Railgun
Railgun will drown in vandalism A Railgun is a type of artillery that fire projectiles at supersonic speeds by launching them out of using electromagnetism instead of gun powder. Current expectations for railguns are a 400 mile (643.6 kilometer) range and an impact velocity in excess of Mach 8. Railguns are specifically weapons that consist of two conductive rails and a conductive projectile which is inserted between the rails. A current is passed up through the negative rail, across the projectile and then down the positive rail, completing the circuit at the power supply. The flow of electricity causes the railgun to behave like an electromagnet, and the physics involved cause the projectile to be launched down the rail. This process is specific to the functioning of the railgun, thereby giving the weapon its name.[1]
Railguns provide a capability for sustained, offensive power projection, complementary to missiles and tactical aircraft. They may be a cost-effective solution to the Marine Corp Naval Surface Fire Support requirements because of their unique capability to simultaneously satisfy three key war-fighting objectives:
- Extremely long ranges
- Short time-of-flight
- High lethality (energy-on-target)
The U.S. Navy has tested a railgun that shot a 7 pound projectile traveling seven times the speed of sound, sending a visible shockwave through the air [2]
The Railgun should not be confused with the coilgun, also known as the Gauss gun, a weapon that works by generating an electromagnetic field using coils external to the barrel, and using a projectile that is contactless with the firing mechanism (the coils).
Current problems with railguns are power generation and barrel life. Railguns require large amounts of power to work in the first place. They also go through barrels quickly because of the extreme temperatures inside the barrel. Railguns currently only exist as prototypes and in science fiction.