Interesting article but poor Julian Barnes could use a physics lesson to understand why the barrel if a conventional gun is longer than the bullet.http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/fa...ok-at-americas-supergun/ar-BBtyPuZ?li=BBnbcA1
Wish these guys writing this could have more science, but the story itself is cool.
Direct ship-to-ship battles is an incredibly stupid idea in this age of advanced weapons. First nobody will let you get even close to Railrun firing distance in a hot war before being shot at from several directions. Ships don't usually operate alone, there is a multi-layer defense grid around major ships like carriers for hundreds of miles. Railguns and lasers are primarily defensive weapons to deploy when something gets pass the air/sea defense grid. Blasting holes topside on the carrier (designed to survive torpedo hits below the waterline with heavy armor and complex compartmenting) won't stop the planes that launched an hour ago.A comment in one of the articles was to the effect that the railgun might bring back ship-to-ship battles. There, its penetration ability might have an advantage.
For faster moving targets, the Zumwalt's laser may be pretty good.
John
http://www.ted.com/talks/zak_ebrahim_i_am_the_son_of_a_terrorist_here_s_how_i_chose_peace#t-105394But how do you tell a terrorist from an ordinary civilian?
I agree but Railgun technology is nowhere close to being operational technology today. The actual lethality on large targets of the equivalent of really small warheads (EM energy in/KE out) at over the horizon distances is questionable at energies possible with even the latest ships designed for electric weapons systems. The last time we had a real sea-battle we kicked some butt with good old-fashioned missiles, guns and planes.Like all early technologies it will advance. The old ball and fuse pistol was a joke, at first. I expect rate of fire will increase along with other issues. If they can get projectiles with electronics to survive the EMP, for example, guided shells for example, might become practical.
Ha ha!!You'll put your eye out, kid.
by Jake Hertz
by Jake Hertz
by Jake Hertz