NEW YORK, JANUARY 13 (Sputnik) – The US Navy is set to unveil a new electromagnetic weapon that uses magnetic fields to launch projectiles at high speeds, rather than using traditional chemical propellants and explosives to destroy targets.
Ghost Swimmer © East News/ The Virginian-Pilot US Navy Tests Shark-Like Underwater Drone Created for Surveillance Purposes "The Electromagnetic Railgun is among several disruptive capabilities that the Naval Research Enterprise is championing to ensure a dominant, capable and relevant naval force for the future," chief of naval research Rear Adm. Mat Winter said in a statement on Tuesday.
The weapon will be presented before the public on February 4-5 at the Naval Future Force Science and Technology EXPO in Washington, by experts from the US Office of Naval Research, Naval Sea Systems Command and BAE Systems.
It will be tested at sea in 2016. The technology uses high electrical currents to generate a magnetic field to launch projectiles at distances in excess of 100 nautical miles and at six times the speed of sound, researchers said.
“The Electromagnetic Railgun brings significant technological advances to our sailors and marines,” researcher Roger Ellis said in a statement. “We've achieved breakthroughs in compact power and gun design, and will test the next phase of prototype at both sea and land-based sites.” Tweet