A US Navy railgun trial has been successfully performed, paving the way for electromagnetic weapons-launch technologies to enter US military service in future years.
The cannon used – which is approximately bus-sized - has the capability to launch a 20 ton projectile towards a target located 200km away, at speeds approaching Mach 7, and future advances in technology could increase this range yet further.
"Today's railgun test demonstrates the tactical relevance of this technology, which could one day complement traditional surface ship combat systems", US Naval Research head, Rear Admiral Nevin Carr stated.
"The 33 megajoule shot means the Navy can fire projectiles at least 110 nautical miles, placing sailors and marines at a safe standoff distance and out of harm's way."
Railgun Firing Trial
The railgun firing trial was carried out at Dahlgren Surface Warfare Center and it immediately saw a new world record established, with 33 megajoules of force created: a three-fold increase on the previous muzzle energy record set two years ago.
To put this kind of force into context, one megajoule is roughly represented by the energy release that occurs when a car that weighs one ton, being driven at 100 miles per hour, collides with a solid surface.
On several fronts, the technology is the world's most powerful gun, blending speed and accuracy with unprecedented precision. And it's that urgency and precision which highlight the potential of railguns, upping the chances of a successful strike given that where other strike weapons are concerned, their (more) limited speed might let the target move away while they're still in flight.
USN Railgun Trial
While traditional gun designs employ explosives, such as gunpowder, as a power source, the device used in the USN railgun trial draws on pure energy. The projectile doesn't break up when it makes contact with its target, but rather strikes with kinetic energy.
Although the US Navy carried out an earlier railgun test two years ago, the idea of such weapons has previously been limited to computer games.
Current forecasts suggest military railguns will make their operational debut in around 2020, at best.
