directors

Terence James O’Dwyer, Chairman since September 2005

Peter D. Jonson, PhD, Chairman since February 2006

John R. Nicholls, Chairman since September 2006

Lee John Finniear, PhD: Managing Director since May 24, 2007 & CEO since February 19, 2007

Trevor William Tappenden, Chairman since July 1, 2008

Ex-directors

Brigadier Michael Harris, Australian Army (retired), 1994-2000

J. Brett Heading, Chairman, 1988-March 2003

Brigadier Peter Pursey AM, Australian Army (retired), 1994-March 2003

Kevin Dart, 1994-October 2003

Lt General Daniel Christman, US Army (retired), June 2002-June 2004

Admiral William Owens, US Navy (retired), 2000-May 2004, Chairman of the Board, November 2001-May 2004

Charles A. Vehlow, CEO, March 2003-December 2004

J. Dennis Heipt, October 2004-February 2005

J. Michael O’Dwyer, Founder, Managing Director, CEO, Executive Director, Director of Scientific Innovation, Principal Technical Adviser (retired February 2005)

David A. Smith, CEO, February 2005-May 2006

Daniel Lewis Alspach, PhD, August 2003-July 2006

General Wayne Allan Downing, US Army (retired), October 1999-October 2001, Deputy Chairman, October 2002-November 2006

Bruce Sinclair McComish, October 2004-March 8, 2007

James Michael Crunk, September 2005-May 23, 2008

Other key personnel

Brett I. Farmer: Chief Financial Officer

Peter R. Wetzig: Company Secretary

Arthur David Schatz: Vice President – Business Development

Peter D. Faulkner: Senior Vice-President Director of U.S. Operations

Total personnel

In a Form 20-F filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission dated June 30, 2008, Metal Storm reported that it employed 30 staff as of December 31, 2007.

Patents

Metal Storm Patents at the European Patent Office

Metal Storm Patents at the US Patent Office

Metal Storm Patents at the Australian Patent Office

Patent holders

J. Michael O’Dwyer

John Ramon Bambach

Sean Patrick O’Dwyer (J. Michael O’Dwyer’s son)

In popular culture

Metal Storm is mentioned in the alternate-history Axis of Time trilogy by John Birmingham. They are involved with naval close-in weapons systems, and the Remington G4 combat rifle.

The O’Dwyer VLe, a prototype Metal Storm handgun, is featured in the John Ridley novels What Fire Cannot Burn and Those Who Walk In Darkness

Metal Storm weapons mounted on the chassis of an M1A1 Abrams tank are featured in When the Devil Dances and Hell’s Faire books by John Ringo as stand-alone weapons. They are also installed on the upper deck of the SheVa Self-propelled artillery vehicle ‘BunBun’ as an improvised secondary weapons system.

The CSI: Miami episode “Guerrillas In The Mist” featured a weapon called the DX4 “vaporizer” that was based on the prototype metal storm gun system.

Metal Storm weapons were also mentioned (and used by the IG-88 bounty hunter team) in the Matthew Reilly action novel Scarecrow.

See also

List of modern armament manufacturers

List of modern weapons

Volley Gun

Nordenfelt gun

Machine Gun

Close-in weapon system

References

^ for example Scott in 1902 and Broyles in 1974

^ Metal Storm Completes First Shoulder Firing of MAUL Shotgun, IBT, 30 April 2009, accessed 2009-05-10

^ Gourley, Scott (September 2001) “Metal Storm Weapons” Popular Mechanics Hearst Communications http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military_law/1281426.html

^ O’Dwyer VLe

External links

Metal Storm Limited

Metal Storm Limited Share Price Information

Metal Storm live firing in US

Transcript of interview with Mike O’Dwyer and others in 2000 (ABC)

Metal Storm interview with Arthur Schatz, 8/2006

Metal Storm 36 barrel prototype test firing.

“Scientific American” Article on 9 mm Prototype

MAUL and 3GL on Defense-update

Categories: Companies listed on the Australian Securities Exchange | Australian inventions | Firearms manufacturers in AustraliaHidden categories: Articles with a promotional tone from February 2009 | All articles with a promotional tone | Articles needing additional references from April 2009 | All articles needing additional references