Navy’s BAE Railgun Shoots Projectile 203 Kilometers at Mach 7
How would you like to “reach out and touch” someone 203 kilometers away (about 110 nautical miles)? Well America’s Navy may soon be able to do exactly that with an amazing new, high-tech weapon system. BAE Systems has developed (and successfully test-fired) an electro-magnetic rail gun that fires a 23-lb projectile at Mach 7 — (about 5300 mph or 7800 fps). This futuristic weapon can send its projectile 110 nautical miles (126 mi / 203 km), five times the range of the big 16″ guns on WWII-era battleships. This railgun has serious “knock-down” power — at Mach 7, that projectile carries a whopping 32 megajoules of energy. BreakingDefense.com says: “23 pounds ain’t heavy. But it sure hurts when it hits you going at seven times the speed of sound.”
Watch Video to See Navy Rail-Gun in Action:
The latest prototype of the railgun developed by defense contractor BAE, in conjunction with the Office of Naval Research, can accelerate a projectile up to Mach 7 within 10 milliseconds. The gun uses no gunpowder to generate propelling force. Compared to an item on a smaller scale, the railgun projectiles resemble crossbow darts, except they deliver such massive Kinetic Energy they don’t need to carry explosive ordnance. The railgun can strike targets 110 nautical miles away.
To prepare a charge, the ship stores electricity in the pulsed power system. Next, an electric pulse is sent to the railgun, creating an electromagnetic force accelerating the projectile. Because of its extreme speed, the projectile eliminates the hazards of storing high explosives in the ship. Each shot costs about $25,000 — but that’s cheap compared to the price of a missile.
“It’s like a flux capacitor,” chief of Naval research Rear Admiral Mathias Winter said in a video posted by Reuters Friday. “You’re sitting here thinking about these next generation and futuristic ideas, and we’ve got scientists who have designed these, and it’s coming to life.”
The Electromagnetic Railgun Innovative Naval Prototype (INP) was initiated in 2005. The goal during Phase I was to produce a proof-of-concept demonstration at 32 mega-joule muzzle energy, develop launcher technology with adequate service life, develop reliable pulsed power technology, and assess component risk reduction for the projectile.
Phase II, which started in 2012, advanced the technology to demonstrate a repeatable-rate fire capability. Thermal-management techniques required for sustained firing rates will be developed for both the launcher system and the pulsed power system. The railgun will begin testing at sea in 2016.
Story concept from CTD Shooter’s Log.
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Tags: 110 Nautical, Artillery, BAE, Cannon, Kinetic, Mach, Navy, Pulsed Power, Railgun
Wouldn’t it be cheaper, faster and better to have the projectiles orbiting around the earth until needed then diverted to the target at Mach 20?
What’s the barrel life at 7800 fps?
what kind of barrel life do you get at 7800 fps?
Glad it doesn’t use gun powder. If it did we would never see Varget or H4350.
Guys,
I know just a little about this tech. barrel life would be fine, as it doesn’t touch it. The electromagnetic field floats down the barrel. That leave us ALL plenty of VARGET.
But will it stop a Sambar deer at 100m? I hear those things are nearly bullet proof.
Impressive concept and video. Somewhat faster than powder propelled discarding sabot rounds, but not hugely. Certainly no less muzzle blast! The cost though, is much higher, and for distant targets in the dozens of miles away, I would think they better be very large, for a first shot hit. In that laser pulses can hit supersonic missiles as if they weren’t moving, with zero human involvement, the age of throwing a more accurate rock is waning as far as leading militaries go. Just as the field events of javelin and shot put throwing of cannon balls continues long beyond use of cannons and spears, imagine the day when powder charged small arms, like bowed weapons, are used only in the “ancient” sport of rifle matches. Almost certainly outside of the 2nd Amendment, directed energy weapons won’t have a civilian role. The FAA and law enforcement can barely even contend with $4 laser pointers miscreants point at pilots.
How hot does the tip of the projectile gets at that speed? Does it melt ( like the hornady bullet tips?) ? Does its bc then change during its travel?
a laser pulse can’t shoot over the horizon or through clouds.