AlmightyTallest
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We never dealt in private sales, we manufactured weapons systems some of which were experimental prototypes according to specification for Army, Navy and Air Force.
But your correct about the details being hammered out in contracts and specifications. I was guessing that because of the ad, they were describing a scenario that required rapid engagement of multiple inbound missiles and then quick counterbattery fire, which sort of implies a rapid rate of fire.
quote:
n this video ad they show an animated weapon firing off 2 or 3 rounds in rapid succession. No hard info regarding what the interval between shots actually is. The advertized "high rate of fire" capability is subjective. No info regarding how long the interval might be between shots 3 and 4. Did they deplete a capacitor? How long to recharge?
As for the above, I'm sure a lot of that is probably classified and known only by the company making the product and the interested parties involved with it's development.
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I just don't think we're quite there yet. The primary reason is the high energy requirements... along with the effects on conventional materials.
I agree, if you look at the road map in one of the links, they aren't even considering standard production until 2020-2025, which sort of tells you we really aren't there yet, but things have progressed quite a bit in the amount of energy able to be supplied to the gun since the tests in 2006 for example. Once the requirement is there for better capacitor systems, better energy management, refinements to the gun system and money becomes available to further development eventually you'll end up with a product if they really want to go with it.
This article sort of explains the situation regarding testing.
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/apr/07/navy-railgun-sandiego-display-july/
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In 2016, the Navy will test the single-shot capability of one of its two prototypes, made by San Diego-based General Atomics and BAE Systems.
In July, the Office of Naval Research awarded a $34.5 million follow-on contract to BAE for a multiple-shot prototype that will conduct its first shipboard firing tests in 2018. That prototype will incorporate auto-loading of projectiles and technology to manage the heat generated by the power required.
The following year, the Navy would begin studying how to integrate the weapon onto ships.
http://www.nrl.navy.mil/content_images/06Materials_Meger.pdf
The link above shows some of the interesting problems the NRL is studying regarding materials to make the railgun out of and multiple shot physics with the energy requirements.
It's funny you mentioned super-conductors, as the requirement speaks of special cooling for the system, this may imply the use of chilled superconductor elements, instead of the holy grail room temperature superconductors.
http://www.baesystems.com/article/BAES_038654/bae-systems-newest-naval-railgun-prototype-fires-first-shot?_afrLoop=1282533994414000&_afrWindowMode=0&_afrWindowId=Apf1Ug9b&baeSessionId=7nMvTJCbKjyyh1cHDDF9XGBnZ6QyJTz1Lzh4MRdTyB1PJ5LBThpN!2129012228#%40%3F_afrWindowId%3DApf1Ug9b%26baeSessionId%3D7nMvTJCbKjyyh1cHDDF9XGBnZ6QyJTz1Lzh4MRdTyB1PJ5LBThpN%25212129012228%26_afrLoop%3D1282533994414000%26_afrWindowMode%3D0%26_adf.ctrl-state%3Dmb9l1ciom_4
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The second phase will focus on further developing the technology at a significant firing rate of 10 rounds per minute while implementing cooling and thermal management.
http://defensetech.org/2014/01/16/navy-rail-gun-showing-promise/
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We’ve gone through prototype phase 1 and had two industry gun systems. We’re now on phase two which will give us multiple rounds per minute,” said Rear Adm. Matthew Klunder, Chief of Naval Research.
The gun is high-heat and high-energy so cooling technologies are required, Klunder said.
http://www.freewebs.com/jeffhead/usn21/railgun.htm
quote:
Phase II, started in 2012, to advance the technology and transition from a purely research, development and testing phase to a final testing, acquistion, and deployment phase. Phase II technology efforts will also concentrate on demonstrating a rep-rate fire capability. Thermal management techniques required for sustained firing rates will be developed for both the launcher system and the pulsed power system.
Technical objectives for the Electromagnetic Railgun:
Advanced thermal management techniques for long slender metal rail structures
Extended service life for materials and components in harsh environment
High-strength, dielectric, structural materials
High-speed, high-current metal-on-metal sliding electrical contact
System interfaces between high-power loads and platform power distribution
Compact pulsed power systems and power electronics
High-conductivity, high-strength, low-density conductors
Repetitive rate switches and control technologies
Aerothermal protection systems for flight vehicles
High-acceleration tolerant electronic components and structural materials
Most of these objectives have already been met in the lab and in land based firing range tests. Extending these objectives into the at-sea environment will ensure that the resulting weapons system is reliable, accurate, and able to operate with precision in the naval warfighting environment.
http://web.mit.edu/2n/Abst-ExecSum/2004/Conversion/DD(X)-RAILGUN.pdf
The above feasibility study mentions a sustainted 12 rnds per minute and each gun requiring substantial cooling, barrel heat exhangers, two gun barrel freshwater cooling pumps, 4 electronics module heat exchangers, 4 electronics module freshwatter cooling pumps (one per heat exchanger), two gun-barrel heat exchanger seawater cooling pumps, and four power electronics module heat exchanger seawater cooling pumps. This equates to an overall increase in the displacement of DD(X) Baseline 2 of 187 long tons at 175feet aft of the forward perpendicular, and 40 feet above tbaseline. This creates no structural, trim, stability or seakeeping problems.
And it goes on like that specifying the electrical distribution system as 13.8kV, 60Hz, 4-zone, zonal distribution system with Integrated Power System, etc.
So I'm sure eventually with the kind of money being thrown at the problem and the prototypes actually becoming real physical objects for study they'll get their Railgun, eventually. It's definatly got a neat wow factor to all of it, we never worked with gun systems like that though, laser weapons were more an area we studied. 
< Message edited by AlmightyTallest -- 4/12/2014 3:39:36 PM >
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