Ruin on Rails: The US Navy’s Rail Gun Project
Dec 11, 2011 19:15 EST
(click to view full)
Power system contracts to GA, BAE; 1,000th shot; CNR discusses the field; Significant article updates. (Dec 9/11)
Back in March 2006, BAE Systems received a contract for “design and production of the 32 MJ Laboratory Launcher for the U.S. Navy.” Some hint of what they are talking about can be gleaned from the name. The project is an electro-magnetic rail gun that accelerates a projectile to incredibly high speeds without using explosives.
The attraction of such systems is no mystery – they promise to fire their ammunition 10 or more times farther than conventional naval gun shells, while sharply reducing both the required size of each shell, and the amount of dangerous explosive material carried on board ship. Progress is being made, but there are still major technical challenges to overcome before a working rail gun becomes a serious naval option. This DID FOCUS article looks at the key technical challenges, the programs, and the history of key contracts and events…
- Rail Guns: Concept & Technology Developments [updated]
- Rail Guns: The US EMRG Program [updated]
- Rail Guns: Key Contracts & Events [updated]
- Additional Readings & Sources [updated]
One Source: Hundreds of programs; Thousands of links, photos, and analyses
DII brings a complete collection of articles with original reporting and research, and expert analyses of events to your desktop - no need for multiple modules, or complex subscriptions. All supporting documents, links, & appendices accompany each article.
Benefits
- Save time
- Eliminate your blind spots
- Get the big picture, quickly
- Keep up with the important facts
- Stay on top of your projects or your competitors
Features
- Coverage of procurement and doctrine issues
- Timeline of past and future program events
- Comprehensive links to other useful resources
