Wow that's cool!
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| Home Front: Tech |
| Army Demonstrates Future Combat Systems |
| 2005-10-01 |
| Posted by:DanNY |
| #16 I have some direct visibility into FCS development and operational concepts. Moose, the article linked here doesn't touch on the real power of a variety of the FCS elements. There are ops concepts behind the model pictured above that make a good deal of sense when you see the bigger picture .... I won't go into most of them, but will say that when you are developing a weapon capable of autonomous movement over a wide variety of terrains, balance and weight are serious considerations. |
| Posted by: Omerens Omaigum2983 2005-10-01 16:52 |
| #15 I have seen some Metal Storm promotional videos. All very slick. This usually makes me suspicious. Then I was one where the idea was control over use the of civilian use of a firearms was more than implied. These people are not 1st amendment friendly. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet O´ Doom 2005-10-01 16:35 |
| #14 Phil, I think you may have a point. The DREAD system looks very interesting (120,000 rounds per minute, silent, no recoil, no flash). |
| Posted by: Tony (UK) 2005-10-01 15:56 |
| #13 Crawford: cut me some slack. This thing is first generation. Most of us have seen enough military hardware to know what is generally good and what will just get screwed up in the field. Device after device like this all seems to be designed on the same concept: the police robot. What I am suggesting is that it might be better to have a whole genre of *military* robot, different in concept. Not just a single SWAT operation that when it's over, it's over; but something more like Fallujah, where the robot is there right alongside the soldiers, advancing to do its job then falling back for ammo and fuel, then back into action. Perhaps for 6-8 hours at a crack. These different requirements mean that a lot of the robot has to be devoted to durability, rather than new and interesting technology. It also has to be designed with offense and defense in mind. A simple device that does one thing very well is far better that a high-tech one that just gets in the way. Even if this thing was a single-shot recoilless rifle, it could be priceless for giving direct fires from an uncovered position. But it has to do it over and over again, perhaps in 130-degree heat. The army thinks robots are the future. Everything about this system is still up for debate, so no feasible idea should be off the table. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2005-10-01 14:13 |
| #12 I'm beginning to suspect that Metal Storm is one of those technological inventions that everyone thinks is better than it really is. |
| Posted by: Phil Fraering 2005-10-01 14:03 |
| #11 I immediately ask myself how it could be made better. Because, clearly, you know what it would take. |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2005-10-01 13:43 |
| #10 LOL! Frank & mrp! ..ting tang walla walla bing bang. |
| Posted by: Red Dog 2005-10-01 13:35 |
| #9 Or put on a happy face: Abba's Greatest Hits blaring away as it fires....the confusion and mental disconnect should overcome any lingering oppo |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-10-01 13:32 |
| #8 The WMD version will drop the gun barrels and add loudspeakers. The main weapon load will be a custom-burned CD of Hole's Greatest Hits. |
| Posted by: mrp 2005-10-01 13:08 |
| #7 #4: I immediately ask myself how it could be made better. I assume it already has a remote TV camera and Controls. 60MM grenade launcher with selective magazine for tear gas, retch gas, HE, Frag, and solid, gives you the capability to knock doors open without destroying the surrounding wall, up to destroying the whole building. Shotgun, 10 bore, semi automatic and eliminate the other two barrels. Electric Stun Gun (ZAP) A solid steel Battering Ram (Think boxing glove on a 2-10 foot telescoping pole, with a rotating turret, nitrogen powered, WHOMP) Any more and it would be hard to get through a doorway or climb stairs. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2005-10-01 12:52 |
| #6 I immediately ask myself how it could be made better. It should have a 60-1 glide ratio and be VTOL capable. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-10-01 12:41 |
| #5 Moose:Why have four barrels to fire one round each.. watch the slo mos. 40 mm metalstorm vids Moose: Next is its ammunition limitation. Why have four barrels to fire one round each instead of one barrel that can fire 16 or 32 rounds? How is the tech better than an ordinary chain gun? The *different* versions of "metal storm" [rapid fire non-feed pre-packed munitions] have have to be reloaded also. It does *eliminate* parts..receiver parts, bolt etc. IMO wait and see niche. prolly dubious, but wtf... |
| Posted by: Red Dog 2005-10-01 12:38 |
| #4 I immediately ask myself how it could be made better. Shark's teeth nose art. |
| Posted by: ed 2005-10-01 11:29 |
| #3 When I look at a system like this, I immediately ask myself how it could be made better. My first impression is that this looks like a car without a body. And certainly a car like that would be perfectly functional. But a body would just make it better. Plenty of practical reasons for having one. Next is its ammunition limitation. Why have four barrels to fire one round each instead of one barrel that can fire 16 or 32 rounds? How is the tech better than an ordinary chain gun? Third is the use of an electrical trigger instead of a reliable mechanical trigger. Electronics need less maintenance, but are more sensitive to environment. This weapon inherently needs lots of maintenance anyway, so I would prefer reliability and durability over low maintenance. As far as command and control goes, with a higher ammunition capability, I would suggest having four modes of operation. Remote is one, with three pre-programmed firing patterns, so the operator could just push a button and duck from enemy return fire. When it fires its last round it automatically goes into "retreat" mode without further prompting, unless overridden. Finally, I would mount a close range anti-pers system on the track, in case some enemy tried to charge the weapon and stick a hand grenade in it. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2005-10-01 11:19 |
| #2 Ding Dong! Avon Calling! |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2005-10-01 03:47 |
| #1 Wow that's cool! |
| Posted by: Gluling Groluque2328 2005-10-01 02:56 |