DARPA's wants to arm a missile with cannons?!

[@ProEarthShaker]

Too close for missiles! Switching to missiles with guns!

[@Stevenin658]

This! Wins this comment section! Well done.....

[@thekraken1173]

You got him, mav!

[@StefOne-nw9un]

hahahaha u nailed it

[@glenmiller4995]

Each round should have a tiny laser in it.

[@tungzauzage977]

Too close for guns on missiles, switching to knives on guns on missiles!

[@adrianhenle]

When I worked on government research contracts, we always played the game we called "Guess Why?" The government almost never says exactly why they want a certain technology, and companies don't ask too many questions while spending the research budget. So, play with me: let's Guess Why DARPA would want to put money into researching the use of autocannons on uncrewed high velocity platforms. I'm gonna go with "hyper-maneuverable NGAD UAV wingman" or "drone interceptor." But instead of saying one of those things out loud, they say, "Solve the problem of putting guns on missiles," and they get the same technology with less side-channel info leakage about future defense systems.

[@Nathan-vt1jz]

I think that’s a solid guess at what’s going on in this R&D. It’s also very on point with American weapons ingenuity in general. We’ve already created a missile that deploys swords. American citizens create things like shotgun shells that shoot a slug, which then shoots .22 bullets.

[@Treescruff]

Thank you for sharing this insight from your experience. At least it’s autocannons instead of directed energy weapons on par with Unit 731 war crimes while the average kill ratio per airstrike is 10 civilians to 1 combatant. Can’t say I mind autocannons on UCAVs if the precedence is already set for missiles as both finite fuel and materials are running out on a finite planet - this at least eliminates more fuel from the equation

[@yaseen157]

This makes the most sense to me, loyal wingmen with cannons

[@DUKE_of_RAMBLE]

As I just finished saying how unlikely it'd be to feature a rotating cannon on a missile due to rotational torque... THAT which you've said makes far more sense! However, I still feel like everyone would spend the budget but claim _"it all went to pizzas and beer, because every brainstorm session lead to the same_ 'is not possible' _conclusion..."_ 😊

[@mike7652]

But why no A-10 rotary cannon on a Stryker yet? I mean how awesome would that be!

[@almoondiq]

Average DARPA activities

[@secretbassrigs]

It's a drone swarm sweeper

[@tradecraft_fm]

DARPA is a waste of $

[@CodenameCat-go4xn]

Russia beat America!!! China beat America!!! Z!!!

[@secretbassrigs]

It's all in the name DEFENSE

[@secretbassrigs]

​@@tradecraft_fm save lives and jobs REPEAL the PNTR with CHINA Act.

[@TheNefastor]

We went from "we fire the whole bullet, that's 66% more bullet per bullet" to "we fire the whole gun".

[@kennyxkazuki713]

Nice portal reference

[@BertGray555]

Imagine you fire a missile from an f-35 and the target breaks the lock, the missile extends its wings and glides around looking for targets of opportunity to light up with the guns.

[@Blaze6108]

That's just a drone with extra steps!

[@sonofanubis6946]

A flying torpedo😂😂😂😂

[@dx-ek4vr]

Hear me out: A missile, that shoots cannons, that also shoots missiles that shoots cannons

[@Mr.Keister]

I think ACME might be interested.

[@robertvandeveer1846]

Ran through my head too, but ended with launching yard darts!!!

[@scroopynooperz9051]

Inception missiles and artillery is the future 😂

[@bigearl3867]

@@Mr.Keister ACME President and Chief engineer Wile E. Coyote is on medical leave and can't be reached for comment.

[@Mr.Keister]

@@bigearl3867 Typical

[@SmoochieRoo]

I remember when I was a teen in highschool that I used to share sheets of paper with some classmates and we all drew planes and guns and all that fun stuff all over the place. One of the boys took a missile I drew and added a gun to the tip, and he said that this is the future. We all laughed at him.... John, wherever you are, if you read this, I'm sorry! .... Though I have a sneaking suspicion you're behind this 😂

[@martynshaw884]

John now is a mover and shaker at DARPA.

[@ardvar2585]

he's probably still holding a grudge to this day

[@danyo6317]

hope your using a VPN bro 😀

[@LilMissMurder3409]

@@ardvar2585 Grumble grumble I'll show 'em! grumble grumble. Never underestimate a nerd with a grudge.

[@player55redcrafter8]

John has moved on and is taking on a series of one-man-army missions against the undemocratic enemies of mankind.

[@rob6052]

What's next? Sharks with fricken laser beams on their heads?

[@Mr.Keister]

Dolphins

[@FloridaManMatty]

No budget for sharks this year. They got ill-tempered Sea Bass instead… ☹️

[@larimejohnson]

@FloridaManMatty 😂

[@Cutecumber12564]

Thats a great idea!

[@jonanderson7355]

This is what I was thinking lol

[@curtisbrown547]

they took a look at the warthog and said "so remember how we built a plane around this gun? what if we just made the gun fly, and hold the plane."

[@jajssblue]

Remember that Metal Storm bullet tech on Future Weapons on the Discovery Channel like 20 years ago? Feel like would be the perfect tech for such a crazy DARPA project.

[@dieselscience]

I agree, as both a veteran AND an engineer.

[@andrewt.5567]

I read an article the other day about how china thinks they are "china #1" because they thought of one. ...35 years later...

[@chrslefty]

No doubt, why load up a rotary cannon when you can just use tubes and electricity.

[@ONEly-uc4et]

Was just thinking the same!

[@almerindaromeira8352]

It's the only logical solution. The cannons might not be very big but the feed system would never fit in a missile.

[@davidmyhra4931]

A bunch of 7 year old boys must be running DARPA, And it’s glorious.

[@LTYTACCT]

Could be worst,... you can have a bunch of Ivy League college business grads take over and run a profitable and healthy Fortune 100 company.

[@winstonwho]

​@@LTYTACCTdont exist. they all require us gov tax payer money because none of these spoiled children can run a succesful lemonaide stand, let alone a company their daddy gave them

[@fruitsnack303]

Its probably a bunch of 19 to 27 year olds on certain substances grown out the ground lol.

[@kingkea3451]

Nice to see they still have their cocaine budget!

[@VenturiLife]

They're doing that flick game with pencils and paper to shoot down planes and helis

[@sethlinerode1047]

That's one of the most American things I heard missle s with guns

[@VenturiLife]

By the rocket's red glare.. lead flying through the air...

[@mikestewart4752]

Imagine a 3rd layer of “how ya doin?” with miniature guided ammunition in the machine guns. 💪

[@apricotcomputers3943]

Have you heard of missiles with guns, WITH KNIFES ON EVERY SIDE😂 that can also double as swords

[@automatonfederation9456]

And now we are proud to introduce bullets, with mini missiles inside!!

[@The23Anonymous]

This was the first thing that came to mind, when i read the title

[@ddnguyen278]

the gun itself is a major investment in terms of metal and engineering, this sounds more like a drone than a missile probably to be reused or retrieved. Kinda like the wingman concept but with releaseable drones.

[@davidwiechecki9205]

I was thinking a drone would be more practical. Then you wouldn't be throwing away a perfectly good gun!

[@IamONaLIST]

Yeah this would be better suited for a drone or possibly a pod. B1 Lancer could carry the gunpod in its bay..... can you say Strafing Fire!

[@Vossul]

Exactly. Also more likely a drone with a lighter single barrel cannon like the M230.

[@bleachorange]

I agree. A gun drone would be the more practical version of this. I can see the use of the idea, it just only makes sense if it is reusable.

[@solarissv777]

​@@Vossulyeah, something akin Andruil's roadrunner with an M230 or a little bit larger drone with a German RMK-30 recoilless revolver autocannon

[@fialee8ca132]

The thing about these pie in the sky ideas is that while it may not work for the original intended purpose, sometimes they do work out on unintentional basis. So yes, these science fair projects are worth it, because sometimes something great can happen, albeit unintentionally.

[@brandonbowerstx]

Weaponized serendipity.

[@planetofthepete]

It also keeps your industrial complex on its toes ... thus avoiding the loss of development capacity.

[@AckzaTV]

Its called serendipitous parallel innovation

[@gargoyles9999]

Creating such a decide means overcoming numerous engineering challenges along the way which means new techniques technologies ect are created from that project even if the final product is considered impractical or shelved for whatever reason

[@silverhawkscape2677]

Think about it. They are creating an Unmanned Projectile that can shoot an Auto cannon. What else can be a Missile if not Kamikazee Drones. Now you have Kamikaze Drones that can shoot autocannons.

[@fanjerry8100]

No expert here, but imo makes most sense to have a Metal Storm type of gun with multiple rounds inside the barrel, otherwise the ammo feed will take too much space and be too heavy.

[@bbmw9029]

Remember the Metal Storm concept? This would be a good application for that. The gun has no loading mechanism, so it's much lighter for the number of barrels. And it fires much faster than even Gatlings.

[@CodyseusRex]

Yesss

[@joshuaschoeller1475]

exactly what i was thinking

[@erasmus_locke]

That's actually an amazing idea... Essentially a fragmentation warhead that can be aimed and used multiple times

[@sucraloseUncle]

We've come full circle to Flak

[@baldieman64]

I always thought that a downward pointing Metal Storm system on a drone like the Predator would be an interesting close air support option.

[@pahtar7189]

The GAU-8 is a huge, expensive weapon that would be a waste to throw away with a missile. But the barrels have a limited lifespan before they have to be replaced. So what do you do with an almost expended GAU-8 barrel? Take it out of an A-10, put it in a missile with 100 rounds of ammo, and give it a send off worthy of a warrior!

[@leepatterson5710]

I think a CCA type drone with the GAU8 is a better idea. Create it so the gun is angled down and the air intake/exhaust is topside to lower manpad threats. Pilots could then designate the area of fire and the AI could then fly and do that (very simple task, pick an area and designate angle of flight path).

[@Art-is-craft]

In WW3 nothing will be too expensive.

[@AvocadoAfficionado]

Imagine using a valuable missile and it fails to take out the target because some moron replaced the warhead with a piece of scrap metal.

[@websitemartian]

WHAT A WASTE. man our government is stupid .... if the missile doesn't return and land in-tact that would be a disaster ... typical tho

[@CapnDumbass]

I mean have you ever seen kinetic effect weapons in action? It's mighty impressive how a half ton of steel moving at mach gyad dayumn seems to just phase through most things. ​@@AvocadoAfficionado

[@sethb3090]

So between this, the Longshot, and the bladed Hellfire, we'd have a knife missile, a gun missile, and a missile missile.

[@hermanmusimbi4337]

Darpa honestly got it right with sword missiles. I think I trust them with gun missiles.

[@davidradtke160]

USA!

[@rothtiberiuscain7589]

Mako = and a shark missile

[@tradecraft_fm]

The ninja hellfire is dope af

[@Steyr6500]

Why not a gyrojet cannon, so you can fire a missile firing a gun that fires missiles?

[@matthewsheeran]

Imagine a missile which cannot catch an evading fighter mid-air but can perform a radical flip manouver to point and fire its guns at the target instead: it would then become a missile which you cannot possibly avoid! This would work IMO!

[@williamduffy1227]

IT.... COULD...... WORK!!!! 😂😂

[@Reaperman4711]

When I was 8 I drew something like this on my notebooks--DARPA was clearly waiting for any potential patents to expire. 🤣

[@InterstellarTaco]

Darpa can build this nonsense but im stuck with 10 round magazines.

[@mattt525]

Move out of that shitty state....

[@Nathan-vt1jz]

Feeling a bit infringed upon? I live in WA state and it’s gotten utterly ridiculous.

[@mattt525]

@Nathan-vt1jz start voting differently!

[@deusexaethera]

Because you don't need a Rocket-Propelled Gatling Gun for "self-defense".

[@mattt525]

@@deusexaethera actually yes I do

[@zinjanthropus322]

It'll be something like metal storm. No one is throwing away a gau.

[@sonar8594]

Strongest use case for caseless ammunition so far.

[@lukas.3310]

Thought the same. A GAU is way too complex and expensive to be thrown away, although, to be fair, cruise missile warheads are already very expensive. Shooting a bunch of 70mm or 127mm rockets would also make more sense as lauchers are cheaper and the greater range would prevent the missile from being shotdown by short range air defenses.

[@Steyr6500]

More of a rocket-boosted shotgun. Sounds terrifying

[@psychocuda]

Darpa engineers at the Christmas party drunk off their asses. "Heeeey Larry, I got a *hic* ideaaaa."

[@3dpyromaniac560]

"For the last time Gary, we are NOT building Metal Gear." "It's not tha- *hic* at, b-but we should st- *hic* still do that. Wh-whadif 'e made uh missile *hic* tha insdead of 'sploding, it hassa gun..."

[@realmacgaga]

Such a missile would have a number of advantages over classic missile armament. I thought of a similar concept a few years ago and was laughed at for it... 1. The missile would be able to attack several air targets. The first salvo could be fired from as far away as 2 miles, followed shortly afterwards by a second salvo at the same target or one that is very close. Until the ammunition runs out. After that, the missile can still go into "kamikaze mode". 2. The system would be more difficult to defend against, as it would probably react far less to chaff or flares. This would represent an increased threat potential, especially for manned combat aircraft. 3. Once the missile has passed the target without destroying it, it could eject its high-speed cruise engine and go into dogfight mode. Similar to cruise missiles or the Switchblade drone, wings could be extended in the final phase of an attack and an engine such as the TJ-150 could be used. This option is particularly interesting for defending against swarms of drones or generally slow-flying threats. 4, This new type of interceptor missile does not have to carry a classic machine gun or fire common ammunition. The machine gun installed could be considerably lighter than a machine gun in an aircraft. The weapon could be consistently designed for single use, as it definitely will not come back. Manufacturing from lighter metals or composite materials would be conceivable, similar to a small-caliber 3D printed weapon. Caseless and/or stacked ammunition, such as that installed in the CT-40 machine cannon of the British Ajax armored personnel carrier, would of course have enormous advantages in this context. It would also be conceivable to use the "Metalstorm concept" for such a system. This seems to me to be ideally suited for such a project. Especially if such a system were to be combined with the "smart bullet" technology from another DARPA project. A weapon that flies towards the target at Mach 4+ or hypersonic, detects the target, dynamically attacks the rate of fire using electronically ignited, programmable ammunition and whose projectiles can adjust their trajectory independently sounds pretty promising to me. 5. Using the rocket as a "shuttle" is in principle an excellent idea. Instead of transporting a weapon and ammunition to the target, one could also use a German concept from World War II. A small rocket like the R4M, coupled with today's technology, such as that found in the AGR-20 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS), would also be an alternative. If a small missile of this type were optimized for combating air targets and was highly maneuverable, it could attack several targets simultaneously or the same target multiple times, possibly even from different angles. The Hydra 70 with APKWS weighs just 15 kg. You could carry quite a bit of "sub-weaponry" with it.

[@zachariah380]

Exactly what I was thinking. So much potential for air-to-air that would potentially make this far more consistently lethal than current missile systems. For that potential alone (if true) it would be totally worth it.

[@nolongeramused8135]

Way back in the 80s a I worked for a now defunct HDD company that made ruggedized pocket-sized laptop drives. I suggested to an engineer that we market them as a portable parallel-port drive (that's how we tested them on our 386 DOS boxes) so you could just take your software and files with you without dealing with a bunch of floppies. He told me that was the dumbest idea he ever heard of. Yeah, there's a reason they went out of business.

[@krisplanker9640]

God bless our young Republic.

[@connormclovin1639]

We’re actually the oldest

[@krisplanker9640]

@@connormclovin1639 Still the optimistic way to say it.

[@falkenlaser]

I’ve always thought they need to replace the A-10 with a low-cost drone that just carries the GAU-8

[@Premium-Content]

I don’t think we have drones that maneuver like that yet, and I don’t think they’d be cheaper

[@TheFish711]

@@Premium-ContentIt does make some sense to do that. Without crew requirements you could make the aircraft much lighter. Increasing loiter time. You would also reduce the risk of losing a pilot. This is especially a problem for close in air support, since they’re so close to the fighting and thus manpads. It would cost more in the short term, but might save a lot in the long term. Even then, sound of the GAU-8 is such a morale booster for allies /killer for opponents, I think the added cost would be worth it there just to keep that gun flying.

[@Sir_Scrumpalicious]

The A-10 looses forward momentum when they fire the gun. Could a light weight drone really handle that much recoil without being thrown around?

[@TukaihaHithlec]

@@Sir_Scrumpalicious Yeah, something other than the GAU-8. Lower fire rate or lower caliber would be necessary.

[@solarissv777]

@@TukaihaHithlec how about a stabilized RMK-30 recoilles autocannon? Yes, it has much lower rate of fire, but if stabilized and independently aimed, it could be much more accurate and achieve the same efficiency as the GAU-8 with much less rounds.

[@FloridaManMatty]

Don’t forget the XM301. The 3 barrel 20mm rotary cannon developed for the RAH-66 Comanche. Only about 71” long and around 85lbs and up to 1500 rounds per minute. 25 20mm rounds per second would do some real work on just about anything that a gun can fix.

[@illeatmyhat]

"ugh fine heres your new A-10 I hope you're happy"

[@halroth9222]

After the missile that has sword I’m not surprised. While the rotary cannons mentioned would work, i think the same kind of tech that was used in the Metal Storm would work even better if they could adapt it.

[@RedSunUnderParadise]

Most hinged DARPA design:

[@willbrooks3875]

I was typing a comment about struggling to see what a practical application for something like this would be. Then, in typing I realized this would be ideal for CAS in highly contested airspace. You might think to just use a drone with a gun in that role so that the whole aircraft can be recovered after the mission, but there's a few reasons why this concept would be preferable. If the airspace is contested enough that it's considered too risky to use even a stealth platform (like F-35A) in the CAS role, then if you were to try to fly a cheaper, slower, less maneuverable drone with a gun into the battlespace from a safe distance, that drone would stand no chance and it'd likely be shot down. Solution: Single-use CAS missiles fired from a safer standoff range. Cheaper and more effective than a reusable drone, and reduced risk to pilots. As the SEAD progresses and air dominance is obtained, you can start to fly the 5th gens in closer, then the 4th gens, and maybe even the A-10s/AC-130s to mop it up. Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

[@ricka3856]

Also an AA missile with a 10,000 foot stand off range

[@willbrooks3875]

@@ricka3856 there's already a million perfectly effective missiles for A2A and S2A, where the firing platform's standoff range to target is now measured in hundreds of miles. I don't see the point of increasing the MISSILE's standoff range to target, unless DARPA is worried about advanced missile countermeasures potentially to be mounted on target aircraft. Unless and until those countermeasures appear to be a real problem for current missiles, I don't really think this platform has any anti-air application, except maybe against drone swarms, if it has the ability to engage multiple targets sequentially in one flight.

[@JForrestFisher--76]

@@willbrooks3875 when the new system appears then it takes how long for the R&D program to deal with it? You gotta anticipate the problem and start building a solution to the problem before the problem happens.

[@graham1034]

Makes me want to change my career path. Imagine spending a few years in your career developing gatling cannon missiles.

[@TheNefastor]

Still won't make the ladies love you. Trust me, been there, done that, got the Lockheed Martin mug.

[@thanhtong2281]

I could see Habitual Line Crosser reply to this”….because we could!”

[@TheOneWhoMightBe]

UK: _America!_ What's this I hear about you developing gun-carrying missiles?!? USA: Yeah, awesome, isn't it.

[@Sir_Scrumpalicious]

@@TheOneWhoMightBe The knife carrying missile needed a friend.

[@thanhtong2281]

@ USA: That’s why we are #1. Because we could.”

[@EricMcConnaughey]

Can you imagine Grandpa Buff's & The Kid's reactions.

[@bansheebacklash3730]

Okay see, Alex this is why I fucking love your content bro. I had heard that fat Amy's 25mm was quite a bit chunkier than the GAU61s 20 mm, but you actually holding up the physical rounds and showing the size difference, really starts to paint a picture of how much more powerful those rounds are. To say nothing of the 30 Mike Mike lmfao. Clear, concise, excellent information. That's why I tune in on almost every upload man. Keep up the great work.

[@hifinsword]

Throwing away a huge gun on a 1-way mission can be a good thing if that target is a tough target to get to, and a manned aircraft would be too risky to use. Very good intel and a high probability of success would be requirements to deploy such a weapon.

[@kennethng8346]

First they put swords on missiles, now they are putting guns on missiles. What's next, missiles on missiles?

[@sethb3090]

@@kennethng8346 actually, yes! Longshot is a single use drone larger fighters and bombers can carry under wing and launch. It carries a pair of AMRAAMs.

[@JeffHambrick-o8h]

That's correct scene something about that the other day LOL😂

[@JMINATL]

Please and thank you.

[@Steyr6500]

They need to research stone clubs on missiles. Nothing beats caveman tech

[@2011metalmaniac]

Pommels

[@darrenpaches3731]

Your engineers were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should. Of course they should.

[@adityaparam8736]

The reformers are gonna have a stroke when they hear about this.

[@sonofeyeabovealleffoff5462]

Aren't they mostly dead from old age?

[@wizardofhoz7216]

I’m with you Alex , whatever you think is my best judgement! Great stuff !!! Happy New Year, praying for those who are battling wildfire ❤️🙏🏻✝️!!! And to those who have lost lean on your faith!!!

[@notnetflix5691]

DARPA- The department of mad sciences 🎉 Seriously though DARPA is probably the best run government owned institute for technology in human history, well madly run but the results are insanely pulchritudinous

[@deusexaethera]

Today: Rocket-Propelled Gatling Gun Tomorrow: Rocket-Propelled Chainsaw

[@happykiwi]

we already have rocket propelled swords so why not?

[@mojothemigo]

Chainsaw man eats the rocket demon

[@isaacbrown4506]

This is the second most American thing I've ever heard of, right behind Project Pluto.

[@WarHammerWH]

Murca!

[@sundhaug92]

Counterpoint: Project A119

[@secretbassrigs]

You say that almost like an American would

[@isaacbrown4506]

@@secretbassrigs that would be due to the fact that I am.

[@statmonster]

So, what’s Project Pluto?

[@BrettCoryell]

Forward stealth planes detected an enemy 200 miles away from me so they had their encrypted network tell my stealth airplane's sensor network to launch my AI drone which then hunted down this particular enemy plane, launched its own guided missile that further closed to within 10,000 feet and then downed the enemy with its 3k round per minute cannon. That's the most American thing I've ever heard!

[@actuallyUncleTopher]

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? 😂

[@Pympjuice2010]

Those rounds BIG AF!! 💯💪🏾

[@chrishaug]

It works if they use the metall storm weapon system. Much lighter and simpler

[@Daniel-y1h5x]

I'm starting to become uncomfortable living on this planet.

[@non-applicable3548]

You should be. Bad moon on the rise.

[@jwr2904]

You're only starting?

[@AutomaticHandguns]

That just sounds like a drone with a gun

[@Islamisthecultofsin]

That would make more sense.

[@NotAgentAJ]

yes but now its rocket powered

[@blacklanner5886]

Ok, hear me out. What if we get the gun to shoot out smaller missiles?

[@dennisquinn4387]

METAL GEAR stuff from DARPA again. It's beautiful ❤❤

[@spencerscott4878]

Does DARPA ever ask IF they should, or do they only do that after they make the thing?

[@sethb3090]

"if they should" isn't their department.

[@firstconsul7286]

The R&D philosophy of the US is "wouldn't it be cool if...." and goddamn it I love it.

[@gmanbo]

They always beg forgiveness. They almost never ask permission.

[@3dpyromaniac560]

The cocaine fueled engineers don't have time for that, they are too busy designing a fucking Jager or something similar.

[@scottfw7169]

The if you should question is irrelevant until you find out whether you can.

[@thearisen7301]

As an anti UAV weapon I could see it being valuable. Ukraine has anti drone drones with shotguns that are very effective. I'd like to see a missile that can employ a wide band microwave myself.

[@briebel2684]

That's what I'm thinking. A drone interceptor that can hunt multiple drones in the case of a saturation attack. Wasn't there an episode the other day that mentioned shells that explode on proximity? Hello, two ideas destined for each other.

[@JohnyRodriguez-n3p]

US Army has the Coyote 2c interceptor

[@HuntingTarg]

Now THAT sounds like a cool yet practical idea; a missile drone that flies to a target area, deploys glide wings, and uses an exhaust-fed gas generator to charge a battery and/or a capacitor array to run the microwave emitter first as a low-res targeting sensor, then as a DEW.

[@gyrogearloose1345]

Your lunch must be very fast-moving . . .

[@i-love-space390]

I have long thought that the Warthog would be replaced by a drone. Why risk a person, when modern robots are getting so capable? But putting a sophisticated and expensive cannon in a disposable missile is the kind of over-priced stupidity you would expect from the Pentagon. The thing I admire in the Ukrainians, is that they get the most bang for the buck out of necessity. They don't go for gold-plated toilets.

[@BrianKaitschuck]

Wow they get more bang for the buck. If they get Billions of dollars. That should get them more than a bang that should get them a fleet of jets ships Hypersonic missiles but all they get is a drone dropping a handgernade. So please enough about Ukraine.

[@solarissv777]

@@BrianKaitschuck guess for some people it's hard to fathom how expensive the full scale war is.

[@BlueIron64]

A missile with an auto-cannon seems like something Ukraine would use if they had the budget though (e.g. their use of Yak-52 planes to shoot drones with shotguns). Reusable anti-drone interceptors would offer safer kill probabilities than lasers, longer range than CIWS/ kinetic AA, and lower cost per kill than traditional missiles

[@brandonbowerstx]

Of you can solve "guns on a missile" problem you have also solved the "guns on a drone" problem.

[@LordOfNihil]

the reason the a10 works is because its so simple. a drone over-complicates it.

[@Joakim-j7h]

DARPA, you just have to love them! ;)

[@robertgamble0]

Thank you Sir !!!

[@richardstevens801]

What about the metal storm gun capable of firing 1 million rounds per minute?

[@iancollins75]

Am I crazy to think that this sounds like just a waste of our money?

[@ThomasMartin-v4w]

nope... I was trying to figure out how it would work the entire video too

[@BlueIron64]

Look up what’s going on between the USN and the Houthis rn, it’s probably an impetus for this tech. Basically our navy is near single-handedly intercepting terrorist drone strikes against civilian ships, which economically benefits Chinese shipping more than our own economic interests. There are geopolitical reasons to protect US hegemony, but in summary we are trying to fight the very asymmetrical battle of lowering “war risk insurance” for commercial ships. My guess is that these gun-missiles are a solution to that asymmetrical problem of stopping >99.9% of cheap Houthi missiles while spending as few dollars as possible

[@D.J._S]

And I thought the Bushmaster in the back of a pickup truck was the most American thing to do. I was wrong.

[@andy164501]

This is from memory, many years ago when I was USAF and had a squadron of these amazing birds on base. I hope I'm recalling this correctly. 3900 rounds/minute is the cannon scaled down - actual rate is 4400. That just blows thru the rounds so fast the USAF turned it down for operations. Even at 3900, a 2-second burst all but wipes out their ammo load. Pilots are taught to barely pull the trigger then let up. As for the DARPA idea? I think it's spot-on.

[@acemcplane]

That’s a crazy cool idea and I could see how it’d be very useful in certain specific scenarios.

[@4DCResinSmoker]

Missile + MetalStorm = awesome !

[@briebel2684]

Add the proximity rounds, and it could be quite the drone hunter.

[@JacobMoy-ij5om]

That sounds like the very American thing to do😊

[@gregparrott]

It may be funded by the NRA :)

[@Iamthelolrus]

Bringing a gun (missile) to a knife (missile) fight.

[@finnianfitzsimons623]

My hobby room was wondering, where do you get the models of missiles on the sideboard in the background?

[@nonombre7159]

A missile cannon. The gunniest gunnery that ever gunned with a gun.

[@OLDMANTEA]

Missles out, switching to guns!

[@stevehaney344]

me: reads title "Shut up and take my money!"

[@moonasha]

I had no idea the F-35s 25mm was so much larger than 20mm. Really does make it obvious it's primarily a ground attack aircraft

[@R0bsterb0Y]

But it is tiny ... the dumb narator said, the gun the 180 rounds weight together 346 pounds and are not longer than 82 inch.

[@gregparrott]

I understand your rationale, but respectfully disagree with it. I remember a video about WWII debates regarding optimum caliber size for air-air combat.. It turned out that the bigger rounds were a better choice. Aside from causing much greater damage, the rounds maintained their speed for greater distances. Neither of these ~$100 million fighters is intended for close air support of ground troops in any manner resembling the venerable A-10. They instead rely on precision strike, smart munitions The guns are mainly a backup air defense if their missiles are consumed or won't launch, not strafing near ground level.

[@skaboodlydoodle]

the big question is: Why tho? The only purpose I can think of for something like this is trying to get more mileage out of a single missile. Attacking drone swarms or engaging multiple enemy aircraft, but even then it gets very impractical very fast as just firing the cannon is going to affect the stability, momentum, and weight of the missile and all of that will have to be recalculated and compensated for before physically turning towards a new target. But even then the missile will have lost a good bit of it's energy and won't be able to fly or maneuver much farther. Someone brought up a good point though: Maybe the end goal isn't missiles at all but they're just saying that so as not to reveal the true end use-case for this technology.

[@johnyu1750]

I forget which movie it was from, but in this movie a missile has a machine gun. How life imitates art.

[@andrewlorentz685]

Do you ever get the feeling that some of our defense contractors and engineers are just sitting around and on a daily basis and saying "F

[@3dpyromaniac560]

I mean, it's DARPA, they spend their time doin lines of coke and asking "What is a weapon to surpass Metal Gear?"

[@justliberty4072]

Relevance to this video?

[@williamriisager8994]

Very Noncredible

[@earlharvey7659]

Watching the effect on the "Hatch door" from the 25mm round on the F 35 during firing, one can't help wonder how it's going to hold up!

[@brendanwood1540]

Makes a lot of sense really. Cannons are just a way to precisely direct fragments projected by explosions at a specific target. Better than spraying out in all directions or a cone that mostly misses the target. Also, the barrel would increase the engagement range. So it can be within proximity to detonate from further away. Allowing potentially a lighter explosive payload to serve the same function and thus increasing range. Likewise, making interception and countermeasures less effective because the projectiles can be fired from greater range and would be travelling at higher velocity no longer dependent on tracking.

[@RayneHellfire]

The problem with that is that missiles are meant to be disposable/1 time use. Imagine just 1 failure, collected into enemy hands and reverse engineered. Also once all ammo is expended is it supposed to come back and reattach? Or does it still go boom? Sounds incredibly revolutionary in specialized niche situations but also very cost heavy.

[@000-z8n]

I was part of an IARPA (the intelligence analog of DARPA) project once. Like DARPA, IARPA makes it clear that it isn't interested in incremental advances. They're looking for game-changers. And they're a very serious and impressive outfit. Unfortunately, our project didn't advance to stage 2--though, if we had it to do over again, I think we just might. Different point: isn't the 30mm a bit overkilly for air-to-air? If, indeed, that's the mission? Maybe the idea is that the missile wouldn't be maneuverable enough to get more than one shot.

[@johngilbert6036]

Right up there with self drivin cars

[@taeharte7501]

Always nice to explore something unheard of

[@mr.normalguy69]

Let's face it: We all thought of this as kids 🗿

[@wacojones8062]

The 3-barrel variant of the Vulcan is the most likely it has been used on various platforms over the years in various packages and there may enough older ones suitable for expendable use for initial tests. Later ones made cheap enough for combat use can be made for one test firing then mission ready.

[@infin81974]

I would expect they would utilize metal storm for this application. Seems like a good fit

[@Musix4me-Clarinet]

*I'm against it.* I think the idea of fragmentation is more appropriate for the kind of damage the weapon would try to disperse. An unmanned drone with some like this makes much more sense to me.

[@briebel2684]

What about a missile armed with a gun that shoots shells that explode upon proximity? In other words a missile that could hunt multiple drones and cruise missiles? I see your saturation attacks, and I say "Not today, Satan."

[@johnhess351]

Autonomous missile with a big gun? Sounds like a killer drone.

[@chiaeagle6720]

As a Children of a Dead Earth player, this development makes a lot of sense to me. Bring on the Death Cones!

[@seanbrazell7095]

It's absurd, but I can't help but smile stupidly at the idea of a warthog carrying four or five of these things.

[@HelloMisraji]

Disagreeing with the analysis above. My thinking is the following: - Why would we need guns on a missile? Why not just a fragmentation/directional warhead? Guns control the direction of projectiles, while fragmentation warheads and/or directional warheads don't (to the same extent). Hence one can surmise that for some targets, DARPA wants to deliver lots of fragments focussed at a given spot, before the missile itself hits it. - Let's assume it's a one-way missile (that is, not a drone). In that case, supply of bullets is limited and there is no point in carrying a fully functional gun. What is needed is essentially a tube with bullets, stripped off all non-essential components (magazine, electric motor etc) - Based on the above, I am thinking a "gun" similar to the Australian Metal Storm gun, mounted to the front of the missile, with a warhead behind it.

[@planetofthepete]

So many questions: - What happens to the missile after rounds expended? ... does it self-destruct or are you delivering a used GAU to the tribal wedding just obliterated? - How is the recoil managed? ... the Warthog loses lift with every burst. Do you add thrust to compensate? - Can the cannon be designed as a single use item? .. if so then how do you align the barrels and test the mechanism? With all that said ... i can see where this would be very effective in A2A - especially against formations of stealth aircraft, where a large number of projectiles would overwhelm countermeasures and force a manoeuvre ... thus compromising steal with a broadside signature .. and enabling a fast deploy of tracking missiles. In that use case the weapon would not need accuracy or a large magazine ... just enough to force a response in the few second of closing.

[@A_Haunted_Pancake]

Considering it would be one-time use, I wouldn't be surprised, if it was more like a bunch of pipes filled with several rounds each. I've seen demonstrators of that technique and it's incredible how much firepower you can fit in very little volume with that.

[@levidotson6610]

I’d bet they’d be way more likely to use a single barreled gun, like the bushmaster changun, way smaller, way lighter, and with some modification still capable of pretty significant fire rate.

[@johnhodgson4216]

This allows the missle to take shots, then circle back for another shot. no more missle evasion by 'breaking left, breaking right' you would need a counter torque 'rocket pulse' to counter the torque of the auto cannon, very doable.

[@reganpylman5491]

Depends on cost of the gunslinger, I suppose, and the sophistication of its maneuvering and fire package. I could see setting up a crossfire with a couple of these, or maneuvering for low deflection angle shots which are more likely to come in on target.

[@karal_the_crazy]

Remember it is quicker to switch to your missile gun than to reload your integrated Vulcan auto cannon

[@shadow_spark8788]

Finally, a flying gun pod.

[@Past10Performance]

This seems like the perfect place to use the stackable projectile-propellant-projectile-propellant electronicly activated rounds from that other darpa project that shoots 1,000,000 rounds a minute. Would save on space because of no casings with much larger round count

[@TheGweilo701]

Slightly Unhinged…but I’m here for it.

[@DelfinoGarza77]

I love the idea of a gun slinger missle.

[@Unmannedair]

The idea of a missile is a bad idea, but making a smaller a-10 warthog drone...? That's a great idea!

[@josephwang267]

About 20-30 years ago, there was an Australian company/technology called Metal Storm that would stack and fire ammunition/shells tail-to-nose-to-tail-to-nose, etc. in shortened barrels. Rounds would be fired electronically (starting with rounds in front, of course) in small to large salvos. Could stack those loaded barrels in a matrix (e.g. 5x4) with multiple rounds stacked within each barrel. They could all be fired off in a second or two, hence the name. Despite some interest, it never achieved commercial success and Metal Storm went bankrupt. Perhaps resurrecting that approach might be a better way to fire lots of shells from a payload-limited drone. (My main questions were the cost of those specially made, electronically fired rounds and the accuracy of shells coming from a greatly shortened barrel.)

[@Hopki87]

I recall the early cobra helicopter having a 20mm cannon. Firing it wound bring that helicopter to a halt and even push it backwards. Missile might be faster but also lighter, I see the same problem. Probably limiting it to 7.62

[@dgthe3]

Feels like a solution looking for a problem. Best use case I can maybe think of would be for anti-drone swarm work. If the missile could engage a string of of drones, firing off a burst and then continuing on to a few more, I guess that could be useful. Maybe. If you put a fairly sophisticated targeting system in it.