Navy tests E-M rail gun - will fire shells 9K kph, 320 km (video)

Posted by dctoedt on Monday March 05, 2012 @09:09PM
from the reuters.com dept.

( 6 comments | 3 points | on HN )

Re:Navy tests E-M rail gun - will fire shells 9K kph, 320 k... by coryl on Tuesday March 06, 2012 @01:23AM (#3669896)

Uhh, what exactly can you accurately hit at 320km?

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Re:Navy tests E-M rail gun - will fire shells 9K kph, 320 k... by waterlesscloud on Tuesday March 06, 2012 @01:25AM (#3669899)

With a smart payload capable of self-adjusting? Quite a lot.

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Re:Navy tests E-M rail gun - will fire shells 9K kph, 320 k... by coryl on Tuesday March 06, 2012 @01:29AM (#3669913)

Well, I didn't see/hear anything about what they were firing, so I assumed they were dumb bombs or shells.

Those launches look pretty violent, could a piece a with rocketry or electronic guiding systems survive a blast like that?

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Re:Navy tests E-M rail gun - will fire shells 9K kph, 320 k... by eof on Monday March 05, 2012 @09:19PM (#3669379)

How about a "rail gun" for shooting things into orbit?

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Re:Navy tests E-M rail gun - will fire shells 9K kph, 320 k... by Atrus6 on Tuesday March 06, 2012 @01:21AM (#3669886)

Not much would survive that sort of acceleration.

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Re:Navy tests E-M rail gun - will fire shells 9K kph, 320 k... by cmaxwell on Tuesday March 06, 2012 @10:43AM (#3671477)

How is this news? I had a rail gun in UT

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