The electric cannon delivers shells over 200 miles at Mach 5

[GoFlyKiteNow]

The electric cannon delivers shells over 200 miles at Mach 5

Think of the electromagnetic railgun as an electric cannon which uses electrical energy instead of chemical propellant to launch projectiles at hypervelocities. First conceived nearly a century ago, the concept was investigated by Germany during WWII, but has really only stepped out of science fiction and into reality in the last 12 months. With shells travelling at Mach 5 on impact, and accurate to within five metres at a 200 mile range, such weapons maximize the damage they do through kinetic energy, and hence don't need explosive payloads.

Accordingly, they are ideal for naval warfare as they minimise the risk to warships which do not need to carry explosive warheads or propellants. Earlier this week, the US Office of Naval Research (ONR) awarded a USD 21 million 30-month contract to BAE Systems for the detailed design and delivery of an Innovative Naval Prototype (INP) Railgun. As previously warned, if the Daleks don't get here soon, they'll have a serious fight on their hands.

Under the contract, BAE Systems will develop advanced Railgun technologies including a composite launcher (barrel) that will be demonstrated in 2011. BAE Systems has partnered with IAP Research, and SAIC to develop the Railgun.

One of the greatest potential advantages for the Railgun program is the safety and logistics aspect.Safety on board ship is increased because no explosives are required to fire the projectile and no explosive rounds are stored in the ship’s magazine.

The technology uses high-power electromagnetic energy instead of explosive chemical propellants (energetics) to propel a projectile farther and faster than any preceding gun. At full capability, the rail gun will be able to fire a projectile more than 200 nautical miles at a muzzle velocity of mach seven and impacting its target at mach five.

In contrast, the current Navy gun, MK 45 five-inch gun, has a range of about 13 miles.

 

[ahbengsong]

Think there is mention of a "railgun" in the movie Transformers II....

 

[Zombie]

The technology uses high-power electromagnetic energy

no more sperm liao...

 

[tua lam pah]

no more sperm liao...

all the resourses wasted on building all these killing machines.....

 

[longbow]

Read awhile back that Chinese were very interested in MagLev technology (they now have the world's only operational maglev train!) because of potential military implications. Having a working Maglev also means that get good insight into the technology with regard to daily maintainence.

Maglev could prove useful in catapult system for launching of planes on aircraft carrier. It is a "digital" system vs the steam catapult currently in use.

 

[FlipSide]

Read awhile back that Chinese were very interested in MagLev technology (they now have the world's only operational maglev train!) because of potential military implications. Having a working Maglev also means that get good insight into the technology with regard to daily maintainence.

Maglev could prove useful in catapult system for launching of planes on aircraft carrier. It is a "digital" system vs the steam catapult currently in use.

The 'world's only operational maglev system' is totally designed, developed, built, installed and made operational by Siemens of Germany. It so happen Seimens installed and made it operational in China.

Keep the record straight.

 

[Microsoft]

So... do u get an orgasm when the energy bolt hit u??

 

[jimmyfallon]

Think there is mention of a "railgun" in the movie Transformers II....

They used the railgun to hit the deceptacon climbing up the pyramid

 

[chuckyworld]

The 'world's only operational maglev system' is totally designed, developed, built, installed and made operational by Siemens of Germany. It so happen Seimens installed and made it operational in China.

Keep the record straight.

Eh! When did he mention it was develop by China.....DUH, he only mention they have the only Maglev train running now, and can look into the technology aspect.

lighten up and relax... we all know China is good at copy cat, quality wise lot of room for improvement

 

[longbow]

Flipside did you read what I wrote clearly?

Did not say that the Chinese designed it. It is a well know fact. Siemens had the technology but no Gov wanted to invest in building it. After all a bullet train can do 200 mph which is very fast. No need for a train to do 400 mph at 4 times the cost. China steps in offer the $$. Siemens knew that Chinese would have the technology to copy but for Siemens, they barely had a working model and they wanted a daily running system to improve on existing design. So in a way it was the win win system. Siemens got the world's first maglev (good selling platform), China got the technology which maybe all that they wanted anyway.

However to study and understand and COPY operations of Maglev especially long term wear/tear/maintenance the Chinese have the ONLY operation Maglev in the world situated on their soil.

In a lot of these cutting age technology, running and maintenance cost are just as important. And by running it daily you get to see the problems that come out, make design improvements. Pretty sure that the Chinese are learning heck of a lot.

In a competitive world you are stupid to reinvent the wheel. You copy what you can find, understand it and improve upon it.

Anyway, Maglev technology is very useful in any future carrier launching platform.

The 'world's only operational maglev system' is totally designed, developed, built, installed and made operational by Siemens of Germany. It so happen Seimens installed and made it operational in China.

Keep the record straight.

 

[longbow]

Here is today's bloomberg article on Chinese bullet trains


Feb. 10 (Bloomberg) -- China Southern Airlines Co., the nation’s largest carrier, and Air China Ltd. are slashing prices to compete with the country’s new high-speed trains in a battle that Europe’s airlines have largely already ceded.

Competition from trains that can travel at 350 kilometers per hour (217 miles per hour) is forcing the carriers to cut prices as much as 80 percent at a time when they are already in a round of mergers to lower costs. Passengers choosing railways over airlines will also erode a market that Boeing Co. and Airbus SAS are banking on to provide about 13 percent of plane sales over the next 20 years.

“There’s no doubt that high-speed rail will defeat airlines on all the routes of less than 800 kilometers,” said Citigroup Inc. analyst Ally Ma. “The airlines must get themselves in shape, increase their profitability and improve the network.”

China Southern cut economy-class tickets to 140 yuan ($21) from 700 yuan on flights between Guangzhou and Changsha after a high-speed train started on the route in December. The trip now takes 2 1/2 hours by train instead of 9.

“The high-speed train is invincible on this route,” said Tom Lin, 30, a civil servant in Guangzhou, who opted to travel by rail. “There’s no doubt it’s more convenient for trips to the cities along the line. Airlines can’t compete with trains for the spacious seats.”

Nationwide, China’s railways will likely handle 210 million journeys during the on-going 40-day spring festival travel period, as migrant workers head home for the Lunar New Year holidays, according to the official People’s Daily.

Air France, Lufthansa

In Europe, when train routes have been cut to three hours or under by the introduction of high-speed lines, airlines have either seen their share slashed or quit flying the route altogether. In 2002, as the Paris-to-Brussels route became faster, Air France SA dropped its five daily services between the two cities. Deutsche Lufthansa AG and Germanwings quit the Paris to Stuttgart route after rail travel got faster.

High-speed railways will connect all of China’s provincial capitals and cities with more than 500,000 citizens by 2020, serving more than 90 percent of the population, the Ministry of Railways said.

High-Speed Dream

A third high-speed line from Zhengzhou to Xi’an started operation on Feb. 6. Other lines will follow including a link from Beijing to Shanghai that may undercut one of Air China and China Eastern Airlines Corp.’s most profitable routes. The ministry aims to spend 700 billion yuan on rail this year and add more than 18,000 kilometers (11,185 miles) of high-speed track by 2020 -- enough to go almost halfway round the world.
“I dream of China running high-speed lines,” said Philippe Mellier, president of trainmaker Alstom SA’s transport sector. “The ministry won’t stop.”

China’s 8.7 percent economic growth last year is fuelling an expansion of airports even as trains gain customers. Investment in airport and aviation facilities will rise 50 percent to 90 billion yuan this year, according to the aviation regulator. A total of 25 airports, including a second one in Beijing, will start construction this year.

The airports will handle more planes. China ordered 160 Airbus aircraft worth $17 billion in November 2007. Boeing has a 2005 deal for as much as $9 billion of planes.

Domestic passenger traffic on airlines grew 22 percent last year, said Laurence Barron, head of Airbus China.

“With this kind of growth; the planes are full,” said Barron. “I expect in future the planes will remain full and the trains will be full and the roads will be full and the ships will be full. This country needs transport.”

Boeing, Airbus

Chinese airlines may need 3,770 new aircraft worth $400 billion in the 20 years from 2009, according to Boeing. Airbus forecasts a need for 3,272 new planes in that time.

“We have considered the potential impact of high-speed rail in our forecast,” said Randy Tinseth, Boeing’s vice president of marketing. “This impact is especially strong for cities which are within 500 kilometers of each other.”

As trains win more passengers on shorter routes, the process of consolidation in the airline industry may accelerate.

China Eastern merged with smaller local rival Shanghai Airlines Co. last year. A state-owned group including Sichuan Airlines Group in November bought private carrier United Eagle Airlines Co., now renamed Chengdu Airlines.

“We have been encouraging consolidation,” said Xia Xinghua, deputy director at Civil Aviation Administration of China, in Singapore on Feb. 1. “We encouraged the merger of China Eastern and Shanghai Air if it helps cut costs.”

Rail Expansion

China had 86,000 kilometers of track at the end of last year, making it the world’s second-biggest railway network after the U.S. The rail ministry plans to increase that to 120,000 kilometers by 2020.

Guangzhou-based China Southern is planning to add more long-haul and international flights to contend with competition from the expanding high-speed train network. New routes to Southeast Asia, Europe, North America and Australia are under consideration. China Eastern is adding shuttle services on 26 routes to compete with high-speed rail, President Ma Xulun said on Feb. 8.

While trains are still slower, they run to city centers, cutting out commuting time to airports. The trip from Beijing to Shanghai will be cut to 4 hours by rail, from 10, according to the rail ministry. That may encourage travelers like Robert Gardner, who works for Nasdaq-listed Chinacast, to go by rail.

“This is China; you make plans based on the assumption that you won’t get there on time,” said Gardner, 25, as he was herded onto a bus to another airport on Jan. 26 after his Air China flight at Shanghai Pudong Airport was canceled. “Taking the train would be something I would seriously consider because it potentially could be faster. And it’s more reliable.”

--Irene Shen. With assistance from Andrea Rothman in Toulouse, France, Sabine Pirone in London, Rob Delaney in Toronto, Wendy Leung in Hong Kong, Nerys Avery in Beijing. Editors: Adam Majendie, Bret Okeson

To contact the reporter on this story: Irene Shen in Shanghai at [email protected]

Last Updated: February 10, 2010 06:07 EST