02-07-2006, 03:07 PM
Exclusive Video: AA12 Machine Shotgun/FRAG-12 Grenade Weapon System Test Fired
by David Crane
DefenseReview has just received exclusive video footage (links below) of the Auto Assault-12 Full-Auto Shotgun (a.k.a. AA-12 Full-Auto Shotgun) successfully firing (and cycling) British FRAG-12 munition (12-gauge grenade) on full-auto at 300 rpm (rounds per minute). It's our understanding at present that the AA-12 Shotgun sucessfully fired (and cycled) a total of 60 FRAG-12 grenades/munitions over the course of the full-auto test, with zero malfunctions. We'll try to confirm/verify this information (zero malfunctions) as soon as possible. The test was conducted on June 07, 2006 at an Action Manufacturing Company (AMC) test facility in Atglen Chester County, PA.
![[Image: Arms%20at%20NDIA%20Small%20Arms%20Sympos...hotgun.jpg]](http://www.defensereview.com/stories/ndia/Arms%20at%20NDIA%20Small%20Arms%20Symposium_AA-12%20Shotgun.jpg)
The developer of the AA-12, Military Police Systems, Inc. (MPS, Inc.) had to modify the AA-12 Machine Shotgun to fire 3-inch (3") shells (12 Ga.) in order to be able to function reliably (i.e. fire and cycle reliably) with the FRAG-12 Grenade/Munition Family, which are in 3" format. The FRAG-12 family of 12-gauge grenades/munitions was designed and developed by Experimental Cartridge Company Ltd. of Great Britain/United Kingdom (UK), and is currently being manufactured by Action Manufacturing Company (AMC), located in Philadelphia, PA. The family includes High Explosive (HE), High Explosive Fragmenting Antipersonnel (HE-FA), and High Explosive Armor-Piercing (HE-AP) rounds.
The original...
... model AA12 Shotgun fires standard 2.75-inch shot shells. The new model AA-12 fires all 3" shotgun shells, including the FRAG-12 grenades. An AA-12/FRAG-12 weapon system/combo will likely offer any infantry force utilizing it a capability that no military force currently enjoys: relatively compact, lightweight man-portable contollable and accurate full-auto HE/AP (High-Explosive /Armor-Piercing, a.k.a. Armor-Penetrating) grenade firepower for individual infantry warfighters. According to Jerry Baber, President/CEO of MPS, Inc., "there's nothing else like it." Total immediate firepower will be 20-rounds (20-shot drum magazine), although an 8-round box mag will likely also be available (unconfirmed/unverified). Rumor has it that a 30-42-shot drum mag may also be developed. Again, this (30-42-round capacity mag) is just a rumor, at this point.
Defense Review sees the new AA-12/FRAG-12 system as an exellent companion to the new Milkor USA M-32 Multiple shot Grenade Launcher (M-32 MGL) for our (U.S.) infantry squads. The M-32 MGL is an updated/upgraded version of the Milkor USA MGL-140 six-shot wind-up revolver-type multiple grenade launcher and fires low-impulse/low-velocity lethal and less-lethal 40mm grenades/munitions of all types, including the hyper-lethal HELLHOUND and DRACO rounds, and non-lethal HUNTIR reconnaissance round, which are all manufactured and marketed by Martin Electronics, Inc (MEI).
By the way, Neural Robotics Inc. (NRI) is currently in the process of developing a larger-profile AutoCopter unmanned mini-helicopter with enhanced payload capacity. So, imagine a a swarm of AutoCopter Gunships (weaponized AutoCopter unmanned mini-helicopters/unmanned combat armed rotorcraft), all outfitted with 2-4 AA-12/FRAG-12 weapons systems and 2-4 SPIKE fire-and-forget guided missiles, buzzing around the battlespace hunting for badguys/terrorists/insurgents during urban warfare operations. Talk about force multiplication and enhanced lethality.
The following is the Action Manufacturing Company press release on the AA-12/FRAG-12 test shoot that was released to DefenseReview:
"Frag-12 & AA12
Well guys here it is - on Wed June 07, 2006 Action Mfg. Company (Action), Military Police Systems (MPS), & The Special Cartridge Company (SCC), tested the Frag-12 HE High Explosive Shotgun Round with the AA12 fully automatic shotgun.
The test took place at Action Mfg. Company’s 220 acre pyrotechnic & fuze loading facility, located at Atglen Chester County, PA. Present was Art Mattia - Sr. President of Action, Randy Aukamp- Plant Manager at Action, Jerry Barber- President of MPS, Michael Alculumbre -President of SCC & Fred Sharp –Senior designer at SCC.
Turns out Randy Aukamp, Michael Alculumbre & Jerry Baber had been in contact over the past year, with Randy Aukamp arranging the high level meeting which allowed the testing of the AA-12 & FRAG-12 as a combined weapon system.
How did the meeting go, great… and the test, sometimes things just come together like an engine and its transmission. Let’s just say the FRAG-12 ammunition & the AA-12 shotgun were made for each other.
I know you are wondering how we did it – well Jerry Baber modified the magazine and chamber on his AA12 automatic shotgun to accommodate 3 inch shotgun ammunition such as the Frag 12 HE round. That’s right Jerry Baber and MPS now have a 12 gauge fully automatic shotgun that will cycle and chamber 3 inch shotgun rounds. With the modifications made to the AA12 weapon no changes were required to be made to the Frag-12 ammunition. We simply used the standard 3-inch Frag 12 HE round.
Here for the first time is a fully automatic shotgun firing High Explosive Frag-12 Rounds deploying a 20-round capacity drum. Now that’s some fire power designed to enhance combat effectiveness in urban areas by stopping vehicles before the vehicle reaches a checkpoint, door breaching from a safe distance, remote detonation of potential bomb threats and remote detonation of unexploded ordnance.
There is no doubt that we have sparked a lot of interest within the US military. The US Marine Corps War Fighting Lab at Quantico, VA is due to place an order with Action Mfg.Company for approximately 200 of the Frag-12 HE rounds that will enable the USMC to complete their safety certification which will enable the Frag 12 HE round to be used in live theatre. If safety certification goes well then it looks like a big order for Frag 12 HE ammunition could be in the works. In addition a small quantity of the Frag 12 HE rounds are being evaluated by SOC R&D stationed at Fort Bragg.
It addition it now looks like the Marine Corps is willing to check out Jerry’s Baber new 3-inch AA-12 fully auto shotgun firing the Frag 12 HE. Just imagine a Marine armed with the AA-12 fully automatic shotgun itself loaded with Frag-12 HE ammo - now that’s a weapon system."
Right-Click on this link and then click on "Save Target As" (Microsoft Internet Explorer) or "Save Link As" (Mozilla Firefox) to download and read Action Manufacturing Company's press release in Microsoft Word (MS Word) format.
Auto Assault-12 Machine Shotgun (AA12 Machine Shotgun)/FRAG-12 Munition Test Shoot Video Clips:
Click on http://www.defensereview.com/stories/aa-12/20_shots_result.mpg to download and view the first video clip of the AA-12 Shotgun firing FRAG-12 12-gauge High-Explosive (HE) grenades/munitions into a steel plate on full-auto at 300 RPM (Rounds-Per-Minute), in real time.
Right-Click here http://www.defensereview.com/stories/aa-12/shot%201.mpg to download and view the second video clip that shows a full-auto string of FRAG-12 HE (High-Explosive) grenade rounds impacting and penetrating a steel plate in real time AND in slow motion.
Right-Click here http://www.defensereview.com/stories/aa-12/shot%204.mpg to download and view the final video clip that also shows real-time and slow-motion footage of the FRAG-12 HE munitions impacting and penetrating a steel plate.
.....nu OGSÅ ejer af en 243win :-)
Favourite Quote: Vi løser ikke vore problemer ved at tænke på samme måde, som da vi skabte dem.....(Albert Einstein)
by David Crane
DefenseReview has just received exclusive video footage (links below) of the Auto Assault-12 Full-Auto Shotgun (a.k.a. AA-12 Full-Auto Shotgun) successfully firing (and cycling) British FRAG-12 munition (12-gauge grenade) on full-auto at 300 rpm (rounds per minute). It's our understanding at present that the AA-12 Shotgun sucessfully fired (and cycled) a total of 60 FRAG-12 grenades/munitions over the course of the full-auto test, with zero malfunctions. We'll try to confirm/verify this information (zero malfunctions) as soon as possible. The test was conducted on June 07, 2006 at an Action Manufacturing Company (AMC) test facility in Atglen Chester County, PA.
The developer of the AA-12, Military Police Systems, Inc. (MPS, Inc.) had to modify the AA-12 Machine Shotgun to fire 3-inch (3") shells (12 Ga.) in order to be able to function reliably (i.e. fire and cycle reliably) with the FRAG-12 Grenade/Munition Family, which are in 3" format. The FRAG-12 family of 12-gauge grenades/munitions was designed and developed by Experimental Cartridge Company Ltd. of Great Britain/United Kingdom (UK), and is currently being manufactured by Action Manufacturing Company (AMC), located in Philadelphia, PA. The family includes High Explosive (HE), High Explosive Fragmenting Antipersonnel (HE-FA), and High Explosive Armor-Piercing (HE-AP) rounds.
The original...
... model AA12 Shotgun fires standard 2.75-inch shot shells. The new model AA-12 fires all 3" shotgun shells, including the FRAG-12 grenades. An AA-12/FRAG-12 weapon system/combo will likely offer any infantry force utilizing it a capability that no military force currently enjoys: relatively compact, lightweight man-portable contollable and accurate full-auto HE/AP (High-Explosive /Armor-Piercing, a.k.a. Armor-Penetrating) grenade firepower for individual infantry warfighters. According to Jerry Baber, President/CEO of MPS, Inc., "there's nothing else like it." Total immediate firepower will be 20-rounds (20-shot drum magazine), although an 8-round box mag will likely also be available (unconfirmed/unverified). Rumor has it that a 30-42-shot drum mag may also be developed. Again, this (30-42-round capacity mag) is just a rumor, at this point.
Defense Review sees the new AA-12/FRAG-12 system as an exellent companion to the new Milkor USA M-32 Multiple shot Grenade Launcher (M-32 MGL) for our (U.S.) infantry squads. The M-32 MGL is an updated/upgraded version of the Milkor USA MGL-140 six-shot wind-up revolver-type multiple grenade launcher and fires low-impulse/low-velocity lethal and less-lethal 40mm grenades/munitions of all types, including the hyper-lethal HELLHOUND and DRACO rounds, and non-lethal HUNTIR reconnaissance round, which are all manufactured and marketed by Martin Electronics, Inc (MEI).
By the way, Neural Robotics Inc. (NRI) is currently in the process of developing a larger-profile AutoCopter unmanned mini-helicopter with enhanced payload capacity. So, imagine a a swarm of AutoCopter Gunships (weaponized AutoCopter unmanned mini-helicopters/unmanned combat armed rotorcraft), all outfitted with 2-4 AA-12/FRAG-12 weapons systems and 2-4 SPIKE fire-and-forget guided missiles, buzzing around the battlespace hunting for badguys/terrorists/insurgents during urban warfare operations. Talk about force multiplication and enhanced lethality.
The following is the Action Manufacturing Company press release on the AA-12/FRAG-12 test shoot that was released to DefenseReview:
"Frag-12 & AA12
Well guys here it is - on Wed June 07, 2006 Action Mfg. Company (Action), Military Police Systems (MPS), & The Special Cartridge Company (SCC), tested the Frag-12 HE High Explosive Shotgun Round with the AA12 fully automatic shotgun.
The test took place at Action Mfg. Company’s 220 acre pyrotechnic & fuze loading facility, located at Atglen Chester County, PA. Present was Art Mattia - Sr. President of Action, Randy Aukamp- Plant Manager at Action, Jerry Barber- President of MPS, Michael Alculumbre -President of SCC & Fred Sharp –Senior designer at SCC.
Turns out Randy Aukamp, Michael Alculumbre & Jerry Baber had been in contact over the past year, with Randy Aukamp arranging the high level meeting which allowed the testing of the AA-12 & FRAG-12 as a combined weapon system.
How did the meeting go, great… and the test, sometimes things just come together like an engine and its transmission. Let’s just say the FRAG-12 ammunition & the AA-12 shotgun were made for each other.
I know you are wondering how we did it – well Jerry Baber modified the magazine and chamber on his AA12 automatic shotgun to accommodate 3 inch shotgun ammunition such as the Frag 12 HE round. That’s right Jerry Baber and MPS now have a 12 gauge fully automatic shotgun that will cycle and chamber 3 inch shotgun rounds. With the modifications made to the AA12 weapon no changes were required to be made to the Frag-12 ammunition. We simply used the standard 3-inch Frag 12 HE round.
Here for the first time is a fully automatic shotgun firing High Explosive Frag-12 Rounds deploying a 20-round capacity drum. Now that’s some fire power designed to enhance combat effectiveness in urban areas by stopping vehicles before the vehicle reaches a checkpoint, door breaching from a safe distance, remote detonation of potential bomb threats and remote detonation of unexploded ordnance.
There is no doubt that we have sparked a lot of interest within the US military. The US Marine Corps War Fighting Lab at Quantico, VA is due to place an order with Action Mfg.Company for approximately 200 of the Frag-12 HE rounds that will enable the USMC to complete their safety certification which will enable the Frag 12 HE round to be used in live theatre. If safety certification goes well then it looks like a big order for Frag 12 HE ammunition could be in the works. In addition a small quantity of the Frag 12 HE rounds are being evaluated by SOC R&D stationed at Fort Bragg.
It addition it now looks like the Marine Corps is willing to check out Jerry’s Baber new 3-inch AA-12 fully auto shotgun firing the Frag 12 HE. Just imagine a Marine armed with the AA-12 fully automatic shotgun itself loaded with Frag-12 HE ammo - now that’s a weapon system."
Right-Click on this link and then click on "Save Target As" (Microsoft Internet Explorer) or "Save Link As" (Mozilla Firefox) to download and read Action Manufacturing Company's press release in Microsoft Word (MS Word) format.
Auto Assault-12 Machine Shotgun (AA12 Machine Shotgun)/FRAG-12 Munition Test Shoot Video Clips:
Click on http://www.defensereview.com/stories/aa-12/20_shots_result.mpg to download and view the first video clip of the AA-12 Shotgun firing FRAG-12 12-gauge High-Explosive (HE) grenades/munitions into a steel plate on full-auto at 300 RPM (Rounds-Per-Minute), in real time.
Right-Click here http://www.defensereview.com/stories/aa-12/shot%201.mpg to download and view the second video clip that shows a full-auto string of FRAG-12 HE (High-Explosive) grenade rounds impacting and penetrating a steel plate in real time AND in slow motion.
Right-Click here http://www.defensereview.com/stories/aa-12/shot%204.mpg to download and view the final video clip that also shows real-time and slow-motion footage of the FRAG-12 HE munitions impacting and penetrating a steel plate.
.....nu OGSÅ ejer af en 243win :-)
Favourite Quote: Vi løser ikke vore problemer ved at tænke på samme måde, som da vi skabte dem.....(Albert Einstein)
.....ualmindelig velinformeret i forhold til min alder ... :-)
Favourite Quote: En humlebi ved ikke, at den ikke kan flyve......Gå ud på terrassen og vift med armene...hvis du letter må du være uvidende ;-)
Favourite Quote: En humlebi ved ikke, at den ikke kan flyve......Gå ud på terrassen og vift med armene...hvis du letter må du være uvidende ;-)