General Atomics’ New Railgun

[Curlew]

Yah, this thing is sweet, puts a projectile through a thick steal plate...and 7km further, pretty bad oscar.

Any chance I can get this mounted in my b25h?

http://www.military.com/video/guns/naval-guns/railgun-update-from-general-atomics/904431955001/

[VonMessa]

Screw that, I want one on my Wrangler 

[Stoney]

Anyone know what type of targets this thing is designed to fire at?  Seems like a kinetic sabot is only good for armor.  Do they have conventional HE rounds planned?

[moot]

http://www.navalengineers.org/SiteCollectionDocuments/2009%20Proceedings%20Documents/AD%202009/Papers/Ziv_Johnson.pdf

ABSTRACT
The DON Office of Naval Research (ONR) is pursuing a Science and Technology (S&T)
Innovative Naval Prototype (INP) program with a goal of increasing the electromagnetic rail gun
(EMRG) muzzleenergyfromthe2004“state-of-the-art”levelof8megaJoules (MJ) to tactical
energy levels of 64 MJ.
The overarching ONR INP focus is to mature the EMRG technologies into a sea-based, 222-
nautical mile (NM) indirect fire weapon system that will provide time-critical strike and longrange Naval Surface Fire Support (NSFS) by the 2020 to 2025 timeframe. Tactically, the EMRG
will provide fire support compatible with the operational radius of the V-22 Osprey. This article
provides an overview of the four major elements of the tactical EMRG: the launcher, the pulse
power system (PPS), the source of prime power, and the projectile. Each element presents
significant challenges for both development and integration of this weapon system onto a
shipboard platform.
Benefits of the EMRG include enabling maneuver forces to move quickly to their objectives
ashore with a reduced logistical tail and improving end-to-end logistics made possible by the use
of non-explosive projectiles. Recent history has shown that explosives significantly complicate
sustained and stability operations. Additionally EMRG provides operational support for dangerclose and terrain masked targeting.

[...]

BENEFITS OF NON-EXPLOSIVE MUNITIONS
The EMRG will utilize a pure kinetic energy round without the use of any propellants or
explosives. By eliminating explosive elements from the logistics tail, the EMRG will provide the
following to the future warship:

• Ability to carry nearly 10 times the current number of on-board rounds within the same space
  as current magazines (i.e., from thousands to tens of thousands of rounds, depending on the
  platform being considered)
• Ability to store projectiles in a greater number of shipboard spaces, thus extending time on
  station and enabling at-sea replenishment of projectiles via vertical replenishment
  (VERTREP) or connected replenishment (CONREP)
• Reduction of the EMRG platform vulnerability by eliminating sympathetic detonations in the
  event of attack
• Improvement of the total volume of fires that can be provided from the sea
• Precision strike with minimal collateral damage
• Reduction in weight (typically required for magazine armor), fire fighting systems, thermal
  insulation, and life-cycle cost
• Significant flexibility provided to the US Navy warship designer, not possible with
  conventional explosive munitions

The use of non-explosive projectiles also provides significant benefits by eliminating the risks
associated with unexploded ordnance (UXO). Hostile forces cannot extract explosives from
EMRG projectiles for use in improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and non-combatants are not
endangered by UXO. Thus, collateral beneficial effects are reduced danger to both civilians and
US forces. These are significant in counterinsurgency (COIN) and stability, security, transition
and reconstruction (SSTR) operations.

Though this is from 2009.

[Lepape2]

Dang... you could almost launch projectiles into orbit with this gun!  That railgun could make them hit objects at 160km altitude or almost 250nm downrange!

[oakranger]

Dang... you could almost launch projectiles into orbit with this gun!  That railgun could make them hit objects at 160km altitude or almost 250nm downrange!

That is really impressive with what it can do.  We can set these up with worry about the enemy engage onto us.

[redman555]

Did he say he fired it at Mach 5?  

-BigBOBCH

[Yossarian]

Any chance I can get this mounted in my b25h?

This idea is utter win.

Also, that range is impressive, but how accurate could an unguided projectile be over that distance?

[Lepape2]

This idea is utter win.

Also, that range is impressive, but how accurate could an unguided projectile be over that distance?

Sure as hell need to take account that coriolis effect now 

[Wolfala]

Dang... you could almost launch projectiles into orbit with this gun!  That railgun could make them hit objects at 160km altitude or almost 250nm downrange!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_HARP'
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_High_Altitude_Research_Project

Did that with the Iowa Class 16" guns. Was also run by the same dude who designed Saddam's Babylon gun.

[Plawranc]

Any chance I can get this mounted in my b25h?

Hopefully *cough evil con cough*

[Stalwart]

We can't even keep the sea lanes clear off Somalia.     

What's the point?

[oakranger]

Didn't the German have something to this (WWII) or am i thinking something eals? 

[moot]

how accurate could an unguided projectile be over that distance?

2009 PDF above says impact is @ mach 5, and 5 out of 6 minutes in trajectory are spent above sensible atmosphere, and that that mitigates jamming - ie the round has at least some self-guiding and has a whole 6 minutes to work corrections with.

Circular error probability (CEP) is predicted to be approximately 5 m, based on
anticipated projectile technology advances.

That's roughly car-sized error margin.  From hundreds of miles away, with jam/intercept-proof Mach 5 impactor.
..

y, the high-altitude flight profile and steep attack angle of EMRG projectiles provide
greater flexibility to attack targets effectively in mountainous terrain by using projectiles that are
practically invulnerable to enemy counterattack. It is impractical for the enemy to engage EMRG
projectiles as they descend into the target area. Theprojectile’ssmall size and extremely high
velocity present a very difficult target and an unfavorable geometry to enemy defensive systems.
In addition, the large number of EMRG projectiles will likely overcome any enemy defensive system.
Future EMRG system development could enable an unprecedented capability to place
rounds in a pre-determined pattern to dramatically increase target lethality over a wide range of
potential threats.

[LLv34_Snefens]

Didn't the German have something to this (WWII) or am i thinking something eals? 

Maybe you are thinking about this one? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/21_cm_K_12_%28E%29

It also have a muzzle velocity in the 1600 m/s range.