Posted on 04/07/2013 12:05:19 PM PDT by neverdem
Widely held as the Holy Grail of weapons design, the Electromagnetic Rail Gun has been in development for more than a century. Now, thanks to the extraordinary efforts of the U.S. Navy, it will soon be part of our arsenal.
Unconventional, Multifunctional and Motivating
The rail gun is marvel of modern warfare. Unlike conventional weapons, which are reliant upon an assortment of chemical propellants, the EMRG does not require rocket fuel, gunpowder, or gas. Instead, electromagnetic energy is used to fire shells.
To produce this surge of energy, electricity is poured though a pair of parallel rails and the current generates a series of highly charged magnetic fields. These fields act as an accelerant for a forty pound projectile which, from its position between the rails, is launched from the barrel.
In flight, the rail shell reaches...
--snip--
In 2011, the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee voted to cut EMRG funding. Though this did not end the program, had proponents failed to mount an effective Congressional case for its continuation it probably would have been eliminated. That key lawmakers see the rail gun as a "waste of time, money and electricity" no doubt troubles developers, but such skepticism may not last. Construction is underway on the Navy's next generation destroyer in Maine. The all-electric ship is capable of generating ten times the power of any current class in service, making it the perfect platform for rail gun technology.
With vigorous protection of trade routes, vital arteries and allies, the U.S. continues to promote stability and the steady flow of goods while deterring hostile behavior. This is a colossal undertaking, and one made more difficult by a shrinking naval force and budget cuts. But active measures to develop hi-tech weaponry signals that our Navy is determined to keep its fighting edge.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
Equal and opposite reaction...
Much smaller visible 'signature', no muzzle flash, no smoke.
there is no recoil. did you skip the sarc tag or were you imitating Diane whatsherface in Colorado having no clue about gun magazines?
>>Recoil will be massive! The ship must be a stable platform that can withstand that recoil.
>> How much higher than forty five degrees without getting swamped in seawater?
That just means they need to make it bigger; enough recoil to create a full 360 degree spin. :)
I don’t believe the recoil from the impulse of firing a 40-lb. projectile will be all that great. Large, for sure, but not compared to the mass of a 3000 ton DDG, or a 4000+ ton FFG. The thing is, the ultra-high velocity of the railgun projectile makes for a very short time of flight and thus a flat trajectory. Little elevation required within line-of-sight.
TC
Have you seen video of one of these firing? Mucho flash and smoke.
Do magnetic rail guns or pulse weapons have recoil?
Does a rail gun or any type that uses magnetic fields for propulsion have recoil? Is there coupling back through the magnetic field that provides the impluse that would cause the device to produce recoil like a standard gun? If not how are the laws of physics satisfied?
kennyk
No it does not recoil in the classical sense. And no the laws of physics are not being violated.
Recoiling is necessary to satisfy the conservation of linear momentum of a system when no external forces are present. Such a system could be a stationary bullet in a stationary gun. Because, the two bodies are stationary the initial momentum of the system will be 0. Once the gun is fired the bullet will have momentum in an arbitrary direction. The gun must have an equal momentum opposite in direction so the two mometums cancel out and keep the overall momentum of the system 0.
The preceding scenario is referred to as a collision/momentum transfer in classical mechanics. The key is that no external forces are present. Once a magnetic field is introduced, the system becomes more complicated and can no longer be described as a momentum tansfer/collision. A recoil in the classical sense dose not occur. Rather there will be an energy transfer from the source of the magnetic field within the gun to the bullet to and vice verses. Electromagnetic energy will be converted into kinetic energy (Propulsion) and kinetic energy converted into electromagnetic energy(Recoil). So no conservation principles are being violated.
That’s on projectile hit, I think.
What causes the enormous amount of heat generated? If they can draw down the heat and convert it back to energy, then they can keep the equipment from melting, and have major success in putting it to service.
Compared to the flash and smoke of an equivalent amount of energy released by a chemical reaction, yes, much smaller.
For a historical analog, compare the range you could spot a coal fired steam powered warship over the horizon to the visible signature of a Diesel or oil fired steamship.
Neither Diesel nor bunker charlie are smoke free, but they provided the crucial advantage in more than one battle.
They can transfer the heat to foil wrapped bacon and eggs.
The Navy’s railguns are expected to have ranges equal to or gretaer than 220 nautical miles, which is Beyond Visual Range (BVR) for the 5 inch projectile.
Rail run being fired. The air burns.
Ruh roh. Typo.
Well, you beat me by 8 seconds.
Next generation destroyer (Zumwalt class). Stealthy, being built with missiles and advanced gun systems, the class has vast electrical output. We're only building three, but they are basically experimental platforms that are intended to be ready for when the rail gun technology matures. If it all works, we will likely build a follow-on in numbers greater than 3.
This is what should be trashed and unfunded. It is an admiral’s wet dream that serves no real need or purpose.
I would hope it would be sequestered first crack out of the box.
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