Although it has become common in science fiction, the development of a practical railgun has been excruciatingly slow, with the United States abandoning its railgun project in 2022.
A key US ally in the Indo-Pacific has conducted the first successful test of a ship-mounted electromagnetic railgun.
The Japan Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) released photos of the weapon firing at a target vessel at sea.
“#ATLA conducted the Shipboard #Railgun Shooting Test from June to early July this year with the support of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. It’s the first time that a ship-mounted railgun was successfully fired at a real ship,” the ATLA announced in a social media post, while sharing images of testing.
What to Know About Japan’s EM Railgun
Tokyo officially began developing a railgun weapon in 2016, following initial studies on electromagnetic acceleration systems that started a few years earlier.
The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) is now on track to be the first to deploy the next-generation weapon system on an active combat vessel, where it could be used to counter anti-ship missiles, including those that are hypersonic in nature. Such a weapon could also be used against other surface targets, as demonstrated in the recent test.
The tests of the railgun were carried out in June and early July aboard the 151-meter-long survey and research ship JS Asuka, which was commissioned in March 1995 and is similar in size to a destroyer. The weapon system was first mounted on the vessel in late 2023, and previous test firings were made, but without a target.
This summer’s recent railgun demonstrations involved the weapon being used against a 260-tonne yard tug, which was modified specifically for the tests. However, the number of shots fired and the extent of the damage to the target are not clear.
Building a Railgun Is Really, Really Hard
The concept of a railgun is not new. Indeed, the weapon was first conceived of more than a century ago during World War I. A railgun works by generating a magnetic field along a long cannon, shooting an iron projectile out at extremely high speed and without the need for chemicals like gunpowder.
Although it has become common in the world of science fiction—and in video games—the development of a practical railgun has been excruciatingly slow. Logistically, the gun requires a huge power source; a powerful railgun needs millions of amps to create a magnetic field that could launch a sizable projectile.
As Naval News previously reported, “Flight stability of the projectile is also being pursued,” and suggested that as an air defense weapon, a railgun might need to “establish continuous firing capabilities” to engage a target. Beyond the energy to launch a projectile, there is the issue of whether it would remain “stable after leaving the muzzle”; if not, it will not hit its intended target.
“Enhancing projectile stability and reducing air resistance would not only extend the effective range but also improve overall lethality,” the report added.
The JMSDF has sought to address the issues in various ways. The EM railgun appeared to be outfitted with a muzzle velocity radar system and multiple cameras that act as a viewfinder and assist with target analysis.
Such targeting could be beneficial, but it remains unclear how issues of air resistance and projectile stability can be addressed. The other issue, especially if continuous operation is required, is one of the resistive heat, which could damage the surface of the rails. Options to cool the rails are being explored, but along with energy, it remains a daunting challenge.
These various hurdles led the US Navy to abandon railgun development in 2022, despite investing more than $500 million in the technology, in favor of hypersonic weapons and directed-energy weapons (DEWs). The ATLA has announced it would share its research with the United States, so perhaps in the future the US Navy will take another shot at railguns.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
