Power Down: Senate Zaps Navy’s Superlaser, Railgun - Polidicks

"Well Lieutenant? What are we going to do now? There's nothing fun to do now" "What we always do! Make Laser Guns!"

Heres a link to a demonstration video: [url]http://defensetech.org/2011/04/14/we-were-launching-hypersonic-bricks-at-mach-5-mach-6/[/url] Has some nice footage of test shots, and a little explanation of their projectile.

[QUOTE=Antdawg;30526954]Well if Facepunchers argue for a lower military budget, they got to understand that you can't just say "herp let's cut budget in half!". You need to realize what potentially is going to be cut to achieve a lower budget.[/QUOTE] Cut the unneeded wars? Bring troops home? Quit spending money on obsolete tech? The military should be focused on defense of the nation, and research. Not Being the global police. Fuck.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufsf_-a_H9Q[/media]

so, congress, is it cool if we invade every country with brown people in it? "yeah go ahead, take our money" so, congress, we're developing a railgun that will not only be an efficient weapon but will have tons of other, nonviolent usages as well, is that cool? "NO, SHUT IT DOWN. SHUT EVERYTHING DOWN. WE NEED TO CONSERVE MONEY TO KILL BROWN PEOPLE WITH"

[QUOTE=Trumple;30527343]We always complain that the US should spend less on military then we complain when they do V:v:V[/QUOTE] US should spend more money (read: [B]ALOT MORE[/B]) on research, and less on shooting brown people. [editline]18th June 2011[/editline] kopimi it's like your read my mind

I thought the whole point in the rail gun tech was to reduce the cost of naval combat. The theory was a cheap piece of metal fired from a rail gun would have enough energy to replace non-nuclear tomahawk missiles. This would reduce the cost of say, taking out an enemies ship, since all you need is a piece of metal as opposed to a super expensive guided missile (which are capable of being shot out the sky with phalanx-like systems).

lol at people thinking allocating defense funds is like in civilization where you just drag the slider bar

As much as it was probably a huge money hole, it was one fucking cool money hole.

[QUOTE=Dronaroid;30526612]Don't worry, it will sooner or later be on Metal Gear REX [img]http://i.imgur.com/Jq32T.jpg[/img][/QUOTE] Here's a bigger version for anyone who cares. [img]http://filesmelt.com/dl/2q06ddd1.jpg[/img]

[QUOTE=lolwutdude;30535822]lol at people thinking allocating defense funds is like in civilization where you just drag the slider bar[/QUOTE] What are you on about?

[QUOTE=Contag;30536520]What are you on about?[/QUOTE] i'm on about people talking about defense budget and allocating them to different areas is easy as sliding the research bar in civilization game, since we are in a game forum, i was making a reference!!

What sucks is.. although these are weapons.. they were more scientific feats funded by the government/military... and although it's purpose was for war and such I'm 99% sure that the science behind it would be way more beneficial.

Well, off to investor funding!

[QUOTE=Coffee;30527757]Well I guess that plan went off the rails.[/QUOTE] That was a railly good pun.

Yeah lets stop technological progress for the sake of being partisan hacks!

[QUOTE=lolwutdude;30539249]i'm on about people talking about defense budget and allocating them to different areas is easy as sliding the research bar in civilization game, since we are in a game forum, i was making a reference!![/QUOTE] No, it's as easy as commanding hundreds of civil servants to do it.

[QUOTE=scout1;30536011]Here's a bigger version for anyone who cares. [img]http://filesmelt.com/dl/2q06ddd1.jpg[/img][/QUOTE] my background now, thanks. Also: tech is our path to the future, this is why we need soldiers on the budget comittee

Damn it, this was a really interesting project. Hopefully someone somewhere will pick it up again.

No doubt theyll waste the money they have left on pointless research into replacing the AR-15s like they have done for the past 10 years.

I'm quite concerned that the Senate has no idea how tremendously important naval supremacy is.

[QUOTE=Canuhearmenow;30547224]I'm quite concerned that the Senate has no idea how tremendously important naval supremacy is.[/QUOTE] I wonder if they ever did a test-fire on a steel plate that'd be the typical thickness of a warship...

[QUOTE=JeffAndersen;30539403]... and although it's purpose was for war and such I'm 99% sure that the science behind it would be way more beneficial.[/QUOTE] Well a proper railgun (fast firing, etc.) would require materials and forms of power generation we don't currently posses, so building ones for naval purposes would benefit everybody.

"Insufficient Funds" :v: [editline]19th June 2011[/editline] But seriously now, this is the second kind of weapon that can be used as our first line of planetary defence (the first being our ballistic missiles). There's hoping other superpowers catch up on the railgun technology.

"Mr Senator I'm not sure you quite understand how cool this project is!"

In nearly every thread that has to do with the US, FP whines about the defence budget being too high and too much money being used for military things. Now that they do start cutting down on it, people whine.

[QUOTE=Elfy;30541693]That was a railly good pun.[/QUOTE] That on the other hand was not.

[QUOTE=Ama-zake;30526739]Both things have their applications. Advances in railgun technology and design could eventually be applied to a space-gun of sorts that could resupply ships at relatively low cost per launch as well as things like assisting suborbital commercial flight that could get you halfway around the world in a few hours. More efficient and reliable lasers have their place in common electronic consumer goods and manufacturing.[/QUOTE] brb murdering whoever decided this project should be cancelled

good. one less weapon the US can wave around

[QUOTE=acds;30559469]In nearly every thread that has to do with the US, FP whines about the defence budget being too high and too much money being used for military things. Now that they do start cutting down on it, people whine.[/QUOTE] I don't think anyone of Facepunch complains about the money that goes into DARPA. All the threads about them have been quite enthusiastic.