The U.S. Navy test fired their new electromagnetic railgun, and it is butch!
Instead of traditional explosive chemical propellants, the electromag system can fire a projectile more than 230 miles at seven times the speed of sound (Mach 7), with a velocity of Mach 5 at impact. Ouch.
By comparison, the Navy's current MK 45 five-inch gun, has a range of less than 23 miles.
Long a fixture in science fiction universes, it's current popularity is due in part to Quake and other first person shooters, where it devastatingly shoots a "slug" through walls and through multiple enemies.
The Navy's motivation for the railgun? Simple destruction.
The railgun's high-velocity projectile will destroy targets with sheer kinetic energy rather than with conventional explosives, and railgun's lack of explosives means ships would be safer. "I never ever want to see a Sailor or Marine in a fair fight. I always want them to have the advantage," said the Chief of Naval Operations. "We should never lose sight of always looking for the next big thing, always looking to make our capability better, more effective than what anyone else can put on the battlefield."
The Navy's goal is to demonstrate a full-capability prototype by 2018.
Instead of traditional explosive chemical propellants, the electromag system can fire a projectile more than 230 miles at seven times the speed of sound (Mach 7), with a velocity of Mach 5 at impact. Ouch.
By comparison, the Navy's current MK 45 five-inch gun, has a range of less than 23 miles.
Long a fixture in science fiction universes, it's current popularity is due in part to Quake and other first person shooters, where it devastatingly shoots a "slug" through walls and through multiple enemies.
The Navy's motivation for the railgun? Simple destruction.
The railgun's high-velocity projectile will destroy targets with sheer kinetic energy rather than with conventional explosives, and railgun's lack of explosives means ships would be safer. "I never ever want to see a Sailor or Marine in a fair fight. I always want them to have the advantage," said the Chief of Naval Operations. "We should never lose sight of always looking for the next big thing, always looking to make our capability better, more effective than what anyone else can put on the battlefield."
The Navy's goal is to demonstrate a full-capability prototype by 2018.
straight badass
No comments:
Post a Comment