Chinese scientists and engineers are developing what could become the machine gun most powerful an Army has ever had. This weapon, nicknamed Metal Storm Due to the precedent it had in Australia with the same name, it consists of 5 or more cannons, each capable of firing bullets at a rate of 450,000 rounds per minute; this is, 7,500 per second.
The result is a burst with unprecedented density, capable of intercept hypersonic missiles traveling at speeds exceeding Mach 7. In comparison, the system Phalanx most advanced of the US military It only reaches 4,500 bullets per minutewhile the M134 Minigun reaches the 6,000.
To achieve that firing rate, researchers in the Chinese city of Taiyuan have devised a solution consisting of a replaceable container-type magazine, loaded with barrels prepackaged with ammunition. After firing, the barrels and entire container are discarded as a single unit.
This box type rotary firing technology can ‘improve reloading speed, reduce the decline in gun resistance and accuracy due to repeated reloads, and achieve the combat objectives of multiple attacks, continuous operations and rapid counterattacks,’ states the project team led by Lu Xutaoassociate professor of mechanical and electrical engineering at the University of the North of Chinain a peer-reviewed article published in the Chinese Journal of Detection and Control in December.
According to the South China Morning Post, traditional machine guns with mechanical triggers cannot meet the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s requirement of 7,500 rounds per second. To solve this, Lu and his team designed an electronic trigger that uses coils.
Lu’s team explains that the contactless trigger works by instantly melting an alloy wire embedded in the bullet, creating a high-energy metallic jet—referring to its penetration and heat—that ignites the explosive. This electronic trigger, with a firing time of 17.5 microsecondsachieves great efficiency. According to the test data, is capable of meeting the target performance of 450,000 rounds per minute per barrelpoints out the team.
The Australian Metal Storm: 1 million bullets per minute
The weapon known as the Metal Storm was a development that Australian inventor Mike O’Dwyer started in the 1990s. His company, Metal Storm Inc.created a prototype with 36 cannons capable of firing at the astonishing speed of 1 million bullets per minute. In 2006, O’Dwyer revealed that the PLA had offered 100 million dollars by technology.
This caught the attention of United States Department of Defensewhich partnered with him to develop new weapons systems. Despite initial optimism, the project encountered technical and logistical problems that led to its abandonment and the bankruptcy of Metal Storm Inc. in 2012.