The 'Railgun'

[Gray-Wolf]

Who needs gunpowder anyway?

The US has test fired its latest weapon, the railgun, which uses electromagnetism to propell the shell out of the barrel at speeds up to mach 7!!!

The shell impacts the target at mach 5!!!.

They are touting it as a Naval weapon replacing the conventional guns but you could imagine it's impact if small enough to use on SPW's on the battlefield (who needs depleted Uranium shells with those impact speeds???).

Whadya think?

[Coast]

I have been following the similar Metal Storm technology for some time, you can read a wiki article here explaining the technology.

An unbelievable system, watch it in action

[Bobby]

Though it of course works the question is if it's practically and economically feasible for more widespread use. I imagine it takes huge amounts of energy to propell those shells. It may have a niche though where it's only used in a few instances due to the very high velocities. Might be good for armour piercing.

[Gray-Wolf]

Though it of course works the question is if it's practically and economically feasible for more widespread use. I imagine it takes huge amounts of energy to propell those shells. It may have a niche though where it's only used in a few instances due to the very high velocities. Might be good for armour piercing.

I bet folk looked at the first computers and said the same but look how quickly we arrived at this point! The faster weapons technology evolves away from nuclear the better!!

[BARRY]

it apparently can fire a shell 250 miles with pin point accuracy, at the moment most navel shells will only go 15 miles.

[Just Before Dawn]

Electromagnetic weapons have been of interest to the US Navy for at least a decade as anti-cruise missile weapons to replace their phalanx multi-barrelled 20mm cannons. That's always been their primary value - the metal storm system is a similar area denial weapons system.

[Guest Shetland Coastie]

Thats not all the yanks are working on! They are also in the process of testing a couple of what they term "focused energy weapons" or laser beams to you and me. One is truck mounted and is supposed to be capable of downing incoming missiles and artillery shells, this uses what is know as a "solid state" laser. The other is an aircraft mounted "chemical" laser whoch would be used for frying ground targets. They are both large and cumbersome systems at the moment but as we all know with other such systems in the past, miniaturisation usually follows hot on the heels of working technology, remember the size of the first mobile phones?! "Star Wars" is maybe not such a far fetched idea after all.

[full_frontal_occlusion]

I have been following the similar Metal Storm technology for some time, you can read a wiki article here explaining the technology.

An unbelievable system, watch it in action

Not similar at all:

The rail gun uses electromagnetism to accelerate each projectile.

Metal Storm uses explosive combustion to provide acceleration for the projectiles. The electronics part controls the timing of ignition but, unlike conventional guns, has no moving parts.

ffO.

[Gray-Wolf]

There are also all the civilian spin offs to look forward to. Most scientific advances seem driven by the need to kill others or defend yourself from being killed by others.

[Bobby]

I definitely think they will be used in the battlefield in the future but I can't see them ever replacing good ole traditional weaponry. The laser for example must be amazingly expensive and complex and requires massive amounts of energy for just a short burst. It's huge too - you couldn't fit that on a gun. Just doesn't seem practical for widespread use. They will take up niches though I'm sure and could become very useful and important military wise.