U.S. Navy to test Railgun prototype in coming weeks
91 replies, posted
[img]http://cdn3.digitaltrends.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/U.S.Navy-to-test-32-megajoule-EM-Railgun-in-the-coming-weeks.jpg[/img]
[quote]The Office of Naval Research (ONR) announced today that they will begin testing an advanced Electromagnetic Railgun (EMR) within the next few weeks. The development and testing of this advanced EMR is the result of a $21 million contract awarded to BAE Systems by the Office of Naval Research roughly two years ago. For those that may not know, the ONR is the office within the United States Department of the Navy that facilitates all science and technology programs for the U.S Navy and Marine Corps through various institutions, such as universities and government laboratories.
While most munitions both heavy and small depend on chemical propellants (like gunpowder), the EM Railgun launcher (as you may have guessed from its name) utilizes magnetic energy instead. The EM Railgun propels a conductive projectile along metal rails using a magnetic field powered by electricity. The magnetic field produced by the high electric currents thrusts a sliding metal conductor between two rails to launch a projectile at velocities of 4,500 to 5,600 mph. By contrast, the average velocity of a chemical propelled weapon is limited to about 2,700 give or take.
So what does that mean? Well, this increased velocity should allow for the Navy to reach targets of up to 50 to 100 nautical miles away or, if your inner sea-dog is a little rusty, about 57 to 115 miles out. Navy planners hope to eventually increase that range even further to distances up to 220 nautical miles (253 miles).
According to ONR, this increase velocity and extended range will give sailors multi-mission capability, and allow them to conduct precise naval surface fire support. In addition, ONR states that the EM Railgun may provide effective ballistic missile defense.
BAE Systems EM Railgun was delivered to the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Dahlgren on January 30, 2012 and features a 32-megajoule payload. To add some perspective, one megajoule of energy is equivalent to a one ton car traveling at 100 miles per hour. [/quote]
[url=http://www.digitaltrends.com/international/u-s-navy-to-test-32-megajoule-em-railgun-in-the-coming-weeks/]Source here.[/url]
....Wow. The stopping power of this thing is enormous.
This is really impressive.
and in time they can improve it by making it smaller, and smaller, and with a trigger and handle
All my science fiction dreams are coming true :D
Here's what i thought when I heard "railgun"
[img]http://mimg.ugo.com/201001/35130/railgun-quake2.jpg[/img]
But apparently this is still pretty cool. I also wonder if this would be more accurate then a normal gun?
Glad that BAE Systems made it - hopefully this means that the RN might use it.
The future is now. Gotta make my underground bunker even deeper.
[QUOTE=K3inMitl3id;34634336]Here's what i thought when I heard "railgun"
[img]http://mimg.ugo.com/201001/35130/railgun-quake2.jpg[/img]
But apparently this is still pretty cool. I also wonder if this would be more accurate then a normal gun?[/QUOTE]
This is what I originally thought of
[img]http://www.peachmountain.com/5star/images/AberdeenProvingGrounds/20060509_2099_NSengupta_AberdeenProvingGroundss.jpg[/img]
Not disappointed to be wrong at all though.
Every time I hear of a railgun system its usually entirely magnetic. Why hasn't anyone tried the concept of initially accelerating the projectile with conventional means? Reliability?
It's electromagnetic, a.k.a. it could cause EMPs
I was half expecting another one of those immobile test rigs that couldn't be aimed which just shot concrete along with high speed cameras watching.
Glad I was wrong.
What the hell is a nautical mile and how do I convert it to km?
I thought the railgun project was shut down?
[QUOTE=Rents;34634655]What the hell is a nautical mile and how do I convert it to km?[/QUOTE]
with a google search
so, when it hits it's target, it's hitting this one point with the some force as 32 cars all traveling at 100mph (says the artical)
and it's flying at 5,600mph hitting a target 115miles away
fuck. that.
but darn it, now all i can think about is that solider guy in mass effect 2 talking about spaceship rail guns
and what seems even more terrifing is that, the two sound so alike.
I thought they cancelled the program.
[QUOTE=garychencool;34634481]It's electromagnetic, a.k.a. it could cause EMPs[/QUOTE]
sorry for having inferior knowledge of physics to all you stephen hawkings
[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;34634457]This is what I originally thought of
[img]http://www.peachmountain.com/5star/images/AberdeenProvingGrounds/20060509_2099_NSengupta_AberdeenProvingGroundss.jpg[/img]
Not disappointed to be wrong at all though.[/QUOTE]
That looks like the train-gun from Lost Planet 2
[QUOTE=garychencool;34634481]It's electromagnetic, a.k.a. it could cause EMPs[/QUOTE]
No not at all
I wonder if it would make sense to downsize it if the technology was available. But probably not seeing how power-hungry it is. Unless we come up with one hell of a compact power source of course.
Do Snipers have to be constantly on the move? The range this thing provides looks relevant for this kind of weapon replacement should it ever be downsized.
[QUOTE=Marik Bentusi;34635039]I wonder if it would make sense to downsize it if the technology was available. But probably not seeing how power-hungry it is.
Unless we come up with one hell of a compact power source of course.[/QUOTE]
At one point in time, computers took up a whole room and cellphones were the size of [American] footballs.
I'm sure it'll shrink over time.
[QUOTE=Ama-zake;34634479]Every time I hear of a railgun system its usually entirely magnetic. Why hasn't anyone tried the concept of initially accelerating the projectile with conventional means? Reliability?[/QUOTE]
There was a guy who has his own website on this sort of stuff, he made his own railgun and in his design gas was injected behind the projectile as it was fired, which turned into plasma.
[editline]10th February 2012[/editline]
[QUOTE=Marik Bentusi;34635039]I wonder if it would make sense to downsize it if the technology was available. But probably not seeing how power-hungry it is. Unless we come up with one hell of a compact power source of course.[/QUOTE]
Have a wind-up version.
[QUOTE=garychencool;34634481]It's electromagnetic, a.k.a. it could cause EMPs[/QUOTE]
First, I don't think you understand what 'a.k.a.' means.
Second, I don't think you understand what 'EMP' means.
Third, I think you might be simple.
Sweet now we can hit the aliens where it hurts with this baby.
That's pretty neato, A buddy and I made a electromagnetic gun with a coil of wire and about 20 disposable cameras. It would shoot through a apple or about 100 feet with a steel Philips bit.
[QUOTE=garychencool;34634481]It's electromagnetic, a.k.a. it could cause EMPs[/QUOTE]
10 more kills and you might find yourself with a nuke
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