An airsoft weapons system based on J. Mike O’Dwyer’s million rounds per minute capable Metal Storm would not only be a technical tour de force, but would forever change the face of airsoft. Ready for a revolution?
By: Vanessa Uy
When a loan tinkerer named J. Mike O’Dwyer from Queensland, Australia – after 15 years of trial and error - managed to construct a working prototype of his multibarrel electronic gun that’s capable of firing over a million bullets per minute back in 1999. It set-off a revolution that every government’s military organizations around the world find hard to ignore. Rightly so because the other fastest gun at that time, the Gatling-type machine guns with an electrical motor-driven firing mechanism, can “only” fire at 6,000 rounds per minute.
O’Dwyer’s Metal Storm concept is so revolutionary that according to military top brass who witness the first few field tests say that Metal Storm might be the only weapons system that could save more people than it kills. It’s high rate of fire is very useful in neutralizing incoming mortar fire and other heavy artillery, especially in humanitarian aid camps in various war zones around the world. Plus, Metal Storm’s adjustable spread of fire is also very useful in clearing minefields of UXO s without endangering minesweeping personnel. Another bonus of this unique weapons system is the fact that it is an electronically operated system, it is easier to add electronic safeguards like proprietary passwords that would render the weapons system inoperable if it ever falls into enemy hands.
Currently being manufactured by Metal Storm Limited, a company with both an Australian Stock Exchange and NASDAQ public stock listings (ASX: MST, NASDAQ: MTSX) reminiscent of piano builder's Steinway’s LVB (for Ludwig van Beethoven) public stock listings. Metal Storm Limited is primarily a research and development company that specializes in electronically initiated stacked projectile weapons systems. Metal Storm is both the name of the company and the weapons system technology that the company specializes in. The company is based in Brisbane, Australia with a subsidiary in Washington, D.C., USA. Metal Storm owns the proprietary rights to the electronic ballistics technology originally invented by J. Mike O’Dwyer.
Since electronics today is now very cheap compared to 9 or so years ago, an airsoft weapons system / AEG replica gun similar to Metal Storm might obviate the need of a motor. The motor could be replaced by a number of solenoids controlling the array of barrel’s firing mechanism. Even though an airsoft Metal Storm gun will never be single-man portable, it’s high rate of fire – depending on the number of barrels in the array – would make it’s target find out that being hit by one can be a surreal experience. This might revolutionize airsoft gaming scene if the Metal Storm airsoft weapons system becomes widely available.
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As a precision instrument O'Dwyer's Metalstorm weapons system could be classified as a work of art. Just like the musicality of Steinway and Sons' pianos who chose to use Ludwig Van Beethovens initials in the copany's public stock listings. Although I personally prefer Bösendorfers, especially those wood-free all aluminum versions used on the airship Hindenburg.
I do agree that like Igor Shikorsky's helicopter, the Metalstorm weapons system could save more lives than it kills when used as an antipersonnel mine / UXO removal devise and some military analysts even proposed the use of Metalstorm to protect refugee camps from artillery and mortar fire by disintegrating incoming rounds.
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