Navy Railgun Superweapon

[Mr. Lennon]

http://news.yahoo.com/navy-railgun-tests-leading-ship-superweapon-2020-201003095.html

"Newly released video shows the prototype railgun using an electric-powered launcher rather than gunpowder to fire a huge hypersonic bullet in a cloud of flame and smoke. The Office of Naval Research hopes its new test phase — scheduled to last until 2017 — leads to a Navy weapon capable of hurling 40-pound projectiles at speeds of 4,500 mph to 5,600 mph over 50 to 100 miles (7,240 to 9,010 kilometers per hour over 80 to 161 kilometers)."

I'd hate to be on the receiving end of that thing.

 

[Wyndru]

Wow, how does the bullet not vaporize (or at least burn up) at that speed?

 

[sdifox]

Wow, how does the bullet not vaporize (or at least burn up) at that speed?

solid projectile.

 

[SandEagle]

Wow, how does the bullet not vaporize (or at least burn up) at that speed?

its 40 lbs of steel only going 50-100 miles. :\

 

[SZLiao214]

I thought they had decided to cancel this project a few years ago?

 

[OutHouse]

its 40 lbs of steel only going 50-100 miles. :\

??? what does that have to do with it? he said speed not distance.

40-pound projectiles at speeds of 4,500 mph to 5,600 mph over 50 to 100 miles (7,240 to 9,010 kilometers per hour over 80 to 161 kilometers)."

 

[Crono]

Love that sound.

I've been following railgun news for a couple years now - it's good to see that they actually plan on deploying these with a specific year in mind. I wonder how long before we start seeing them (or coilguns) scaled down for infantry units.

 

[BabaBooey]

<--------------Waits for the rifle version .....

That is pretty badass though...:thumbsup:

 

[sdifox]

Love that sound.

I've been following railgun news for a couple years now - it's good to see that they actually plan on deploying these with a specific year in mind. I wonder how long before we start seeing them (or coilguns) scaled down for infantry units.

no way. we don't have any power source with that kind of density. And if we do, there are much better uses than powering a rifle.

 

[FallenHero]

I didn't see it in the article, but have they figured out a good rail system that doesn't break/vaporize in 10 shots? I thought that was the biggest hurdle.

 

[Wyndru]

solid projectile.

I was thinking along the lines of the friction heating it up (like a meteor). I had to look up meteor speeds, I had no idea they went that fast when they entered the atmosphere, but I guess there is a big difference in the temp buildup between a few thousand mph and 30,000 mph.

 

[Crono]

no way. we don't have any power source with that kind of density. And if we do, there are much better uses than powering a rifle.

Yeah, I know. I'm sure any advanced battery or mobile power sources would show up in vehicles first.

 

[dabuddha]

 

[corwin]

Yeah, I know. I'm sure any advanced battery or mobile power sources would show up in vehicles first.

Not sure if serious...they would be developed by the military for their uses first then find their way to the civilian market eventually, like so many other things have

 

[Crono]

Not sure if serious...they would be developed by the military for their uses first then find their way to the civilian market eventually, like so many other things have

I doubt it. Civilian research labs and universities are where a good deal of the latest advancements have come from. The government (DARPA especially) does help fund some of those projects, though.

 

[Squisher]

OK, what was the thing they fired out of the gun? It looked like a connecting rod or a pittman arm. Did they just look around the floor for some ferrous metal to sling out of it? I wanna see a 5600mph toaster or coffee pot.

 

[ConwayJim]

Cool, i hope they kill lots and lots of people!

 

[Remobz]

Looks like another waste of US tax payers money courtesy of the Military.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Does not approve of this development.

 

[rivan]

OK, what was the thing they fired out of the gun? It looked like a connecting rod or a pittman arm. Did they just look around the floor for some ferrous metal to sling out of it? I wanna see a 5600mph toaster or coffee pot.

"The rounds we are firing currently are non-aerodynamic slugs," Ellis said of the testing. "They match the interior ballistics of what the launcher is expected to see but are intended to slow down quickly."

I'd imagine they'd have to have something pretty significant to test the standard slugs on.

 

[corwin]

OK, what was the thing they fired out of the gun? It looked like a connecting rod or a pittman arm. Did they just look around the floor for some ferrous metal to sling out of it? I wanna see a 5600mph toaster or coffee pot.

A test slug designed to slow down quickly, it's in the article...however I too would like to see a toaster moving like that:awe:

 

[T_Yamamoto]

A test slug designed to slow down quickly, it's in the article...however I too would like to see a toaster moving like that:awe:

What about a car?

 

[crownjules]

Looks like another waste of US tax payers money courtesy of the Military.

Not at all. These guns are equally viable defense platforms as well. Not to mention the trickle over effect into civilian and aerospace industries. Get a big and powerful enough railgun and you can launch raw materials into space at a much cheaper cost than chemical reaction based payload delivery methods.

 

[corwin]

What about a car?

Death by toaster sounds a lot better

 

[Stuxnet]

That'll leave a mark.