Railgun

Brief Background:

The idea of using electromagnetic force to propel projectiles has been around since WWI however the ideas were not tested until December 2010 when General Atomics tested their Blitzer electromagnetic railgun. This shot reached a speed over Mach 5 and exceeded a force of 33 megajoules. This force is roughly equal to a freight train traveling 100 mph. Now a shot can easily travel over 100 miles above Mach 7 with complete accuracy. It also has the power so travel through several layers of steel or concrete and deliver the same damage as a Tomahawk Missile.

How It Works:

Railguns are made of three basic components: two parallel rails, a projectile, and many capacitors. The projectile runs between the two rails and so that when a current is applied it travels up one rail, across the projectile, and then back down the other rail. Each rail creates a magnetic field but since they point in the same direction it creates an even stronger field that propels the projectile.

Pros:

• High speed
• Pinpoint accuracy
• Shoots farther than any other gun
• Does not take up much space on a ship
• Can penetrate through defenses
• Does not require guidence

Cons:

• Requires a large amount of energy
• Hard to transport
• Need to replace rails
• Magnetic Field can cause damage to nearby electronic equipment

Future:

In the future this weapon is expected to be able to reach speeds of Mach 10 and fire over 220 miles. It will also be able to shoot multiple rounds per minute. Scientists also expect that they could combine it with a typical combustion powder system to create an even better and more advanced version.

Works Cited

Allain, Rhett. “The Physics of the Railgun.” Wired, Conde Nast, 3 June 2017, www.wired.com/2014/08/the-physics-of-the-railgun/.

Dailymail.com, Mark Prigg For. “Radical Railgun Revealed: US Navy's 'Star Wars' Weapon That Can Fire Shells at Mach 6 and Penetrate Concrete 100 MILES Away Shown in Public for First Time.” Daily Mail Online, Associated Newspapers, 19 May 2015, www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2941525/Radical-railgun-fire-shells-mach-6-penetrate-concrete-100-MILES-away-shown-public-Navy.html.

Garrun, Daniel. “Highly Charged – the US Navy's Electromagnetic Railgun Programme.” Naval Technology, 27 Sept. 2012, www.naval-technology.com/features/featureus-navy-electromagnetic-railgun-programme/.