Advanced Individual Combat Weapon.

The AICW is an integrated weapon concept which combines a standard 5.56mm Steyr assault rifle and a Metal Storm 40mm grenade launcher in a single unit with a common trigger, laser sight and control system that operates both the 5.56mm and the 40mm barrels.

The benched test firing demonstrated the AICW’s ability to switch between 5.56mm and 40mm barrels instantly and without reloading. The 40mm barrel incorporates the Metal Storm electronically initiated “stacked munitions” system and can fire three rounds before re-loading is required.

The project was designed to evaluate the possible technologies available for the next generation of individual combat weapons, with emphasis on increasing the lethality of the weapon thereby enhancing the soldier’s capability and survivability.

Conventional 40mm grenade launching systems used with combat weapons are fitted as an add-on component with separate aiming and trigger devices and can only fire single rounds before reloading. The perceived advantage of the AICW concept is that the grenade launcher capability is fully integrated into the one combat weapon, and as it utilises Metal Storm technology, it can carry up to three rounds in the barrel ready to fire using the integrated common operating systems.