By Jim Morris, Warrior Vice President, News
It’s the weapon of tomorrow, and Japan is testing it today.
It’s a railgun that fires projectiles at seven times the speed of sound, designed to shoot down hypersonic missiles that are posing a threat to conventional defenses.
Earlier this month, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force sent a warship out from Yokusuka, equipped with a boxy-looking device with a 20-foot long barrel. The railgun uses electromagnets to fire 40mm rounds. A ship-borne version would be designed to take out hypersonic missiles and surface ships, while land-based versions could be used to take out enemy artillery located far behind the front lines.
Japan’s military says the railgun “supports the development of Japan’s future combat readiness and national defense posture.” And it’s being tested at a time when there are growing threats in the region – particularly from China, which along with Russia is believed to be leading the world in developing hypersonic weapons.
According to New Atlas, which analyzes scientific development, railguns have been around for a century. “It’s the principle behind maglev trains and the fighter plane launchers on the latest US aircraft carriers,” the publication says. “For the railgun, it’s used to propel projectiles at tremendous speeds without the need for cordite or other explosives.”
Still, while the theory behind railguns is relatively simple, the technology has proven difficult – starting with creating a miniaturized power source (the railgun uses a massive electrical current and needs energy storage systems) and making the systems small enough the so weapon can fit on a warship.
In 2023, Japanese researchers fired the railgun on board a ship for the first time. Now, the goal is to achieve continuous firing, along with improving the stability of the projectile and developing a fire control system – not an easy trick since the railgun doesn’t operate the same way as conventional artillery.
The US has tried building a railgun. But the latest attempt was scrapped after ten years in 2021. According to The Sun, that was because of a lack of interest and budget issues.
Japan’s Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency (ATLA) has signed an agreement with the French-German Institute of Saint-Louis to look into collaborating on railgun technologies.
Meanwhile, China is believed to be developing its own version. In 2018, photos leaked online appeared to show a Chinese warship equipped with a prototype electromagnetic railgun.
