A theoretical dream for decades, the railgun is unlike any other weapon used in warfare. And it's quite real too, as the U.S. Navy has proven in a record-setting test today in Dahlgren, VA.
Rather than relying on a explosion to fire a projectile, the technology uses an electomagnetic current to accelerate a non-explosive bullet at several times the speed of sound. The conductive projectile zips along a set of electrically charged parallel rails and out of the barrel at speeds up to Mach 7.
The result: a weapon that can hit a target 100 miles or more away within minutes.
"It's an over-used term, but it really changes several games," Rear Admiral Nevin P. Carr, Jr., the chief of Naval Research, told FoxNews.com prior to the test.
For a generation raised on shoot-'em-up video games, the word "railgun" invokes sci-fi images of an impossibly destructive weapon annihilating monsters and aliens. But the railgun is nonetheless very real.
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Navy Sets Record With Rail Gun
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Flesh Thorn
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Navy Sets Record With Rail Gun
A Co. 3/75 Ranger Regt. HQ Section Dec 85-June 86.
HSC USAITC June 86-April 88
NAVSEA, 2014 to Present
Psalm 144:1 A Psalm of David. Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:
HSC USAITC June 86-April 88
NAVSEA, 2014 to Present
Psalm 144:1 A Psalm of David. Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:
Re: Navy Sets Record With Rail Gun
Yeah, these are some no shit Star Wars technology. I have seen some videos of the early experiments with these things, and they are very capable of delivering serious scunion. The geek in me approves.
C Co 3/75 88-90 (Just Cause)
124 MI(LRSD) 90-91 (Desert Storm)
Repeal the 16th, enforce the 10th.
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"I come in peace. I didn't bring artillery. But I'm pleading with you, with tears in my eyes: If you fuck with me, I'll kill you all." Gen. James Mattis
Panem Et Circenses
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124 MI(LRSD) 90-91 (Desert Storm)
Repeal the 16th, enforce the 10th.
ΜΩΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
"I come in peace. I didn't bring artillery. But I'm pleading with you, with tears in my eyes: If you fuck with me, I'll kill you all." Gen. James Mattis
Panem Et Circenses
My safe space
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rgrokelley
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Re: Navy Sets Record With Rail Gun
Tell him to get out of your ass and back to work!RangerX wrote: The geek in me approves.
A & C Company, 3rd Ranger Battalion 1984-1986
2/325, 82nd Airborne 1979-1984
F Company, 51st LRSU 1986-1988
5th Special Forces Group 1989-1995
3rd Special Forces Group 1997-1999
RS - DHG 5-85
2/325, 82nd Airborne 1979-1984
F Company, 51st LRSU 1986-1988
5th Special Forces Group 1989-1995
3rd Special Forces Group 1997-1999
RS - DHG 5-85
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CloakAndDagger
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Re: Navy Sets Record With Rail Gun
I had a friend who tried to build a small one in high school. It failed when the "ammo" effectively arc-welded itself to the rails. Designing one that can fling ammo at mach 8 without this same fate (or melting wires or capacitors, or flinging itself apart, etc), is a pretty badass feat!
Re: Navy Sets Record With Rail Gun
I saw a clip of this "rail gun" on foxnews.com yesterday - it fills an entire building, what GI is going to carry this item?
RLTW
Steadfast
4/325 82d DIV 68-69
2nd Bde HHC (LRRP), 4 ID
K Co (Rgr), 75th Inf (Abn), 4 ID
69-70
I cooked with C- 4
Steadfast
4/325 82d DIV 68-69
2nd Bde HHC (LRRP), 4 ID
K Co (Rgr), 75th Inf (Abn), 4 ID
69-70
I cooked with C- 4
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CloakAndDagger
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Re: Navy Sets Record With Rail Gun
As much fun as I'm sure that would be, it's in development by NAVSEA (Naval Sea Command), with the basic idea as a possible replacement for something like the 5" guns on cruisers (CG's).Steadfast wrote:I saw a clip of this "rail gun" on foxnews.com yesterday - it fills an entire building, what GI is going to carry this item?