Science and technology have helped warfare become more advanced and lethal. What was once settled with swords and spears requires the use of bombs now, all thanks to the technological advancement. Quite recently, the beneficiary of this advancement has been US Navy that will soon be de-commissioning the cannons or any explosive projectiles they currently have in operational use. Their latest invention; railgun, is capable of firing at a target 100 miles away with 33-Mega-joules. According to Rear Admiral Nevin P.Carr; ‘this really changes several games.’
US Navy sure does has railguns as of now, but these railguns are only capable of firing at a target which is 13 miles away. The upgraded railgun can hit a target 100 miles away within 6 minutes and with an energy that has been calculated to be around 33 Mega-joules. This will give US Navy a very well earned advantage over their foes. One mega-joule can be defined as a one ton car which is travelling at about 100 Mph and well, you can very well imagine what would happen if a ray of 33 Mega-joules energy was to hit a target.
The final goal for this railgun will be to achieve accuracy and precision for a target which is 200 miles away. Targets will include stationary and moving vehicles. The idea is to make use of a GPS based system which will help in achieving this goal. Roger Ellis is the program manager at the Office of Naval Research and said that; ‘Its about eliminating explosives from the ship, which brings significant safety and logistical benefits. They just need a constant source of energy in the ship, like diesel engines or a nuclear reactor.’
So, basically, we are looking at a future where war will be more destructive and fought on a whole new different level that may just prove to be what we don’t really need. But still, this railgun surely is an engineering marvel!
