41–50 of 106 posts
I have been hearing about rail guns for years - so its a little surprising to me that the projectiles still cost 25k and they don't expect them to be on ships till the end of the decade.
I'm quite sure that the 25k price could come down, if they were being manufactured in bulk. I believe it's mostly an appropriately shaped lump of metal..?
I would not be surprised if "the enemy" already have the capability to create something similar.
well they certainly can claim such, even present photographic evidence, maybe even a video. Yet you have to ask, who can verify the claim? Now defending against such is something that would be interesting, I doubt the Navy's own laser systems, current or ten years out, would be up to it. Seems to me the best way to avoid it is not being there. So against fixed targets this is pretty much a real threat.
Everything I've heard says that they've been very successful.
Can somebody please add a warning that there's an autoplaying video? It's a bit awkward if your phone suddenly starts talking about guns when your standing in line in a bank :/ Edit: A video tag would be nice in general for mobile users.
$25,000 for a single projectile is "affordable"? Why do I feel like I'm living in a madhouse?
What railguns and beam weapons do, is weaponize nuclear reactors and gas turbines, reducing the need for propellants and explosives. While it's unlikely that this will allow the aircraft carrier to regain the place it once held, it seems likely in the future that massive power generation capability will become more and more important.
A bit like what Babylon 5 called "mass drivers".
Can somebody please add a warning that there's an autoplaying video? It's a bit awkward if your phone suddenly starts talking about guns when your standing in line in a bank :/ Edit: A video tag would be nice in general for mobile users.
Aren't you supposed to turn off your phone while inside a bank?