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Navy Tests High-Tech Railgun in Virginia
AP ^ | 18 Jan 2007 | AP

Posted on 01/19/2007 1:06:51 AM PST by FLOutdoorsman

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No doubt there are Democrats who will want this technology to be handed to our enemies just to be 'fair'.






21 posted on 01/19/2007 2:08:53 AM PST by wodinoneeye
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To: FLOutdoorsman

I want to hear a gun go BOOM!

Of course, a gun that goes ZOT is kinda cool, too.


22 posted on 01/19/2007 2:11:58 AM PST by Lokibob (Greatest snow on earth. www.utahweatherlinks.com)
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To: kinoxi
""Program it towards all Chinese satellites now."

They'll just send up a dozen more if the ones we were aiming at weren't decoys. They have the same problem with the US but many orders of magnitude greater."


But thats the advantage when the bullets fired by this thing cost 1 millionth what each of their satellites cost .... You shoot em all down.

Of course the same goes for ours, so complementary developments should be for countermeasures to protect OUR satellites (we cannot count on the next Dem in the White House not doing exactly what Clinton did....)
23 posted on 01/19/2007 2:13:25 AM PST by wodinoneeye
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To: Jedi Master Pikachu

Interesting link. This article states that the objects are to be shot to 95 miles. Your link might represent a version of this. I love it. :)


24 posted on 01/19/2007 2:13:33 AM PST by kinoxi
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To: timer

Do you think material advancements might have overcome a few of the initial problems?


25 posted on 01/19/2007 2:17:01 AM PST by kinoxi
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To: FLOutdoorsman
I agree, it sounds cool. I wonder why the rate of fire per day is so low?

"Garnett said specifications call for each railgun to be capable of firing four to six times a day, but he expects to reach a maximum of 10 times per day."

26 posted on 01/19/2007 2:19:21 AM PST by Anti-Bubba182
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To: FLOutdoorsman

Give me a holler when man-portable, version like a Gauss Rifle from the Traveller game is available!

early attempts...
http://www.coilgun.ru/


27 posted on 01/19/2007 2:43:53 AM PST by Uriah_lost (We've got enough youth, how about a "fountain of smart")
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To: FLOutdoorsman

Will a photon shield stop the projo?


28 posted on 01/19/2007 2:45:22 AM PST by x1stcav (I always thought he was a Murthaf*cker.)
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To: FLOutdoorsman

What good are these fantastic weapons of destruction -- if we refuse to utilize them against the enemy?

We already have the ability to destroy the world's population, several times over with weapons in our current arsenals..

Yet -- we allow ourselves to be drawn into battles on the enemy's terms --- one on one whenever we can spook them to come out from behind their women...while we're schlepping around THEIR neighborhoods with a target on our backs...

In previous SUCCESSFUL wars--- we killed them in large numbers -- even if we had to kill their women and children in the process..

War toys are only worthwhile - if we're willing to use them..
To date - I haven't seen us willing to use anything more lethal than grunts on the ground with some air support...

Semper Fi


29 posted on 01/19/2007 2:50:57 AM PST by river rat (You may turn the other cheek, but I prefer to look into my enemy's vacant dead eyes.)
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To: FLOutdoorsman
Don't forget the Paris Gun of WW I

Image:Parisgun2.jpg

Parisgun2.jpgý (14KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)

30 posted on 01/19/2007 2:59:41 AM PST by Pontiac
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To: FLOutdoorsman
Because the gun uses electricity and not gunpowder to fire projectiles, it's safer, eliminating the possibility of explosions on ships and vehicles equipped with it. Instead, a powerful pulse generator is used.

64 megajoules comes out to be over 17 kilowatt hours. I wonder what size generator it would take to allow fairly rapid fire from a vehicle.

31 posted on 01/19/2007 3:00:48 AM PST by R. Scott (Humanity i love you because when you're hard up you pawn your Intelligence to buy a drink)
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To: FLOutdoorsman
It is cool but there are issues...

The primary one being payload - we don't have any explosives around that can take the acceleration or fuzes that will work either. Right now the thing fires solid metal projectiles and those lose velocity quickly through aerodynamic drag.

Up close, lots of Zot. Further out, very little whack left.

32 posted on 01/19/2007 3:07:59 AM PST by USMCVet
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To: FLOutdoorsman

I guess the next generation of sailors will never know the joy of merrily lobbing shells at a target ship in the Caribbean. :-(


33 posted on 01/19/2007 3:09:59 AM PST by Thrownatbirth (.....when the sidewalks are safe for the little guy.)
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To: R. Scott; FLOutdoorsman

Sounds as if they are charging a bank of capacitors. It would take less of a generator and more time.


34 posted on 01/19/2007 3:19:32 AM PST by Right Wing Assault ("..this administration is planning a 'Right Wing Assault' on values and ideals.." - John Kerry)
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To: kinoxi

A human and a small capsule might weigh about a ton. This is requires a lot more energy than firing a smaller metal projectile.

For humans to survive the g forces, the thing would have to be very long. Humans can only take a max of about 10 gs for a short time. Maybe an average of 5 for longer times. To accelerate a human from 0 to orbital speed of 18 000 miles/hour at 5 gs would take a gun many miles long.


35 posted on 01/19/2007 3:34:08 AM PST by Right Wing Assault ("..this administration is planning a 'Right Wing Assault' on values and ideals.." - John Kerry)
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To: wodinoneeye

no, the dems will use it on us


36 posted on 01/19/2007 4:08:54 AM PST by wildcatf4f3 (Find out what brand the Ethiopians are drinking and send a case to all my generals.)
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To: FLOutdoorsman

One small problem..."batteries NOT included!"


37 posted on 01/19/2007 4:10:16 AM PST by ken5050
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To: USMCVet

The projectiles wouldn't have to be explosive. Just the kinetic energy of a high mass projectile (e.g. using tungsten) accellerated to a high speed could do enough damage to eliminate the need for explosives.


38 posted on 01/19/2007 4:20:15 AM PST by P8riot (I carry a gun because I can't carry a cop.)
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To: FLOutdoorsman

He said estimates today are that railgun projectiles will cost less than $1,000 each, "but it's going to depend on the electronics."




I guess the electronics must be for guidance purposes.


39 posted on 01/19/2007 4:52:39 AM PST by Brilliant
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To: operation clinton cleanup

That explains the hole in the side of my deck!


40 posted on 01/19/2007 5:07:16 AM PST by Redleg Duke (Heaven is home...I am just TDY here!)
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