<p>The US Navy pulled the plug, for now, on a futuristic weapon that fires projectiles at up to seven times the speed of sound using electricity.</p>

<p>The Navy spent more than a decade developing the electromagnetic railgun and once considered putting them on the stealthy new Zumwalt-class destroyers built at Maine's Bath Iron Works.</p>

<p>However, the Defense Department is now turning its attention to hypersonic missiles to keep up with China and Russia, and the Navy cut funding for railgun research from its latest budget proposal.</p>

<p>"The railgun is, for the moment, dead," said Matthew Caris, a defence analyst at Avascent Group, a consulting firm.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-us-navy-tests-warship-with-20-tonnes-of-explosive-triggers-39-magnitude-earthquake-392884">Watch: US Navy tests warship with 20 tonnes of explosive, triggers 3.9-magnitude earthquake</a></strong></p>

<p>The removal of funding suggests the Navy saw both challenges in implementing the technology as well as shortcomings in the projectiles' range compared to hypersonic missiles, he said.</p>

<p>The Navy's decision to pause research at year's end frees up resources for hypersonic missiles, directed-energy systems like lasers and electronic warfare systems, said Lt. Courtney Callaghan, a Navy spokesperson.</p>

<p>Information gleaned during testing will be retained in the event the Office of Naval Research wants to pick up where it left off in the future, she said.</p>

<p>All told, the Navy spent about $500 million on research and development, according to Bryan Clark, an analyst at the Hudson Institute.</p>

<p>The technology was close to making the leap from science fiction to reality in the 21st century with the testing of prototypes.</p>

<p>The concept held the possibility of providing an effective weapon at pennies on the dollars compared to smart bombs and missiles. That's because railguns use electricity instead of gunpowder, or jet or rocket engines, to accelerate a projectile at six or seven times the speed of sound. That creates enough kinetic energy to destroy targets.</p>

<p>But there were a number of problems. Those included the range of about 110 miles in testing. A Navy vessel could not employ the gun without putting itself within range of a barrage of enemy missiles, and its usefulness for missile defence was also limited by range and rate of fire, Clark said.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-navy-sonar-may-be-causing-whale-beachings-in-pacific-study-357056">US Navy Sonar may be causing whale beachings in Pacific: Study</a></strong></p>

<p>The idea dates back to the 1940s. But there have always been major hurdles because the parallel rails, or conductors, are subjected to massive electric current and magnetic forces that can cause damage after a few shots, said defence analyst Norman Friedman.</p>

<p>A big question was always whether the gun could stay together during continuous firing, Friedman said.</p>

<p>A normal gun can be fired about 600 times before the barrel has to be refurbished, but the barrel on the railgun prototype had to be replaced after about a dozen or two dozen shots were fired, Clark said.</p>

<p>A few years ago, the Navy was talking about putting the gun on the future USS Lyndon B. Johnson, the last of three stealthy destroyers. It's nearing completion and builder trials at Bath Iron Works.</p>

<p>The 600-foot-long (180-meter-long) warship uses marine turbines similar to those that propel the Boeing 777 to help produce up to 78 megawatts of electricity for use in propulsion, weapons and sensors.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/us-navys-gamechanger-mq-25-stingray-unmanned-drone-aircraft-refuels-super-hornet-jet-390607">US Navy's gamechanger: MQ-25 Stingray unmanned 'drone' aircraft refuels Super Hornet jet</a></strong></p>

<p>That's more than enough electricity for the railgun, and the ship has space following the cancellation of the advanced gun system, leaving the ship with no conventional cannon-based weapon. Instead, the Navy is pursuing an offshoot of the railgun, a hypervelocity projectile, that can be fired from existing gun systems.</p>


The US Navy pulled the plug, for now, on a futuristic weapon that fires projectiles at up to seven times the speed of sound using electricity. The Navy spent more than a decade developing the electromagnetic railgun and once considered putting them on the stealthy new Zumwalt-class destroyers built at Maine's Bath Iron Works.

The US Navy pulled the plug, for now, on a futuristic weapon that fires projectiles at up to seven times the speed of sound using electricity. The Navy spent more than a decade developing the electromagnetic railgun and once considered putting them on the stealthy new Zumwalt-class destroyers built at Maine's Bath Iron Works. However, the Defense Department is now turning its attention to hypersonic missiles to keep up with China and Russia, and the Navy cut funding for railgun research from its latest budget proposal. "The railgun is, for the moment, dead," said Matthew Caris, a defence analyst at Avascent Group, a consulting firm. Also read | Watch: US Navy tests warship with 20 tonnes of explosive, triggers 3.9-magnitude earthquake The removal of funding suggests the Navy saw both challenges in implementing the technology as well as shortcomings in the projectiles' range compared to hypersonic missiles, he said. The Navy's decision to pause research at year's end frees up resources for hypersonic missiles, directed-energy systems like lasers and electronic warfare systems, said Lt. Courtney Callaghan, a Navy spokesperson. Information gleaned during testing will be retained in the event the Office of Naval Research wants to pick up where it left off in the future, she said. All told, the Navy spent about $500 million on research and development, according to Bryan Clark, an analyst at the Hudson Institute. The technology was close to making the leap from science fiction to reality in the 21st century with the testing of prototypes. The concept held the possibility of providing an effective weapon at pennies on the dollars compared to smart bombs and missiles. That's because railguns use electricity instead of gunpowder, or jet or rocket engines, to accelerate a projectile at six or seven times the speed of sound. That creates enough kinetic energy to destroy targets. But there were a number of problems. Those included the range of about 110 miles in testing. A Navy vessel could not employ the gun without putting itself within range of a barrage of enemy missiles, and its usefulness for missile defence was also limited by range and rate of fire, Clark said. Also read | US Navy Sonar may be causing whale beachings in Pacific: Study The idea dates back to the 1940s. But there have always been major hurdles because the parallel rails, or conductors, are subjected to massive electric current and magnetic forces that can cause damage after a few shots, said defence analyst Norman Friedman. A big question was always whether the gun could stay together during continuous firing, Friedman said. A normal gun can be fired about 600 times before the barrel has to be refurbished, but the barrel on the railgun prototype had to be replaced after about a dozen or two dozen shots were fired, Clark said. A few years ago, the Navy was talking about putting the gun on the future USS Lyndon B. Johnson, the last of three stealthy destroyers. It's nearing completion and builder trials at Bath Iron Works. The 600-foot-long (180-meter-long) warship uses marine turbines similar to those that propel the Boeing 777 to help produce up to 78 megawatts of electricity for use in propulsion, weapons and sensors. Also read | US Navy's gamechanger: MQ-25 Stingray unmanned 'drone' aircraft refuels Super Hornet jet That's more than enough electricity for the railgun, and the ship has space following the cancellation of the advanced gun system, leaving the ship with no conventional cannon-based weapon. Instead, the Navy is pursuing an offshoot of the railgun, a hypervelocity projectile, that can be fired from existing gun systems.

US Navy ditches futuristic railgun, eyes hypersonic missiles

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-no-us-troops-hurt-in-iran-strikes-announces-new-sanctions-on-iran-273049">US President Donald Trump</a> on Wednesday hailed the US missile arsenal and said that many hypersonic missiles are under construction.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While delivering his address to the nation from the White House, Trump described US missiles as "big, powerful, accurate, lethal and fast".</p>

<p>Trump called top Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani a top terrorist and defended his killing in US strikes that hit Iraq's Baghdad International Airport on January 3.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The US president also said that casualties were avoided in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/now-its-time-for-iraqi-response-to-us-drone-strike-says-paramilitary-chief-qais-al-khazali-272966">Iran's ballistic missile attack at US bases in Iraq</a> as a warning was issued in advance by the Pentagon.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">LIVE: President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> Addresses the Nation <a href="https://t.co/vRH9gVAD0N">https://t.co/vRH9gVAD0N</a></p>
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1214946620053184513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Trump added that "we have this great military and equipment, however, does not mean we have to use it. We do not want to use it."</p>

<p>Iran on Wednesday, in retaliation to Soleimani's killing, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-fires-missiles-at-us-bases-in-iraq-272811">fired over a dozen ballistic missiles</a> at two Iraqi bases housing US troops.</p>

<p>Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said that the strikes were not to escalate tension or to start a war but were an act of self-defence in accordance with the UN charter.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Shortly after Iran fired missiles, Trump tweeted out saying "All is well!"</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/irans-slain-general-soleimani-laid-to-rest-in-hometown-kerman-272814">Also Read: Iran's slain general Soleimani laid to rest in hometown Kerman</a></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">All is well! Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq. Assessment of casualties &amp; damages taking place now. So far, so good! We have the most powerful and well equipped military anywhere in the world, by far! I will be making a statement tomorrow morning.</p>
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1214739853025394693?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>"All is well! Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq. Assessment of casualties &amp; damages taking place now. So far, so good! We have the most powerful and well-equipped military anywhere in the world, by far! I will be making a statement tomorrow morning," his tweet read.&nbsp;</p>


US President Donald Trump on Wednesday hailed the US missile arsenal and said that many hypersonic missiles are under construction. While delivering his address to the nation from the White House, Trump described US missiles as "big, powerful, accurate, lethal and fast".

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday hailed the US missile arsenal and said that many hypersonic missiles are under construction. While delivering his address to the nation from the White House, Trump described US missiles as "big, powerful, accurate, lethal and fast". Trump called top Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani a top terrorist and defended his killing in US strikes that hit Iraq's Baghdad International Airport on January 3. The US president also said that casualties were avoided in Iran's ballistic missile attack at US bases in Iraq as a warning was issued in advance by the Pentagon. LIVE: President @realDonaldTrump Addresses the Nation https://t.co/vRH9gVAD0N — The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 8, 2020 × Trump added that "we have this great military and equipment, however, does not mean we have to use it. We do not want to use it." Iran on Wednesday, in retaliation to Soleimani's killing, fired over a dozen ballistic missiles at two Iraqi bases housing US troops. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said that the strikes were not to escalate tension or to start a war but were an act of self-defence in accordance with the UN charter. × Shortly after Iran fired missiles, Trump tweeted out saying "All is well!" Also Read: Iran's slain general Soleimani laid to rest in hometown Kerman All is well! Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq. Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good! We have the most powerful and well equipped military anywhere in the world, by far! I will be making a statement tomorrow morning. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2020 × "All is well! Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq. Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good! We have the most powerful and well-equipped military anywhere in the world, by far! I will be making a statement tomorrow morning," his tweet read.

We're constructing many hypersonic missiles: US President Donald Trump

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told President Vladimir Putin on Friday(December 27) that the country's first Avangard hypersonic missiles have been put into service. According to the Russian officials, these hypersonic missiles are highly manoeuvrable and can reach the speed of Mach 27, or roughly 33,000 kilometres per hour. #WION #Russia #HypersonicMissiles

Russia's deployment of hypersonic missiles will trigger new arms race?

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