Navy Tests Incredible Sci-Fi Weapon

[alkemical]

http://www.livescience.com/technology/080201-electromagnetic-record.html

Navy Tests Incredible Sci-Fi Weapon

The U.S. Navy yesterday test fired an incredibly powerful new big gun designed to replace conventional weaponry aboard ships. Sci-fi fans will recognize its awesome power and futuristic technology.

The big gun uses electromagnetic energy instead of explosive chemical propellants to fire a projectile farther and faster. The railgun, as it is called, will ultimately fire a projectile more than 230 miles (370 kilometers) with a muzzle velocity seven times the speed of sound (Mach 7) and a velocity of Mach 5 at impact.

The test-firing, captured on video, took place Jan. 31 in Dahlgren, Va., and Navy officials called it the "world's most powerful electromagnetic railgun."

The Navy's current MK 45 five-inch gun, by contrast, has a range of less than 23 miles (37 kilometers).

The railgun has been a featured weapon in many science fiction universes, such as the new "Battlestar Galactic" series. It has also achieved newfound popularity among the 20-something-and-under generation for its devastating ability to instantaneously shoot a "slug" through walls and through multiple enemies in video games such as the "Quake" series of first person shooters.

The Navy's motivation? Simple destruction.

The railgun's high-velocity projectile will destroy targets with sheer kinetic energy rather than with conventional explosives.

"I never ever want to see a Sailor or Marine in a fair fight. I always want them to have the advantage," said Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Gary Roughead. "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 railgun's lack of explosives means ships would be safer, said Elizabeth D'Andrea, Electromagnetic Railgun Program Manager.

The Navy's goal is to demonstrate a full-capability prototype by 2018.

[Rohirrim]

Oh boy. New ways to kill more people. Progress marches on. Salud, Homo infestus!

[Bronco Bob]

Oh boy. New ways to kill more people. Progress marches on. Salud, Homo infestus!

OTOH, it has the potential to be a "green energy" weapon. With chemical
weapons you release CO2 into the atmosphere as the gunpowder burns.
But if you use electricity generated by a nuke power plant, then no
greenhouse gases are released. See, there is always plus side to
everything. :wiggle:

[elsid13]

OTOH, it has the potential to be a "green energy" weapon. With chemical
weapons you release CO2 into the atmosphere as the gunpowder burns.
But if you use electricity generated by a nuke power plant, then no
greenhouse gases are released. See, there is always plus side to
everything. :wiggle:


It not being powered with nuclear reactors.

[cutthemdown]

The only way to defend agianst the new weapons that China and Russia are developing is to go even higher tech on to the next level. That way we stay ahead of the curve.

With all the new E-bombs etc coming out you can see thats the future. Countries relying on computers to guide their missiles to targets may find that we can fry many of those circuts if we dropped an e-bomb on top of them.

These rail guns I have read about before and will just be another advancement we use to stay on top.

[Bronco Bob]

It not being powered with nuclear reactors.

But the Navy does have nuclear powered ships that could supply the electricity
if these weapons were fitted on them. And I suspect one of these weapons
suck up a lot of juice, so you could see more nuke powered cruisers and
destroyers built especially to accommodate these weapons

[Bronco Bob]

The only way to defend agianst the new weapons that China and Russia are developing is to go even higher tech on to the next level. That way we stay ahead of the curve.

With all the new E-bombs etc coming out you can see thats the future. Countries relying on computers to guide their missiles to targets may find that we can fry many of those circuts if we dropped an e-bomb on top of them.

These rail guns I have read about before and will just be another advancement we use to stay on top.

That's sort of the reason China showed they can take out a satellite.
A lot of our weapons systems are heavily dependent on GPS. China
takes out our GPS satellites and that effectively blinds a lot of our
cruise missiles and ships and even affects tank and infantry units.

[cutthemdown]

That's sort of the reason China showed they can take out a satellite.
A lot of our weapons systems are heavily dependent on GPS. China
takes out our GPS satellites and that effectively blinds a lot of our
cruise missiles and ships and even affects tank and infantry units.

I agree which is why we will develop weapons to knock out their computers which will hopefully thwart any accurate launch they could make. For sure though China is showing an increased proficiency at getting into space and in missile technology in general.

[cutthemdown]

Of course though to knock a computer out with an e bomb it has to be turned on. Any equipment not on at the time of the EMP I think would be ok. So I'm sure that the enemy won't be powering up all the systems for us to interfere with. We would have to be exploding e-bombs all over the place all the time. Honestly though I have only read a little about these weapons. I don't really know much about them, but it all sounds really interesting.

[Bronco Bob]

I remember somewhere back in the 70's there was talk of e-bombs.
Basically you explode an atom bomb high in the atmosphere and it
creates a high powered electro-magnetic pulse. It's too high
to destroy any buildings, or kill anyone - unlike a neutron bomb.
The high voltage blows out transistor based circuits. At the time
it was thought the avionics on Soviet aircraft were rather primitive
because they still used vacuum tubes instead of transistors.
Then it was realized that vacuum tubes are impervious to
an EMP, and thus the Soviet aircraft would still work just fine
while all of ours would be useless.

[baja]

I remember somewhere back in the 70's there was talk of e-bombs.
Basically you explode an atom bomb high in the atmosphere and it
creates a high powered electro-magnetic pulse. It's too high
to destroy any buildings, or kill anyone - unlike a neutron bomb.
The high voltage blows out transistor based circuits. <b>At the time
it was thought the avionics on Soviet aircraft were rather primitive
because they still used vacuum tubes instead of transistors.
Then it was realized that vacuum tubes are impervious to
an EMP, and thus the Soviet aircraft would still work just fine
while all of ours would be useless.</b>

Looks like arrogance will be our Achilles heel.

[alkemical]

</b>

Looks like arrogance will be our Achilles heel.

There is this joke or quote or something from somewhere, it goes along the lines of:


"We spent $2million to make a pen that writes in space, the russians use a pencil."

[Spider]

The only way to defend agianst the new weapons that China and Russia are developing is to go even higher tech on to the next level. That way we stay ahead of the curve.

With all the new E-bombs etc coming out you can see thats the future. Countries relying on computers to guide their missiles to targets may find that we can fry many of those circuts if we dropped an e-bomb on top of them.

These rail guns I have read about before and will just be another advancement we use to stay on top.
umm gee , you mean we couldnt have survived all these years with the flint lock ? and black powder cannons ? who would have thunk that

[Florida_Bronco]

Sweet.

[Doggcow]

There is this joke or quote or something from somewhere, it goes along the lines of:


"We spent $2million to make a pen that writes in space, the russians use a pencil."

In soviet Russia pencil uses you!

[elsid13]

But the Navy does have nuclear powered ships that could supply the electricity
if these weapons were fitted on them. And I suspect one of these weapons
suck up a lot of juice, so you could see more nuke powered cruisers and
destroyers built especially to accommodate these weapons

The only nuclear power ships that the Navy has are CVN and Subs. This is planned (maybe/hopefully 2025) replacement weapon for Mark 45 guns/AGN found on current FFG and CG (and thier replacements). There is a lot of work to be done on the electric power plants to support this gun yet. And this project is only in the ST phase of development.

The power requirement are in the mega joules. This is little better article on what is going on.

http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=52180 (the rail gun)

and the next generation of ship power and how it works with Rail gun
http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/issues/2007/November/All-Electric.htm

[elsid13]

I agree which is why we will develop weapons to knock out their computers which will hopefully thwart any accurate launch they could make. For sure though China is showing an increased proficiency at getting into space and in missile technology in general.

Mil-spec equipment is usually shield to stop EMP pulse type weapons. The EMPs are more effective against soft target system vs what a modern military force will use.

[cutthemdown]

umm gee , you mean we couldnt have survived all these years with the flint lock ? and black powder cannons ? who would have thunk that

Another pointless point from the dullard. Good job!!!!!!!!

[Spider]

Another pointless point from the dullard. Good job!!!!!!!!

LOL .... you have room to talk captian obvious ......

[cutthemdown]

Mil-spec equipment is usually shield to stop EMP pulse type weapons. The EMPs are more effective against soft target system vs what a modern military force will use.

I read in Janes defense that most equipment has to be off in order to survive an EMP and that shielding mobile computer guidance is tough to do because it makes the until too heavy. For sure though countries like China and Russia will have tons of shielded systems the e bomb won't shut down. I doubt Iran has much of a defense against them though.

I know that we put Yugoslavia into the dark for days with an older version of the e bomb, the one that just shorts out the grid with filaments of wire. For sure though you are probably right that a super modern military won't be brought to it's knees with an e bomb. It's just one part of the equation.

[Bronx33]

[QUOTE=claviculasolomonis;1873876]http://www.livescience.com/technology/080201-electromagnetic-record.html

Navy Tests Incredible Sci-Fi Weapon


And here it is.....

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/8980/hillaryclintonem6.jpg

It has two settings lethal and extra lethal.

[elsid13]

I read in Janes defense that most equipment has to be off in order to survive an EMP and that shielding mobile computer guidance is tough to do because it makes the until too heavy. For sure though countries like China and Russia will have tons of shielded systems the e bomb won't shut down. I doubt Iran has much of a defense against them though.

I know that we put Yugoslavia into the dark for days with an older version of the e bomb, the one that just shorts out the grid with filaments of wire. For sure though you are probably right that a super modern military won't be brought to it's knees with an e bomb. It's just one part of the equation.

Just remember that there are a lot of smart smart folks that trying to solve the problems and there are different options for different planned outcomes

[Bronx33]

<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8FQ8ak7kBbo&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8FQ8ak7kBbo&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>