DARPA has entered the homestretch in the development of heavy railguns, working on the principle of a railgun. It is reported that the electromagnetic gun will be used to destroy air, surface and land targets at a relatively low cost operation of the gun. Anyway – war mid-XXI century will not last more than a few hours, maximum days.
According to available information, this project has cost the Pentagon $ 800 million. I took part of BAE Systems and General Atomics. Currently in full swing, work is underway on the implementation of the powerful power plant that can be used to launch from the ship multi-purpose shells to a distance of 200 km.
Even more futuristic project is at the design stage. Railgun-2 is quite powerful 457-mm gun BAE Systems. While the projectile fired from such a gun, has a very high airspeed. At the exit from the barrel the speed of the projectile is many times higher than ordinary artillery ammunition and can reach speeds of 3-4 km/h and fly up to 400 km distance. It is reported that the electromagnetic gun will be used to destroy air, surface and land targets at a relatively low cost operation of the gun. In one embodiment, the ship, the second in the ground. The objective of placing such land atransferrinemia complex has not been announced, although upon closer inspection is understandable.
If we consider the General plans of rearmament of the U.S. army in 2020-2030 year, the overall picture in the form of a radically new triad of deterrence”, mainly using non-nuclear means. It’s layered missile defense, Maritime robots-hunters and hypersonic/suborbital drone strike ammunition, which can not only achieve any goal on the planet’s surface in 20 minutes, but to use the loitering and retargeting if necessary.
Under the first pillar – layered missile defense system will be applied and the railgun. The fact that American developers were able to fulfill almost impossible task – the American ammo of a railgun would be manageable and they will be able to get not only the ships in the ocean, and to shoot down air targets, and in connection with high dynamic performance, also, to attack ballistic missiles and warheads of missiles. In the system of layered missile defense, the railgun is given the last defensive Bastion of the air space over the territory of the United States. More illustrative to explain the operation of such systems on a concrete example.
So let’s say theoretically that the territory of Washington County targeted about 100 warheads of missiles. In order to repel the attack is classic, in this case, you will need to run for 10 minutes, respectively 100 missiles near atmospheric tier 100 and the outer. This 200 launchers. At the same time almost equal in value the position of a railgun can throw in a space at least 60 homing projectiles. Accordingly, for reliable protection Washington 4-5 positions, electromagnetic guns, instead of 200 positions protivoraket. Savings? Yes – moreover, heavy-duty two-stage homing projectile will be able to perform a suborbital flight and strike overseas. It will be a point non-nuclear strike, the purpose of which may be a stationary military and industrial objects on the territory of a potential enemy. 100 railguns and 6,000 goals in enemy territory for about 10-15 minutes. 100 railguns – up to 3 000 intercepted by objects in the atmosphere for about 10-15 minutes. It should be understood that the first echelon, ABOUT in Europe and Asia, the second tier is ABOUT shipborne.
This element works in the background of the other two components of the “Triad of deterrence – suborbital strike systems and marine robots-hunters for submarines and enemy ships. The whole system is controlled in real-time. For example, the robot-hunter must continuously hanging on the tail of the nuclear submarine and destroy it in a matter of minutes after receiving the command. Suborbital attack drone, after receiving the command needs for 20 minutes to destroy mobile ground complex with nuclear missiles “Topol-M” ICBMs or rail-type “well Done”.
The doctrine apparently will be fully implemented in 2025-2030. That is why the Kremlin and Beijing have to be afraid of a railgun. And it should be noted that US technology has moved forward for 30 years in these technologies, it has become essentially unattainable.
