US Navy test fires Rail gun.....

[Hazard]

http://defense.aol.com/2012/02/09/ne...6pLid%3D134442

The shit they're developing..... looks awesome though.

~Haz~

[supersize me]

That thing looks wild

[Shol'va]

Thank fuk for area 51 and other secret ops areas for continuing R&D for America's Protection. Imagine what can't be shown on here that blows even this rail gun away. Now if we can just keep some idiots from selling the secrets we'll be ok.

[xelnaga]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKlnMwuCZso

A few years back this looked like the future, however it does not look like it has gained much traction.

[Hoggage_54]

Dear USA,

Please use your wealth for exploration of space. There is literally a universe to explore.

Signed,

Earth

[Armykid93]

Dear USA,

Please use your wealth for exploration of space. There is literally a universe to explore.

Signed,

Earth

Lol who cares about space exploration. Not even the hippies want it anymore so its pretty screwed

[xelnaga]

Correct me if im wrong; is the rail gun system based on magnetic energy?

[JD250]

^^^^yep.....copied from article.......The difference is that instead of gunpowder, these rounds are propelled through a series of electromagnets lining the inside of the gun's barrel. The charge from the electromagnets propel the round -- likely the standard 155mm shell fielded by American destroyers -- through the barrel at upwards of Mach 7, once fully developed.

Don't know if any of you understand ballistics or even care but being a gun nut I find myself fascinated by this stuff, let me put those numbers into perspective for you....

I shoot a few custom rifle cartridges that will launch a bullet at well over 4000 feet per second....trust me, that's smokin!!! In fact sometimes you can literally dust a bullet in mid air at those speeds, mostly due to twist rate needed to stabilize the bullet. A military round like the 5.56/ .223 will leave the muzzle at around 3000 feet per second. Those are relatively small projectiles.


A 155mm projectile is huge in comparison(think howitzer), a 6.1 inch diameter projectile, see image. But to shoot the SOB at Mach 7 is unfreakinbelievable!!! Mach7 translates like this....7 times faster than the speed of sound........over 7,800 feet per second......5,328 miles per hour...... They can be propelled more than 110 nautical miles.... Not bad for such a big projectile.

[Far from massive]

I have been a fan of rail guns for a long time, I got some redackted copies on the development of said weapons years ago. One of the really neet things about rail guns is that the thrust is applied to all the parts of the shell (depending on their material of course) as opposed to just shoving on the end of the round. Because of this property, wieght savings that can be achieved in a projectile holds great promise.

[JD250]

This combined with the new "smart" projectiles is a really incredible combination.

BTW....the picture is of a conventional 155mm shell, I posted it for size reference only.

[xelnaga]

Whats the actual projectile made of? Depleted uranium?

[JD250]

Not sure that info is out yet but it would have to be a conductive material that could withstand extreme forces and friction at those speeds.

[Armykid93]

If they come up with a small one for troops I see it cutting the cost weaponry somewhat

[wmaousley]

^^^^yep.....copied from article.......The difference is that instead of gunpowder, these rounds are propelled through a series of electromagnets lining the inside of the gun's barrel. The charge from the electromagnets propel the round -- likely the standard 155mm shell fielded by American destroyers -- through the barrel at upwards of Mach 7, once fully developed.

Don't know if any of you understand ballistics or even care but being a gun nut I find myself fascinated by this stuff, let me put those numbers into perspective for you....

I shoot a few custom rifle cartridges that will launch a bullet at well over 4000 feet per second....trust me, that's smokin!!! In fact sometimes you can literally dust a bullet in mid air at those speeds, mostly due to twist rate needed to stabilize the bullet. A military round like the 5.56/ .223 will leave the muzzle at around 3000 feet per second. Those are relatively small projectiles.


A 155mm projectile is huge in comparison(think howitzer), a 6.1 inch diameter projectile, see image. But to shoot the SOB at Mach 7 is unfreakinbelievable!!! Mach7 translates like this....7 times faster than the speed of sound........over 7,800 feet per second......5,328 miles per hour...... They can be propelled more than 110 nautical miles.... Not bad for such a big projectile.

The round in this photo is for a howitzer, its an IR or Illumination round. Not explosive.

The Navy just adopted the 155 destroyer mount for testing purposes, Look up the Advanced Gun System developed by BAE.

[Honkey_Kong]

If they come up with a small one for troops I see it cutting the cost weaponry somewhat

I don't imagine this being practical for troops on foot. You'd not only need the gun, but also batteries to fire the gun with. Besides, since when does the government really care about cost cutting? If they're going to cut costs, they'll just fvck over the soldiers by taking away their retirements.

[JD250]

The round in this photo is for a howitzer, its an IR or Illumination round. Not explosive.

The Navy just adopted the 155 destroyer mount for testing purposes, Look up the Advanced Gun System developed by BAE.

Yep, I just put it up for size reference.....cool stuff for sure.

Honkey, I believe that they are looking at cutting costs by reducing manpower needed for these large weapons systems, that's the pitch anyways. Don't know where the technology is in relation to small arms.

[lovbyts]

Thank fuk for area 51 and other secret ops areas for continuing R&D for America's Protection. Imagine what can't be shown on here that blows even this rail gun away. Now if we can just keep some idiots from selling the secrets we'll be ok.

Yup, Reverse engineering is a wonderful thing. If they are releasing this now think what they have they are not telling us about.

Unfortunately that is the way it always seems to work, the gad guys with money eventually get the toys.

[Honkey_Kong]

Yep, I just put it up for size reference.....cool stuff for sure.

Honkey, I believe that they are looking at cutting costs by reducing manpower needed for these large weapons systems, that's the pitch anyways. Don't know where the technology is in relation to small arms.

That's exactly right, it's a pitch. Whatever gets them the funding to continue the development is fine by me.

I'm totally for these rail guns. Anything that gives us an edge over the enemy is welcomed. And from the sounds of it, these guns look like they could be quite the thing.

[HitIt]

i have a rail gun for pants

[Armykid93]

i have a rail gun for pants

Haha!

[JD250]

i have a rail gun for pants

As long as you don't post pics.

[Knockout_Power]

Everything SEEMS like a good idea. Much like atomic energy, nuclear energy and hell, even the invent of gunpowder for fireworks, we always find a way to turn it into something grotesquely destructive.

Cant wait till they build a barrel large enough to send a 40's buick into North Korea... by accident of course, vapourizing the entire country