A New Form of Long Range Shooting?

[Asa Yam]

Railguns!

From http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=57690:

NAVAL SURFACE WARFARE CENTER DAHLGREN, Va (NNS) -- The Office of Naval Research (ONR) achieved a milestone Dec. 10 when it successfully conducted a world-record 33-megajoule shot of the Electromagnetic Railgun aboard Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division...​

Apparently, the railgun in this test was the same one used in 2008's 10 megajoule test.

For those unable to access the US Navy website above, a similar story (and video) are available at http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/12/video-navys-mach-8-railgun-obliterates-record/ . The wired.com page also has video links of lasers being used for IED neutralization and for killing trucks.

 

[AeroE]

Yes, and the range is substantial.

 

[ChipEckardt]

So who sells a paster big enough to patch the hole?

Chip

 

[Larry Elliott]

That could completely ruin someone's day if they were on the receiving end!

 

[rooshooter]

Mate, if anyone wants to compete against me with one of these things, it is fine with me. As long as they can handle the recoil of one in light gun weight limits.

 

[Suwannee Tim]

Remembering that this thing is mostly "exoatmospheric" I'm wondering if they might make a big bore version of this thing with a range maybe 8000 miles. Something to cause Kim Jong Il or Achmed some heartburn.

 

[Roger T]

With a projectile @ mach 7 whats the hold for wind/elev at 50, 100, 200 with a 25yd zero ?

 

[John Kielly]

With a projectile @ mach 7 whats the hold for wind/elev at 50, 100, 200 with a 25yd zero ?

You'll have to wait for that until Bryan Litz tests the BC.

 

[onomrbil]

Asa, do you still write for Scientific American? They pissed me off a long time ago and I haven't read them since the editor called me a jerk for questioning his citing the Center for Science in the Public Interest (which is neither) on man-made global warming.