Posted on 04/16/2006 12:41:59 PM PDT by ScreamingFist
The following article contains a link to the DREAD Weapon System Video. This is the first time this video has ever been shown to the public. The DREAD depicted in the video is a functional prototype that operates on a less-than-lethal mode. This prototype was dismantled for security purposes to protect the technology, after the making of this video. As of this posting, DefenseReview (DefRev) is the ONLY publication in the WORLD that has any written materials or video footage, or any information whatsoever, for that matter, on this revolutionary new weapon system.
The Weapon
Imagine a gun with no recoil, no sound, no heat, no gunpowder, no visible firing signature (muzzle flash), and no stoppages or jams of any kind. Now imagine that this gun could fire .308 caliber and .50 caliber metal projectiles accurately at up to 8,000 fps (feet-per-second), featured an infinitely variable/programmable cyclic rate-of-fire (as high as 120,000 rounds-per-minute), and were capable of laying down a 360-degree field of fire. What if you could mount this weapon on any military Humvee (HMMWV), any helicopter/gunship, any armored personnel carrier (APC), and any other vehicle for which the technology were applicable?
Outstanding!
Cool, but can we find a way to stop those primative IED's?
Unless they have repealed the laws of physics, this is nonsense. No recoil, no sound, no heat? When launching a .50 cal metal projectile at 8000 fps? Maybe in a vacuum...
If true, the tactics of warfare just took a major leap.
Mount these on Copters, night vision, and the terrain below becomes a parking lot!
And, I will bet, that if the velocity involved, there will be few human remains to identify! No more Weddings and Receptions nonsense. Just splat!
We don't use the technological advantage we have now.
That being said, this looks interesting.
Read the article...
Sounds like an advertisement....
But I'd like to get that ammo contract at 120,000 rpm.
I remember an article about this system posted about a year ago and I made the same comments. F=m*a is a tough thing to ignore.
This publication, Defense Review, is notoriously shoddy in verifying its claims. The head guy there, David Crane, would rather be first than correct.
Whether he's right or wrong about this weapon system, I do not know. I do know that I cannot and will not base anything on the info in Def Rev.
Inventor's Background
Charles St. George has been working in the small arms field for quite some time, now. He started Leader Dynamics, a small arms design and development firm, in Australia in 1978. This is where he designed and developed the Leader assault rifle. St. George left Leader Dynamics in 1981. In 1982, he formed Armtech (also in Australia). At Armtech, Charles and his team, four men total, including him, created the M18 Assault Rifle, which was subject of a tender. St. George and his team were able to put a technical data package (TDP) together for the M18 and produce a complete, fully interchangeable weapons family, i.e. a light machine gun, assault rifle, and submachine gun, plus 350 production drawings, in 90 days to satisfy the Australian government's 1986 Small Arms Replacement Program's Request for Tender (RFT). Keep in mind that the technical data package had to conform to D14 NATO trial requirements.
During those 90 days, St. George's team also produced the video and brochures for the M18 weapons family. When they issued the Request for Tender (RFT), the Australian government didn't think that anyone in Australia would actually be able to submit a candidate weapon, especially not within the time deadline. Private companies ended up sponsoring the Armtech team, because the Australian government had said it would give preference to an Australian submission. Ultimately, this wasn't true. The Australian government, instead, gave preference to the Steyr AUG. They told the Armtech team that the M18 wasn't "combat proven". Keep in mind this was during peacetime.
The assault rifle version of the M18 later became the ART 30 bullpup rifle. The Bushmaster M17S is based on the ART 30 bullpup assault rifle. However, Bushmaster made some design changes to the rifle, so the M17S is significantly different from the Armtech ART 30, especially in the area of combat performance.
So, how does a guy go from designing/developing conventional small arms to creating a centrifuge weapon? Well, for a couple of years, before he even entered the infantry small arms field, St. George worked at Sharples Centrifuges (1964-1966). St. George simply combined his centrifuge knowledge with his knowledge of infantry small arms to create the DREAD.
It should also be mentioned that Mr. St. George was the Engineering Manager at Barrett Firearms Manufacturing, Inc. from July 2002 to April 200
A magnetic rail gun of sorts would meet all the criteria except for no recoil. However, since acceleration could exist the full length of the barrel, instead of instantaneously at the moment of a cartridge detonation.. the recoil would still be very greatly reduced, to a few percentage points of traditional weapons. Dunno if this is that sort of weapon, but sounds like a possibility.
Agreed, but the principle is fascinating...IMHO.
Love the name.
Now when will "Mail Call" feature this weapon?
TT
'No recoil, no sound, no heat?" - and no gun either. Even in vacuum the energy needed for the propulsion cannot be delivered without some heat dissipation somewhere in the process.
"F=m*a is a tough thing to ignore."
F=m*a is why it leaves the barrel... I think you should be more concerned about friction and conservation of energy.
The test firing makes me think the weapon is exceedingly inaccurate.
You'd be BUSY.
You are just following the numbers. Thanks to you for that. So many people don't and get drawn into something that can't stand up to examination.
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