very cool

yes, very cool. But I am waiting for the hand-held rifle version. This technology is capable of shooting projectiles many, many times faster than anything gunpowder is capable of. Of course that rifle of the future would need a mini nuclear reactor in it.

We have definitely entered the 21st century now.

Saw this thing on the news last night. Projected usable battlefield model in 2021.

Lame. Waste of money. We have intercontinental balistic missles capable of delivering a nuclear weapon anywhere in the world. What good is this!

How about solving our energy problems.

To david-475776. Stop your ZioNazi propaganda spewing, facts are facts, you or none of your terrorist regime can change them! Your boys killed the Dr. Bull for whatever sick reason they hand in mind..

To A. Smith-1451820, thanks for the eye opening TRUTHFUL information. The truth will prevail just goto PBS.org and research the whole topic and you will see who is right!

I wonder where we are with SST. It was written that the last commercial flight took place in 2003. I know the SR-71's have been grounded. I have seen the Stealth bombers in flight twice. We've had the neutron bomb sometime now. If my memory serves me well on Dr. Bull, didn't the Israeli's actually test what he had in the desert. They said NO and he turned elsewere and then he was killed?? The theories here are pretty basic. With that kind of range, we can get you where you can't get us. From basic infantry on up, we use those principles.

Railguns are very interesting, but what i'm wondering is how much sound is created by this type of projectile. I know that because it's magnetically fired, it should sound nearly silent, but does this model have the same low sound abilities as predicted, or will we have to wait longer for that?

Also, why would we use John Hunt's nukes, when these can be designed large enough (although it would be REALLY damn expensive), that they could cause the same damage, without a flash or any sound when it's launched, and without all of that annoying fallout everywhere? It's not BS, it's possible.

Ex. If you played games in the Halo franchise, then you might remember the MAC gun in the first 2 games and Halo Wars. MAC= Mass-Acceleration-Cannon, AKA: The same process used for the railgun by the Navy. This is going to be huge for warfare and defense alike, and many other applications eventually. Also, if you read around the internet a little bit, you might find a picture of a couple designs and real models for a hand-held version. I think i found that in wikipedia (and like most of their articles, it's not bull@!$%#).

John Hunt

So having an alternative to starting a Nuclear Holocaust would be bad?

SteveO - NeoNazi? Where in david's post does he say ANYTHING remotely anti-semetic? Anyway, lets try to stay on topic and discuss the article.

Flaming Tricycle - Yes, Halo was IMMEDIATELY what came to mind when I read this :-) Very exciting from a technological standpoint!

To answer two questions

1. If the unit is on earth (as opposed to outer space) it would still make noise, not from the gun but from the projectile breaking the sound barrier. This is the same as a conventional firearm being shot, the noise is from the bullet instantly surpassing mach 1.

2. It's unlikely that this will be used to put astronauts into orbit because at Mach 8 they would surely black out along the way. However it could easily be used, once in outer space, to launch vessels into deep space as there is no friction from air to slow it down.

Pete:

A railgun derives it's power from 1.) how much power is in the EM field and 2.) how long the projectile is exposed to the field. Because of this second part, a longer barrel actually means a more powerful weapon for a rail gun. For a hand-held version to have any significant power, you'd need such a strong EM field that you probably wouldn't want to carry it.

Captain thursday:

Speed isn't the problem for using this to launch people into space, nor is atmosphere. It's acceleration. Going Mach 8 is no problem for a person. People have traveled faster in re-entry. It's going from 0 to M 8 in 3.5 seconds that's the problem. That won't just black you out, that'll kill you. And it'll do it on the Earth or in space either way. Railguns are being proposed for cheap delivery of non-delicate materials to space (water, air, maybe some foods, steel plating, etc). Things that can survive 30G without damage. There, it has real potential.

CaptainThursday(?) You certainly can't have any aspirations nor expectations to become (nor make anyone believe that you are) a physicist! As for your first comment any average hunter or farmer (one, that has no interest in being a physicist) or even a 9th grader in junior ROTC can correct your statement for you. Your first statement is way off. Your second comment is not even in the ballpark. However, I noticed that some of the commenters have noticed that.

No, no, no That was satellite based missile defense, using lasers. This is accelerating solid ammunition faster that the speed of sound, using electromagnets, which has been proven to be a viable technology. The problem is concetrating the magnetics sufficiently to accelerate the rounds to the desired speeds, which is fairly difficult to do in a compact manner at this time due to the energy requirements to acheive this acceleration, depending on the weight of the projectile you are firing

The only problem with Regan's Star wars project was it was too far ahead of it's time. It is entirely within the realm of possibilities in the future. Same goes for this rail gun technology.

Eh maybe, they are not being anywhere near as ambitious with railguns as they were with Star Wars, they have been at this since the 90's. Star Wars may eventually become reality, I mean a spaced based weapons platform that relies solely non-solid state ammunition would be feasible to the extent that it would have a near unlimited energy supply from solar panels, I would be more concerned about international blow back, and the costs of funding such a project, length of time for construction, method of carry the payloads to space, since the shuttle is being retired, potential danger to any construction crews.

Actually the Germans in WW2 were testing a rail gun (long before Star Wars), but it so used much power that wasn't feasible. Adolf just loved those wunder weapons. Eric, I believe the magnets actually reversed polarity as the the projectile passes by. So they first pull, then push the round down the rail.

Reagan's Star Wars project was meant to force the USSR to spend billions to come up with something to defeat it. I think it was more talk then reality, but the USSR didn't know that. Genius ploy on Reagan's part.

No, This is a scientific weapon and was invented long before Reagan.

The scientist that would be leading this project for shooting satellites cheaply into space using a railgun WAS MURDERED BY THE ISRAELI MOSSAD denying the entire world Canadian scientists Dr. Gerald Bull's brilliant mind and how that would have benefited all humanity.

I'd have to rewatch the movie but this looks suspiciously like the weapons used in the movie 'Eraser'.

darthfrodo -- there is a reason the weapons in eraser looks like the weapon currently being tested. Railgun tech is NOT new at all and eraser used a take off on something weaponologists only wish they could actually produce feasilbly, a man portable rail gun. Not there yet.

why would they do that you nut? make it good

A. Smith-1451820,

Stop spreading manure. I already proved you WRONG on many other Newsvine Topics.

Eric-2189088,

Rail Guns using kinetic energy non explosive ammunition (solid metal rod, pyrophoric depleted uranium rods, and the other design looked like a miniature of that new USAF unmanned space vehicle) and explosive ammunition were part of the StarWars Program (Initiative), so was the lesser known Mass Particle Beam, Millimeter Wave, Microwave, were also a part of the StarWars Program.

Most people only heard about the either laser or missile based Anti Ballistic Missile technology. As realizing that there was not just one solution that could accomplish everything the StarWars Defense System was layers of Anti Missile Defense Systems, as then known as Defense in Depth.

The only publication that actually showed in depth the entire StarWars Project/Program, also known as the StarWars Initiative, was Popular Science (I still have that issue).

Since so much money was spent on Research, many concepts used today became viable, and an overall new Command was established in 1982. There were many individual technologies that were researched under separate and distinct Project Managers, that combined were the overall StarWars Initiative.

Steve - If your question is directed toward A.Smith, the answer is that Dr. Bull was building a cannon for Saddam Hussein's Iraq that would have reached Israel. I honestly don't know if it was ever proven, but it is generally believed that MOSSAD agents assassinated Bull.

david,

I remember that article in Popular Science. Good stuff. To my mind, the most viable of the projects was "Brilliant Pebbles", which was a satellite that would drop what was basically a crowbar with guidance fins on it out of orbit. Fifteen pounds of steel falling at orbital velocity (upwards of 17,500 mph) releases all it's energy on impact. It was going to be a preemptive strike weapon that could theoretically destroy Soviet ICBMs in their silos.

Angelo,

Dr. Bull was a brilliant, conscienceless mercenary. "With great power comes great responsibility" (thanks, Stan Lee). Dr. Bull should have read more Spiderman comics before getting into business with the Iraqis.

David,

See also "Project Thor" and "Rods from God" for more indepth look at the Brilliant Pebbles concept. These systems were being researched as late as 1994.

I do not think it was Reagan's star wars project he blurted that out jest like he outed the invisible airplane, actually toward the end he thought he was in a movie just playing a part. oldtimer disease.

I thought that there were treaties to prevent the deployment of any space based weapon now? Is that correct, or is it only spaced based nuclear weapons?

A. Smith and Angelo,

Bull was a gun for hire. If Massad took him out, as most believe; it was only because they got to him before the Iranians. After you build a toy like the super gun, you really want to try it out. Iran would have been perhaps higher on Saddam's list than Israel. Think Teheran or Kharg Island. Or maybe Turkey, to force the Turks ro move the Kurds away from their border with Iraq. Israel was more valuable as a political foil than as an open enemy.

Bill Marvell - Iran would have been perhaps higher on Saddam's list than Israel. Think Teheran or Kharg Island.

The proof of that was the Iran Iraq Wars. With the US backing Iraq, with US Military Training Teams from Germany to Iraq along with US POMCUS stocks from Germany. And the USSR backing Iran. Part of my involvement with the Middle East as a US Military Officer since the 1980s (including the US Military Training Teams to Pakistan to train the Pro Western Afghan Muhajeen, not the 1990s Fundamentalist Islamic Taliban). With the Kurdistanis being the Armed Allies of Iran during the Iran Iraq Wars.

zeroscout - I thought that there were treaties to prevent the deployment of any space based weapon now? Is that correct, or is it only spaced based nuclear weapons?

The primary concerns of the Treaties were Space Based Offensive First Strike Weapons.

Steve,

You give Reagan a prescience he never had. We spent 100 billion on the Strategic Defense Initiative, the Russian economy had been failing for a decade exacerbated by their foray into Afghanistan and spending hundreds of billions propping up North Vietnam, Cuba, Angola, missiles to libya and dozens of others. The Soviets were in fact lowering military spending as a % of increase throughout the Reagan years from 1965 through 1976 Soviet military spending increased by 4.5% per annum by 1984 it was increasing at a rate of 2.5%. Almost all increased spending went to Afghanistan. The part that Reagan played was his administrations OPEC negotiations which drove down oil prices from $35.00 per barrel in 1980 to $10.00 in 1986 the Russian economy relied heavily on its oil exports and an almost 70% drop in oil revenues they fundamentally went bankrupt.

The Right Wing propaganda machine has put the same story forward as you have so your parroting of Hannity, Limbaugh, O'Reilly ect is inderstandable, it is just more of the big lie. If you make a big mistake tell a bigger it was a tennet of Goebbels, Pravda and starting with Nixon an integral part of GOP politics starting with CREEP and Segretti etal and carried on by Atwater and Rove. Star Wars has been an ongoing black hole for tax dollars.

JKH

david-475776

A. Smith-1451820,

Stop spreading manure. I already proved you WRONG on many other Newsvine Topics.

What in the hel are you ranting about David, did someone slip you something for you to huff and puff on?

Dr. Gerald Bull was a Canadian Scientist who was developing a long range cannon prototype for Saddam in Iraq. Dr. Gerald Bull repeatedly assured Israel that the project in no fashion would create any danger to Israel nor would it be possible for that prototype to strike Israel. Regardless, Dr. Gerald Bull after being stalked for months by a Mossad Assassination team was murdered. Reports surfaced that Mossad Assassins were seen wearing Dr. Gerald Bull's jewelery the next day after his murder. The PBS movie on the entire episode is well done and worth seeing.

Dr. Gerald Bull had the vision and brilliance in the science of artillery which he felt allowed him to design and build a cannon which would cheaply and easily launch small satellites into earth orbit. The Mossad assassination of that Canadian Scientist robs the entire world of that benefit and is just another long string of crimes and disgraces upon humanity by the Zionists in Israel.

Jim Hayes- stop prevaricating: the facts are that $100 billion is what the U.S. spends on golf in a year, so it was worth every penny to kill the Soviet Union.

The soviets themselves say that we just outspent them, that they couldn't keep up with our technology, and our computer systems were way ahead of theirs.

They lost. Get over it.

This may reek of Regan's "Star Wars", but if you don't stay ahead of the pack in weaponry, you will get run down very quickly. For those Non-Mil and "Peace only" Leftists, this is what we need to save what is left of our Defenses after Obama forces the START agreement. Russia loses absolutely nothing, while America drops 30% or more of our Defence, just doesn't add up. Russia is no longer a Problem? Better check out how they are working with their "Enemy" China to support North Korea AGAIN, and how they are supplying Iran with the needed good to create their Nuke weapon. Don't put your head in the sand or listen to the Leftist Professors destroying our Education System. Read Foreign Newspapers and web sites, not American Media, for the real truth, it will open your Blindered eyes and show you the Lie we all have been fed by the Left and the DNC since Carter.

I really hope this isn't a "Target" on Obama's "Treaty", but I can guarantee that he and Hillary will make it one, "For the Children" and "To level the playing field". World Government's "Level Field" is simply America giving away all it has built since 1776 so the Foreign Power can dominate and enslave Americans. And under the Carter, Clinton, and Obama regiems for their Comerades it's working. Makes Soldiers AND Veterans wonder why, and there is no good answer.

Obama=$ Billions to Foreign Banks and Auto Companies. $0.00 for the Disabled and Retired and 1.4% for the fighters in the Military. Explain how this is LEADERSHIP once again, I need a Laugh today to offset my no-COLA for two years, but everything to live is about 20% higher, go figure.

Reagan's "Star Wars" was, is, and always WILL be nonsense. I have tried to educate SOO many people to the fact but STILL some believe that we can have a defense shield against THOUSANDS of warheads. One word for you people who STILL buy into the "Star Wars" fantasy: MARV.

This has nothing to do with "star wars" missile defense from the '80's. And arm-chair quarterbacking and hind sight are always right. Obviously, you all know very little about electromagnetics and how a rail gun works. We wouldn't need nuclear reactors to power rifle versions, just high density, miniaturized super capacitors. A rail gun allows firing of missiles without combustion. The START treaty covers combustion launches of nuclear weapons, but I haven't seen anything in the treaty that covers nuclear weapons launched by EM fields (rail gun). This technology could help us reduce the amount of pollution that it takes to get into space and could be applied to leisure use like launching model rockets and clay pigeons. It could also be used in the further development of bullet trains. They run on the same principal as rail guns. It's been referred to as magnetic levitation.

The Germans in WW1 had a cannon that would shoot 75 miles.

START...all this is is Putin bending Obama over and the Russians yelling START!

Many believe spinoffs are reason enough to pursue unrelated science, humans in space being a particular favorite flavor. I'm not one of those folks but I will point out that the adaptive optics used to immense effect in astronomy was given a huge boost by Reagan's anti-missile defense program.

david-475776

A. Smith-1451820,

Stop spreading manure. I already proved you WRONG on many other Newsvine Topics.

I have repeatedly exposed you as some troll posing under various hats portraying yourself as some imagined head in one field of expertise after another. Show some honesty if that is possible otherwise avoid my comments as you obviously become unbalanced as a result.

Bergman is a senior military and intelligence analyst for Yedioth Ahronot, an Israeli daily. He is currently working on a book about the Mossad and the art of assassination.

'As soon as Israeli weapons experts confirmed that Bull’s cannon was for real, he became a target. In March 1990 a Mossad hit team knocked on the door of his Brussels apartment, burst in when he opened it, and fired two bullets into the back of his head and three into his back. One member of the team took close-up photos of the corpse. The pictures were sent to other European employees of the Iraqi project with a note: “If you don’t want a similar fate, don’t go to work tomorrow.”'

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/12/13/killing-the-killers.html

Richard 1971294: I suppose that you also might be surprised to know that the things you are talking about are not "possibilities for the future". There are companies which regularly receive govenrment research grants for high level military projects that have been using technology critical to the (so-called) Star Wars's project for several years now. Here in the US. What do you think of that! And if you look under the right subjects you can do internet searches on the progress of some of those projects.

Yeah, they didn't say what the projectile was composed of, but I agree that it probably looked very cool slamming into a target considering that it was Mach 8 at its peak velocity. Or, it just went through the target with barely any damage beyond the impact point. Through and through.

NOT being able to see the Target at Impact is your answer, totally gone!!!!!!! They're also recorded by Electronic "Non-substance" Targets designed just for this type test, as the Idiot's in the "Press" have run the Navy, and ALL Services out of our Desert's where they used to be tested( Edwards, China Lake, Groom Lake, etc.) all while cloaking themselves in the First Amendment.

People, you have to understand that nearly ALL Weapon and Tactical testing and development must be kept Secret, or your Enemy will out-gun you, and that ISN'T an option. My Unit in 1971 was Testing Tactical Field Lasers and no-one knew of that. It's a beautiful thing when you can test and develop without having to trip over "Reporters" and the curious while building your National safety.

Yes, I can see the "What iffer's" drooling on the sidelines, but that is where you belong. Those Black Ops mentioned have given us every weapon to win more wars and maintain Peace than any other allocation. George Washington said it best, paraphrased, "A well Armed and ready Military is your best guarantee of Peace"

The target was a fatbody eating a donut.

I believe it is very unwise for children to play with guns. We would be far better off developing effective birth control and improving the quality and length of life. We have the the ability and the recourse to live so much better than we do; But our values are so distorted that we are moving towards destruction. If we create another dark age man may not recover for thousands of years.

There have never been a weapon made that would not be used. The idea of "mutually assured destruction" producing safety is as stupid as the upside down statement "peace through strength."

With the nuclear, chemical and germ warfare potential that is already available, you would think we would be diligently working towards cooperation and sanity.

Frank-Why is that when people see this kind of thing being done, they can never think about other poosibilities? You them making a weapon and nothing else. When people talk about the space program, do only think flying to the moon and back?

The research for the space program found many of the products we use today to that do improve the quality of life and length of life. Just as there will be many beneficial findings from this research. The same is also true in the reverse, many harmful "weapons" have been stumbled upon during "beneficial" research.

Well Jaye Schmus: You did not read the article very carefully. I am also guessing that you did not spend any time in the Navy (at least not on a ship). The people at the location from where the rail gun was fired never saw the projectile nor where it landed. But Susan who commented below (#4) shows more intelligence in her comment than her detractors and critics show. Read her comment.

very intelligent that was.

With a projectile traveling at or in excess of Mach 8, I'd say any sort of round is going to leave a significant mark.

I'm wondering if at that speed, would there be damage just from the shockwave alone (besides the projectile damage)?

hurray! more battlefield fallout for the next elective war.

railgun tech is non explosive and non irradiated. the round is a composite of aluminum and various other metals. non of which would cause a nuclear fallout. the U.S. has been trying for a couple of decades to move away from such weapons for that reason. the kinetic energy of the round is enough to devastate a target, radiation free.

The flip side is that I don't think you could safely launch a nuke from a rail platform. I would think that instantly accelerating a nuclear payload to mach 8 would cause it to detonate before it leaves the end of the barrel. So to the paople that are saying it's just another way to launch nukes, I say no dice. The whole reason for this system is so that you don't need a nuclear payload to still do massive damage.

Chris, the kinetic energy of the projectile is fixed, not the speed. Higher mass just means a slower round, more limited range, and the same impact potential (though less energy lost through drag).

Kozmonot, it's possible. The Air Force tossed around ideas of using concentrated sonic booms generated by their planes as a weapon. It ended up being dropped because it required some fancy flying on top of being at basically point-blank range of the enemy weapons. Still, shock waves can damage structures and kill people.

Captain, it all depends on how the nuke is designed. If it's a gun-type fission bomb, like Little Boy was, then the acceleration could pose serious problems. Of course, that's solved by firing it sideways. :) If it's a modern thermonuclear weapon, the first stage is implosion, which could handle the acceleration just fine. The EM field may spark off the detonators, though. Better be careful with the shielding. :p

Hahaha apparently Im one of 3 people who get this! Well done OP

I want my REX now damn it

yes they could

Two problems. One, Mach 8 is still a very long way from the Mach 25 or more needed to achieve orbit, and that's before allowing for atmospheric drag. Two, simply shooting it into the air on a ballistic trajectory won't achieve orbit anyway, because the perigee will be beneath the earth's surface ... and somebody won't like it when the payload reaches that perigee. Keep thinking, though; creative ideas are a good thing, even when they don't work.

Hmmm. The speed required to break out of earths gravity is about mach 34 give or take (25000 mph). So that means that anything shot out of a rail gun into space would have to be launched at something higher than that to maintain enough velocity to break away from Earths gravity. Thats quite a gap between the current mach 8 and the required mach 32. Anything less, and we are just launching nuclear meteorites into orbit just hoping they burn up before they come back down. And imagine what a misfire would produce.

Or what Bad Bill said...!

Only America, thanks to Carter, would think spent nuclear fuel was something to be thrown away. Other countries, (France, Japan and others), reprocess their fuel, not waste it.

The WWII German gun was not electromagnetic, it used (coal?) gas in multiple firing chambers that was ignited by the projectile making electrical connections as it passed through the main barrel.

Shogun- Glad I wasnt drinking coffee. The nuclear meteorite image cracked me up!

Lets think about proportions of scale. This rail gun is designed to be small enough to fit on a ship and it can fire a round at mach 8. Scale up the size and mach 34+ might be more than possible.

there you go just launch you nuclear waste at other countries then it's thier problem. :-)

and what if someone or something started shooting them back at us??

There are already railguns that can accelerate objects past the Mach 32 needed for orbit. The all just happen to be circular instead of linear. And the biggest one is going to create world eating black holes... muhhahaha or, just help us understand the universe a little better.

I'm kinda hoping that some of these new ideas for nuclear reactors (like the traveling wave reactors) take hold - they're designed to be able to use current nuclear waste as fuel, and they can recycle their own waste to be converted back into fuel and other useful byproducts.

Kozmonot, that type Idea is great, but will NEVER get past the Enviroidots or Greenies, too workable and safe, and they can't make a dime squeeling about it!!!!!!!!

Yes, nuclear power, the future of energy, cheap to mine refine and use (when propped up by huge subsidies). Totally safe, honest.

The only endless supply of energy that the left appears to approve of is the hot air and methane that they produce whining about EVERYTHING!!

Hhbh

Bring on the Glitter Boys!!!! I'm glad I'm not the only reformed Rifts-Nerd on here :)

Dee-Bees rule! lol, nope you are not the only Rift-Nerd on here

The real question is what is the projectile SDC? Mega Damage...all these years I thought I was the only one that remembered...

I'm pretty sure anything fired from a rail gun would count as MDC damage. The GB's were firing objects much smaller and much slower than this and were listed as (I think) either 1d4 or 1d6x10 MD... Correct me if I'm wrong...

Point being, we're all RP nerds and this gun would most definitely do MDC damage :D

Rifts! Wow! - Haven't played that in forever! I'd like to see a computerized RPG of it.

Interesting idea.

This is the stuff that we are told, imagine what Skunk Works has made that we do not know about or what they are working on now.

lester when it comes to things like weapons all the countries know it before the public, and then thiere is the point of letting others know as a form of peace by fear.

could you imagine once fired would have no way of knocking it off it's target.

John Doee

Most people do not even know what the Skunk Works was or who the genius behind most of the stuff made there was.

There are somethings that to this day I really have to laugh about, "cardboard" fuel tanks, aircraft that flew faster than the interceptor missiles they launched, etc.. Revell used to make a 1/48th Scale model of the USAF Interceptor version, and currently only have the Reconnaissance version.

David - if I remember correctly, the "interceptor version" of the SR-71 was sort of a "proof of concept" that was never actually adopted. When designs like the XB-70 were scrapped because SA missile technology made high altitude bombers too risky, the air force decided that "flying under the radar" was the new way to go since at the time it was believed that current radars would not be able to pick out a bomber from the "ground clutter". Kelly Johnson and his gang set out to prove to the air force that it was possible, and on at least one occasion were able to "lock on" to, and carry out a "mock-attack" on a low-flying bomber from an SR-71 at high altitude.

The SR-71 Project was very successful, flying from a Central CA Air Force Base. And, the XB-70 was scrapped due to the extreme cost( Contractors had Cost plus over-run on that thing) and the Two that were built, and flown, at Palmdale,CA by North American Aerospace worked well. One Crashed, and that caused the Gov't to drop it.

My Brother-in-Law and a Friend both worked from start to finish on the XB-70, and when the one did crash, they, and the rest of the Builders, broke down and cried. They had a Personal investment. However, when the Project WAS scrapped, the Left cheered like it was the winning score in the Superbowl, so you see they aren't so new either, but just as destructive and Anti-American as ever.

Because the concept itself was never classified in the first place. Everyone knew about it from conception. However, what makes it tick WILL be. Think of it like a fighter jet, for example. The jet itself isn't classified, but what's in it (avionics, weapons control systems, etc.) most certainly is.

not idiots...

There are reasons for keeping things secret, and reasons for advertising successes.

Remember, fighting is a last resort. It's good to win the fight, but better to avoid fighting altogether wherever possible. A weapon that nobody knows about might be good for a one-time surprise ass-kicking, but an advanced weapon that IS known can work as a long-term deterrent to aggression.

Well said, Gundeck. Remember Dr. Strangelove? The Doomsday Device is useless if kept secret.

This is by no means a Doomsday tool, and totally useless against small terrorist targets. But it could be very useful against aircraft (just get close, the shockwave could wreck a plane or missile), ships, and maybe even submarines. Just make sure the range is clear before testing, as it has the ability to travel a looong way.

I really do not know why all of you start getting upset about stuff that has already been published in Scientific American, the Jane's Weapons Systems (separate volumes, Aircraft, Fighting Ships, Infantry Weapons Systems, etc.), etc..

Really think about this, with Defense Budgets getting extremely thin, how do you get the public to fund further Research and Development. And eventually if the weapons system goes into production, would you not want to sell it so that the public gets it's money back in some form or another. There is also what the Israelis continue to do out of survival, improve US Products beyond the capabilities of the US due to Political or Financial reasons, example the Israelis upgrades to the F-35, with the Israelis selling this advanced technology back to the US, as everyone except the USAF and USN due to cost, want the Israelis advanced technology that must be included during initial production phases (especially the Saudi Arabians).

What most people in the USN fail to realize that with the deployment of the Chinese Supersonic Anti Ship Missiles they (Surface Warfare) become obsolete. This missile is designed specifically to defeat any defenses that can possibly be used be they automated, or human initiated (not enough time to detect, and launch counter measures), especially the screening ships for USN Aircraft Carriers. Many of the "Middle East" nations near Fundamentalist Islamic Iran are fearing that the Fundamentalist Islamic Iran will then control the shipping in the area, especially the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, as Supertanker Oil Shipments of Iraqis Oil from Kuwait to the US (as well as to Canada, Mexico, then sold as Oil Laundrying to the US at a huge profit, even before the Wars.). Also being sold to other potentially hostile Nations is the former USSR, now Russian Federation, missile torpedoes (no propellor), as possibly used in the last generation of triple titanium hulled deep diving USSR Fast Attack Submarines (December 1993), unlike the movies, these missile torpedoes do have mulitple means of aquiring targets to defeat US countermeasures, and are command armed and disarmed remotely (to prevent being killed by their own torpedoes).

Who needs spies when all of these Nations sell their Advanced Technology and Manufacturing Licenses (enabling them to build the Weapons Systems themselves) to other Nations, ever heard of Reverse Engineering.

because they want to scare the pants off of the enemy they probably got stuff even better,

there are going to a lot of sailors with bad hearing too.

Ben Forrester:

It keeps the Prying eye's of the Press and the Left off the really good stuff!!!!!

Because anyone interested in this technology already knows much more than what is stated in this article. The only new information here is the amount of kinetic energy delivered and the velocity of the projectile. The Naval Surface Warfare Center just wanted to brag.

12 car batteries wouldn't be enough to send a bobby pin into the next block. The Navy is planning to use the entire generating power of a specially designed 5,000 ton plus Ship to power just 1 of these. Check out www.usni.org.

Well nothing better then a naval platform which holds its own nuclear power plant to offer more then enough power to use the rail guns in their current configuration. After all, our US submarines can create enough power to run a city of over 100,000 people with no issues.....

Darthdon-- I was referring to these:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoB2ZwzrSqM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMUErwcuBf8&feature=related

there was one that I can't find that was featured on the Discovery Channel at one point that was actually running on 12 car batteries and fired a projectile the size of a .22 caliber bullet several times faster than a traditional rimfire cartridge. Cheers!

really? We have no money to pay for education or health care, but we have money for more and better impliments of death and destruction.

Oh good lord the department of education budget has gone from 28 billion in 2000 to over 89 billion today and yet students are doing worse and worse. The problem is not money, the problem is the unions and the system in place.

The vast bulk of funds for education are from local sources (property taxes) and in 2008 (latest year for which I have figures) totaled $668 Billion dollars. Add to that nearly $90 Billion in federal dollars (few of which ever make it back to local schools). That's $94.2 Billion more than we are spending on Defense this year, including all of the extra costs of fighting two wars.

Now the bad news, despite spending more than twice as much per pupil as the next largest spender among industrialized countries, our students rank 31st in the world. That's pathetic, and isn't due to a lack of spending. There are a number of reasons our students do so poorly, the primary one being that they are unmotivated to do better. Union teachers who are incompetent and don't care, no discipline in school or at home, no expectations by the parents, a culture that despises intellectual achievement, etc. Our kids aren't illiterate innumerate pants dragging the ground embarrassments because some of us are willing to do what's necessary to preserve this nation from foreign enemies. They are abject failures because no one has grabbed them by the scruff and beaten some sense into them. Spare the rod, spoil the child. Smart people have known that for thousands of years.

Well said JohnCarter, even if a bit off-topic. No need to elaborate...

Education is state (property taxes), this kind of weapons research is federal (income taxes). If you really want your kids to learn, make sure they do their homework.

your forgetting the worthless students that don't care if they learn, you know lead the jackasses too water but can't make them drink without spiking it

JC I see somebody likes Edgar Rice...

JesterJames - really? We have no money to pay for education or health care, but we have money for more and better impliments of death and destruction.

1. US Education is Money Based not Result Based. Go do the research. Especially Boarding Schools that eliminate the "parent factor" from Education.

2. Health Care, as per President Obama's Health Care Reform is a joke as payback for Campaign Contributions:

Unlikely ally of health care reform: business
Insurers, drug companies came on board early and may profit from it

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35989945/ns/business-us_business/

Instead of Enacting the Real Solution, as previously used by President FDR, as Universal Health Care for all US Citizens, 1. Eliminating the Insurance Corporations from the Medical Profession, this alone decreases the costs of Medical Treatments by 80%. 2. The last vestage of the President FDR Universal Health Care for All US Citizens is what US Congress currently gets for $42 per month. 3. The Health Care Exchanges for Congress are a joke as these are done at a loss by Insurance Corporations in exchange for Political Favors. 4. Due to the President Obama Health Care Reform, in the Law, the Insurance Industry now will make $67 Billion USDs, the Medical Device Industry $20 Billion, and the Pharmaschutical Industry $23 Billion, this was stated in President Obama's Health Care Reform as a possible source of additional Revenue, which they will just pass on to the Customers (you) to retain their new found profits.

Decreases cost 80% (last part of video 1:40) by Doctor David Ores, New York.1:45

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5247963n&tag=contentMain;contentBody

Back on topic.

3. Put a face on the big bad US Defense Industry. How about this decrease the US Defense Budget by 50%, by throwing out all the hundred million expensive US Civilians in the US Military on US Unemployment. This hundred million does not include those members of the Active Federal US Military, nor the additional US Civilians that indirectly support the US Military. Let the cheaper US Military fill these positons again, like it was before President Clinton's Cut to the Bone Reduction In Forces of the US Military that created the niches also for the expensive US Contractors. And let's BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure), as Closure, all those US Military or Defense Related Industries in your State, JesterJames.

YES! Cut Defense budget by 50% and channel that money into something the world will actually use and pay for, like green technology, that will employ way more people strengthen our economy, improve the enviornment, save the planet, make America energy independent and secure(so we don't have to deal with those crazy fanatics in the ME)! The whole of military and defense industrial complex is just a government subsidize employment program. They don't contribute anything except to get us into one war after another so they can justify their own continue existence. One of the defense industry insider said it best "the collapse of soviet union was the worst thing to happen the defense industry" Goes to show where these people's moral compass points.

If you want the most bang for your buck, the money should be plowed into birth control, since the problem underlying almost every conflict, famine, disease, resource shortage and even global warming (if you believe in it) is TOO MANY PEOPLE. This is the elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about

Jester James:

If you don't have a Nation for the Students, what good is Education? The "Education" our kids get now is all about self-esteem, nobody loosess, Mary has two Mom's/David has two Dads, etc., and we are soOOO far behind the rest of the World due to these, and other, "Special Interest" programs, like Translaters in classrooms if there is ! ( ONE ) Student that speaks a different Langusge at Home. Fer Christsake, this is America, we Speak English Historcally, but the Left is still wimping out "For the Children" and screwing our Kids at every turn. Teach Math, Science, History( UN-revised ) and Geography ( So they can find McDonalds ). Educate for success, and not for all "Warm & Fuzzy" failures that we have now.

As for the Schools being supported by STATE Taxes: DEAD wrong!!!! ALL School funding is generated by the Federal Government that ties those funds to "Pet" Projects, just like Earmarks. If you do not comply with DC, you lose funds. If you DO NOT Teach what the Leftist special interests ( The Mom/Dad thing) you lose funding.

This is the Highjacking of our Education by the NEA and the Left, designed to DUMB DOWN American Kids. and it's working well.

Ray-1033782

The US has always been a nation of multiple languages. Every wave of immigrants changes the mix a little bit, and it's a broad brush you paint our current wave with, when you complain about 'them' not being ale to speak english. Many do.

Education is paid for with tax dollars (state aid, and property taxes) our next congress will be unlikely to increase federal funding for it, so we will slip even farther behind in the world. If there are educational deficiencies, they are due to lack of funds.

If you're looking to blame the state of education on Left / Right politics, and believe the Left is the problem, then that's okay, but it doesn't make it true.

If all you can imagine is using this on Somali pirates then you need to expand your imagination. how about a few of these ships sitting 100+ miles off the coast and launching onto the mainland. How far is Pyongyang from the coast?

She wants a different kind of mega jewel!

You'll poke your eye out kid......

"Darling why was last months electric bill $10,000?"

They're still getting sick, since inhaled DU dust and gaseous residue from the impact plasma are a major cause of Gulf War Syndrome. The Brits know this and have published their findings in the Lancet. In the US, we just deny, deny, deny and then cover up.

Go figure!!!! ANY Vietnam Vet can recite the problems we still have getting help for AO, but all we get is very rare diseases allowed. The problem with the Viet Vets and PTSD was swept under the rug as "Being drug addicted" for many Years, but the VA ( DC) finally had to admit that the # of Drug addicted Vets was Minimal compared to the damage seen in Firefights and other goodies. Had a CSM in Germany in 1979 that told me I was a Sr. NCO and had to "Suck-up" any problem I, and others, had. WOW!!!!! What support.

Now, Obama has opened the door to ALL Combat and support Troops to get help, BUT, one big problem with that is the VA is required to furnish your "PTSD Diagnoses" to the "Proper authority", and that in turn list's you as having "A Mental defect or Disease" and diquualifies you from owning personal weapons and from getting many Jobs, like Cop, or Federal Positions.

THINK BEFORE YOU FILE!!!!!

Check it out by Googleing "PTSD and Gun Ownership" to find a list of the Federal, State, and Local restrictions. Makes you wanna cry, but, our Gov't doesn't want a Nation of Trained Soldiers to be in possesion of Private Arms, scares the S^*t out of them. The Leftist Agenda here is "Go protect us while we destroy America, but don't expect help or self-defence when you come Home"

I particularly like the post about when the Aliens came from outer space, we would greet them with a surprise. I just can't help thinking, we may be those "aliens" visiting some other world!

Ray - The ironic part is that, like you said, they won't let soldiers who are knowlegable and qualified to keep firearms for personal use, but they'll let anyone else go to a gun show and but automatic assault rifles. Give me one good reason why the average joe redneck of factory worker or office drone needs to have an M16, and I'll give you 5 good reasons they don't, #1 being that a ton of them are instead going across the border for the Mexican drug war.