Posted on 04/30/2005 10:56:34 PM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
EM gun on the brink of fruition for land and sea applications
After more than two decades of research, the science and technology behind electromagnetic (EM) rail guns has now advanced sufficiently to allow practical exploration of novel military applications, according to Dr Harry Fair, director of the Institute of Advanced Technology (IAT) at the University of Texas (UT).
Speaking at the IQPC Future Artillery 2005 conference held in London in March, he told delegates that in the field of pulsed-power supplies, capacitor technology can now be considered mature, but still requires an excessive volume for land applications. Pulsed alternators are therefore emerging as the preferred option at relatively low risk and (particularly in the context of a ship) ensure a very large volume magazine. For shore bombardment, the high terminal velocities achieved allow small kinetic-energy penetrators to put as much energy on target as larger explosive-filled projectiles and at greater ranges.
The US Navy is initiating what Dr Fair characterised as "a significant science and technology programme for ultra long-range artillery", noting however that "gun life and high-acceleration tolerant guidance, navigation and control (GNC) will be critical issues". He added: "When successful, EM guns will provide overwhelming lethality and significantly improved survivability and logistics at unprecedented ranges."
UT-IAT has devised a common low-cost projectile concept for both naval surface-fire support and army non line-of-sight (NLOS) engagements using an EM gun launcher. It has a flight mass of 15 kg and contains either multiple kinetic-energy flechettes or a smaller number of sub penetrators made of tungsten. In its naval guise it has a muzzle energy of 64 MJ; a muzzle velocity of 2,500 m/s; a maximum range in excess of 500 km and an impact velocity of 1,600 m/s. From a more size-constrained land tactical platform it would be expected to have a muzzle energy of 20 MJ; a muzzle velocity of 1,400 m/s and an impact velocity of 700 m/s out to ranges in excess of 100 km.
Perhaps, battleship Iowa and New Jersey would come back again, equipped with the new top-of-the-line EM ray gun, lobbing shells from 500km away.
Ping!
I'm confused. How can a projectile with a muzzle velocity of 2,500 m/s have a range of 500 km?
This was the gun that the DD(X) was supposed to carry. Will be interesting to see what kind of ship gets it. Won't be a BB though, it's going to need a lot of electrical power.
This will have a huge effect on carrier needs though.
Faster than a speeding Sunburn!
I don't understand...what is it's purpose?
15kg/33lb projectile/500km/no way. Boost in flight?
It might be a remodelled BB or a modern BB-sized ship. As you say, it wants a lot of power, and that requires hull space to mount generating apparatus/powerplants. A nuclear-powered ship the size of the Iowa-class might be a good platform for this thing.
I think they should bring back that ship from the Philadelphia Experiment. It sure produced a lot of megawatts.
Anything a regular gun can do, only better. In direct fire, it could breach any practical thickness of armor afloat. In indirect fire, it has an unprecedented range. It can "throw" specialized rounds that could not be practically shot from a conventional barrel. It has no need for propellant as the projectile is propelled through magnetic acceleration. Basically, if you were to retrofit this to an existing ship in place of the gun(s) you toss the propellant, the heavy metal casing (in smaller calibers) and you can then use the extra magazine space for more ammo (projectiles).
Well it's moving 2.5 meters per second already. Assuming it decelerates at an even but slow rate it's possible.
errr....2.5 kilometers per second I meant.
here's some more.....
http://www.powerlabs.org/railgun.htm
At 2.5 kilometers per second muzzle velocity? You bet it'll go that far.
By the way, the better known name for this thing is "railgun". The muzzle velocity is also a significant fraction of escape velocity, which is around 11.1km/s.
Guys, it has a muzzle velocity of 2500 meters per second, translated about 8000 ft per second, versus 1200 ft/sec for a bullet, the Mach number is well over 5. The large mass compared to a bullet means air friction won't diminish the speed that much. It will go that far.
I have to ask- is there a working prototype of this "concept" available? Has it been demonstrated?
Look up "railgun". The idea has been around for quite a while, the only problems have been power handling/supply and electromagnetic switching speed/efficiency, IIRC. The basic idea has been proven for years.
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