DREAD Weapon System

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The DREAD Weapon System is an experimental electrically-powered centrifuge small arms weapon currently in development. It operates by spinning small metal balls at high speed in a centrifuge and releasing them toward the target. It is claimed that unlike conventional guns, it produces no noticeable recoil or significant heat, light, or sound upon firing. This centrifugal weapon is capable of 120,000 rounds per minute (2000 Hz), at velocities of up to 9000fps (2750 m/s, roughly mach 8 at sea level).

However, the "no recoil" claim is based on an example of a device releasing projectiles in all directions at once, resulting in no net force on the device. According to conservation of momentum, a controlled release of projectiles in one direction will result in a substantial recoil, given the firing rates and velocities described above, no matter what mechanism is used to launch the projectiles. In order to truly have no recoil, a weapon must fire two projectiles of equal momentum at once, in opposite directions, with an obvious risk to the operator. A recoilless rifle is one possible solution to this physical requirement.

Additionally, any projectile which breaks the speed of sound will result in a good amount of noise, although it may be hard to localize. The weapon can only be truly silent if it fires projectiles at subsonic speeds.