Tri-Service

Experimental Railgun Could Be Fitted To New Stealth Warship

An experimental railgun could be fully operational sooner than expected, according to reports.

The US Navy's electromagnetic weapon was due to begin trials this year on a number of test ships, after being revealed in early 2015.

Rear Admiral Pete Fanta now wants to skip these tests, however, and get the railgun operational by 2018, according to the Associated Press.

Capable of firing a projectile at seven times the speed of sound, the weapon will reportedly be installed on the US Navy's new state-of-the-art stealth Zumwalt-class destroyer USS Lyndon B. Johnson.

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BAE Systems, who are developing the railgun, claim it will be able to hit targets 110 miles away.

The US Navy, meanwhile, believe it will be a highly-effective low-cost replacement for the conventional missiles currently in use.

Powered by a magnetic 'pulse' firing system no larger than a packet of cigarettes, the gun will be able to sling 'slugs' over huge distances, at speeds up to Mach 7, multiple times a minute, with pinpoint accuracy.

The slugs don't need explosive tips, as their destructive power comes from the force and speed with which they hit the target.

An artist's rendering of the Zumwalt-class guided-missile destroyer USS Lyndon B. Johnson

The Zumwalt-class, meanwhile, provides the perfect platform for the weapon, as its new Rolls Royce turbine generators produce 78 megawatts of electricity, which is more than enough power needed to fire the weapon.

Designed as land-attack ships, they've also got impressive stealth capabilities, using a new design which greatly reduces the ship's radar impact.

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