Posted on 05/29/2016 11:12:05 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
A warning siren bellowed through the concrete bunker of a top-secret Naval facility where U.S. military engineers prepared to demonstrate a weapon for which there is little defense.
Officials huddled at a video screen for a first look at a deadly new supergun that can fire a 25-pound projectile through seven steel plates and leave a 5-inch hole.
The weapon is called a railgun and requires neither gunpowder nor explosive. It is powered by electromagnetic rails that accelerate a hardened projectile to staggering velocity—a battlefield meteorite with the power to one day transform military strategy, say supporters, and keep the U.S. ahead of advancing Russian and Chinese weaponry....
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Rest assured the Chinese and Russians have their people on it. There are no exotic elements involved, or hairy physics. Anyone who thinks the US has some sort of technical monopoly on railguns is delusional.
Or anything else, for that matter.
It’s interesting, and clever, but not a game changer like little boy.
I recall reading that the materials degrade very fast and that the railgun may be too fragile to be a reliable battlefield weapon...?? Can’t say, I don’t know about it, but there has been a lot of hype on this for quite a few years.
The rail gun reminds me of gun thread discussions with people who absolutely refuse to use a gun that has a battery in it for any reason. You need it, and that little alkaline cell that looks like a nickel available at Walmart for a few bucks is dead. A big bored out steel tube that uses gunpowder has fewer things to go wrong than a technical monstrosity that relies on a microprocessor feeding a wire harness from hell.
Los of hype, but what are the engagement scenarios where this makes more sense than conventional guns and missiles?
It comes down to economics. A guided missle costs around $1 million per use, and a rail gun fired projectile that can do the same damage would cost about $25,000. Their greater range allows ships and artillery units to replace aircraft carriers and aircraft.
And we are going to place them where?
Stopped reading at that paragraph. Sorry, Julian, you're a moron.
There's an interesting video, at the real article link. Unfortunately, however, the camera fails to keep up, and the point of impact is lost.
Capacitor sales for $5,000 each custom mil spec capacitors is a good business to be in if this system is deployed.
How are they powered? Maybe a Shrimp on a treadmill?
The Clintons have probably already sold them the technology.
From the article:
The Navy now believes it has a design that soon will be able to fire 10 times a minute through a barrel capable of lasting 1,000 rounds.
To be used to defend against modern ship killing hypervelosity missiles traveling at wave height at mach 5 and above.
A swarm of troop carriers sailing toward Taiwan covered by J-20’s attacking guns and misses. A bevy of rail guns changes the game.
The range of this gun is about 250 miles.
I recall reading that the materials degrade very fast and that the railgun may be too fragile to be a reliable battlefield weapon...??
...
According to another article, the barrels last for 1000 rounds. The projectile they use can also be used to increase the range of conventional guns and can be GPS guided.
From the article: “In conventional guns, a bullet loses velocity from the moment the gunpowder ignites and sends it flying.”
Nope. It starts losing velocity when it exits the muzzle. Just like a rail gun projectile.
Like the sabots of our long-rod penetrater rounds, the discarded parts from these rounds could operationally impact use in fleet actions.
I mean, those discarded carrier parts could tear the hell out of any friendlies shot over or past.
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