US Naval Railgun inaugural range test fire 17NOV16 - General

This was a video just released this week of a test fire last year. This is the inaugural test fire of the new Railgun range in Dahlgren, VA. This will be where the railgun will be as it is revised until the final version is built that will go on US Warships. There are no proppellents involved, it requires only 25 Mw of power and accelerates a projectile to Mach 6 or around 4,600 mph. [video]https://youtu.be/Pi-BDIu_umo[/video]

loving the bootleg Pirates of the Caribbean music

Would have been nice to see it hit its target (if there was one)

It'd have been cool as shit if they had a side view of something being obliterated after it shot. The software they showed in the background looked really cool too.

That is so fucking cool

can someone explain the funky shape of railgun projectiles to me it always looks like it's firing a trophy instead of a traditionally aerodynamic projectile

[QUOTE=LaughingStock;52008240]It'd have been cool as shit if they had a side view of something being obliterated after it shot. The software they showed in the background looked really cool too.[/QUOTE] [QUOTE=FeartheMango;52008239]Would have been nice to see it hit its target (if there was one)[/QUOTE] [URL]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2108129/Railgun-Video-shows-hit-targets-100-miles-away-7-times-speed-sound.html#v-1425366759001[/URL] (~0:25-0:45)

[QUOTE=Kill001;52008274]can someone explain the funky shape of railgun projectiles to me it always looks like it's firing a trophy instead of a traditionally aerodynamic projectile[/QUOTE]i heard they fire an awkwardly-shaped lump of metal instead of a proper projectile because the real deal might just go through whatever they're using as the target and keep going further than it should

[QUOTE=Kill001;52008274]it always looks like it's firing a trophy instead of a traditionally aerodynamic projectile[/QUOTE] It kinda looks like a wrench to me.

[QUOTE=Joazzz;52008415]i heard they fire an awkwardly-shaped lump of metal instead of a proper projectile because the real deal might just go through whatever they're using as the target and keep going further than it should[/QUOTE] [QUOTE=Kill001;52008274]can someone explain the funky shape of railgun projectiles to me it always looks like it's firing a trophy instead of a traditionally aerodynamic projectile[/QUOTE] Pretty sure its a type of Sabot round. It's a cover around a dart-shaped round that makes it fit in the barrel better. Once it leaves the barrel, the Sabot falls off. Something like this: [media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0giK-zqrAKI[/media] Tanks use them a lot.

[QUOTE=OvB;52008503]Pretty sure its a type of Sabot round. It's a cover around a dart-shaped round that makes it fit in the barrel better. Once it leaves the barrel, the Sabot falls off. Something like this: [media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0giK-zqrAKI[/media] Tanks use them a lot.[/QUOTE] I don't think it's a SABOT sleeve though. If you look at the round the bottom is flat when they load it and bent into a backwards C shape whem fired. I imagine the coil takes a moment to fully power so they have a kind of window the bottom sits against in the bore so the round doen't leave the coil prematurely until enough force is being put on it from the electromagnet. This would also explain the sparks coming out.

I hate how it just cuts away as the projectile starts to tumble. That's even more unsatisfying that actually seeing something fly not straight

[QUOTE=Ta16;52008636]I don't think it's a SABOT sleeve though. If you look at the round the bottom is flat when they load it and bent into a backwards C shape whem fired. I imagine the coil takes a moment to fully power so they have a kind of window the bottom sits against in the bore so the round doen't leave the coil prematurely until enough force is being put on it from the electromagnet. This would also explain the sparks coming out.[/QUOTE] it's sabot. the C part is the armature [img]https://dutchsinse.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/railgun-projectiles.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_Rail_Gun_Theory_pic.jpg[/img] [editline]24th March 2017[/editline] i think you're confusing railguns with coilguns

just imagine the type of weapons they have that they [I]won't[/I] show us

I was under the impression that sabot projectiles shed their outer layers upon exiting the barrel I wonder why it stays in one piece upon launching

[QUOTE=13illay;52009103]just imagine the type of weapons they have that they [I]won't[/I] show us[/QUOTE] There's a plasma weapons project that is currently classified after having showed promise. Project MARAUDER I think it was called. IIRC in the initial unclassified tests, it could fire a toroid of very high energy plasma with some pretty fucking intense damage done to the targets, as well as having an EMP effect to fry electronics. Give it 30-50 years and we'll probably see railguns replaced or complemented with plasma weapons.

[QUOTE=zombini;52009203]There's a plasma weapons project that is currently classified after having showed promise. Project MARAUDER I think it was called. IIRC in the initial unclassified tests, it could fire a toroid of very high energy plasma with some pretty fucking intense damage done to the targets, as well as having an EMP effect to fry electronics. Give it 30-50 years and we'll probably see railguns replaced or complemented with plasma weapons.[/QUOTE] It's also fucking badass which I feel is the most important thing.

[QUOTE=Kill001;52009126]I was under the impression that sabot projectiles shed their outer layers upon exiting the barrel I wonder why it stays in one piece upon launching[/QUOTE] at 1:40 it doesn't look like they have an actual projectile so they're probably firing the sabot + armature to prove that they can

The future might just have commonplace railguns and plasma weapons. What a time to be alive.

I wonder how quickly will the barrel wear out, all that friction and arcing can't be good for the rails

It's interesting to see that, despite lacking propellants, how much shit is ejected out of the barrel. If it's not part of the sabot, it begs the question of how many discharges can a railgun take before having to be maintained? From what I've read, it seems like that's the main issue with Railguns as weaponry, they wear out too quickly. Also sad to know it doesn't make any funky futuristic sounds :(

[QUOTE=Instant Mix;52010004]It's interesting to see that, despite lacking propellants, how much shit is ejected out of the barrel. If it's not part of the sabot, it begs the question of how many discharges can a railgun take before having to be maintained? From what I've read, it seems like that's the main issue with Railguns as weaponry, they wear out too quickly. Also sad to know it doesn't make any funky futuristic sounds :([/QUOTE] Breaking the sound barrier isn't a quiet process unfortunately, this is hypersonic speeds as well

Huh, I expect this to have some sort of strange noise but it just sounds like a normal gun.

[QUOTE=Instant Mix;52010004]It's interesting to see that, despite lacking propellants, how much shit is ejected out of the barrel. If it's not part of the sabot, it begs the question of how many discharges can a railgun take before having to be maintained? From what I've read, it seems like that's the main issue with Railguns as weaponry, they wear out too quickly. Also sad to know it doesn't make any funky futuristic sounds :([/QUOTE] Main weapon systems have checks (3-M) that are conditional, for example a unique check for daily, before shooting, after shooting etc. Also barrels are interchangable, all naval weapon systems keep track off numbed of rounds/missiles fired in its lifetime to track for things like barrel replacement or ablative wear for VLS.

[QUOTE=Ta16;52010170]Main weapon systems have checks (3-M) that are conditional, for example a unique check for daily, before shooting, after shooting etc. Also barrels are interchangable, all naval weapon systems keep track off numbed of rounds/missiles fired in its lifetime to track for things like barrel replacement or ablative wear for VLS.[/QUOTE] It would be interesting to compare the cost and replacement rate of barrels for this railgun in comparision to the standard conventional barrels - see whether they're actually cost effective.

Ammo for these is supposed to be much, much less expensive than missiles, so it'll be exciting to see future warships toting some nice new railgun batteries around.

[QUOTE=Instant Mix;52010293]It would be interesting to compare the cost and replacement rate of barrels for this railgun in comparision to the standard conventional barrels - see whether they're actually cost effective.[/QUOTE] I'd assume any sufficiently large cannon will put large strain on the barrel.

I guess when the Strogg invade they will have something to shoot at.

IIRC the shells they fire are shaped like that to help reduce their contact with the rails to minimize the wear and tear. They're basically just solid metal. They'll do more damage than an explosive round just due to kinetics.

The future is now, Jesus Christ.