May 28, 2016 09:02 PM
The Navy has recently demonstrated its new electromagnetic rail gun. It hurls a 25 pound kinetic energy slug at 4,500 miles per hour. The slug can penetrate thick armor and strikes like a meteorite.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/a-first-look...1464359194
The Navy hopes that the weapon will prove effective against ships, planes, shore targets and even guided missiles.
Reportedly it can fire at a rate of 10 times a minute.
Its range is spectacular. Current Navy guns have a range of about 15 miles. WWII battleships could fire huge projectiles 24 miles. This new electromagnetic gun has a range of 125 miles.
Current destroyers with missile main armament carry 96 missiles. With this thing, similar sized ships can carry 1,000 rounds.
Over the last 50 years, the Navy has moved from relying on guns to relying missiles. If this thing works out, it may go back to guns.
One difficulty is that it requires lots of electricity. This particular gun requires 25 megawatts.
The Chinese are apparently very concerned about it and their hackers have been ceaselessly trying to break into USN computers to steal the details.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/a-first-look...1464359194
The Navy hopes that the weapon will prove effective against ships, planes, shore targets and even guided missiles.
Reportedly it can fire at a rate of 10 times a minute.
Its range is spectacular. Current Navy guns have a range of about 15 miles. WWII battleships could fire huge projectiles 24 miles. This new electromagnetic gun has a range of 125 miles.
Current destroyers with missile main armament carry 96 missiles. With this thing, similar sized ships can carry 1,000 rounds.
Over the last 50 years, the Navy has moved from relying on guns to relying missiles. If this thing works out, it may go back to guns.
One difficulty is that it requires lots of electricity. This particular gun requires 25 megawatts.
The Chinese are apparently very concerned about it and their hackers have been ceaselessly trying to break into USN computers to steal the details.