US Laser and Rail Gun Development News

Re: Naval Laser CIWS and Rail Gun Technology and Development News

Right at the pinnacle of science and technology

Basically what this is doing is firing a bullet very very far, not only that, they can actually control the projectile

That is a huge step in technology and until recently unthinkable, how can you control a kinetic projectiles speed and direction? A very good system

I wonder of it can fire multiple projectiles one after another in close succession and having all the projectiles arriving at the target all at the same time, this would ensure a single devastating blast, contain element of suprise and would ensure target destruction in one single blow

There is a artillery peice deployed in Afghanistan that can do exactly that! Computers control the trajectory of each projectile and paths so they all hit the target simultaneously

Re: Naval Laser CIWS and Rail Gun Technology and Development News

I thought you can do that with normal gun already.

Assuming you are not firing horizontal or at 45 degree maximum range, for any given range targeted by the gun there will be two possible angles of fire for the same shell and charge. The higher one will taken longer time to travel. So you just fire at the higher angle, then lower your gun and fire at the lower angle when a suitable amount of time has passed.

Re: Naval Laser CIWS and Rail Gun Technology and Development News

Yes, that's been around for a while now.

Multi Round Simultaneous Impact




I think galrahn wrote on information dissemination a while ago how there's a lot of doubt regarding whether a flight iii burke will be able to field the power necessary for lasers/rail guns without major modification, mostly because burkes are just too small for that kind of future proofing along with the existing upgrades to AMDR and possible installation of the mini AGS

Interestingly he also mentioned how an optimal surface combatant for the USN in the next few decades would be between 10,000-12,000 tons max displacement, with an electric drive of course.
Most eyebrow raising for me, was how that sounded an awful lot like the general job description for 055.

Re: Naval Laser CIWS and Rail Gun Technology and Development News

no_name said:

I thought you can do that with normal gun already.

Assuming you are not firing horizontal or at 45 degree maximum range, for any given range targeted by the gun there will be two possible angles of fire for the same shell and charge. The higher one will taken longer time to travel. So you just fire at the higher angle, then lower your gun and fire at the lower angle when a suitable amount of time has passed.

Click to expand...

For normal gun that uses powder explosive to propel the projectiles it is the amount of powder that gives it the distance not the angle. Gravity makes any rounds fall at the same distance in regards to the same amount of powder, only time is the difference with the angle changes.

Re: Naval Laser CIWS and Rail Gun Technology and Development News

Equation said:

For normal gun that uses powder explosive to propel the projectiles it is the amount of powder that gives it the distance not the angle. Gravity makes any rounds fall at the same distance in regards to the same amount of powder, only time is the difference with the angle changes.

Click to expand...

Different angle gives different distance for the same amount of powder. Starting from 0 degrees it reaches maximum range at 45, then decreases again until 90 when zero distance is travelled. Gravity ensures same vertical downward velocity as original upward velocity, assuming air resistance is negligible, but the vertical velocity component is different for different firing angles.

For the same angle, more powder gives more distance.

If you only vary the angle, you can get two shots to land simultaneously for a given target range. Changing the powder amount as well as the angle can allow you to fire off more combinations than two shots during the time it takes the first shot to reach targets, which can take minutes, and still have them all arrive at the same time.

Re: Naval Laser CIWS and Rail Gun Technology and Development News

asif iqbal said:

Right at the pinnacle of science and technology

Basically what this is doing is firing a bullet very very far, not only that, they can actually control the projectile

That is a huge step in technology and until recently unthinkable, how can you control a kinetic projectiles speed and direction? A very good system

I wonder of it can fire multiple projectiles one after another in close succession and having all the projectiles arriving at the target all at the same time, this would ensure a single devastating blast, contain element of suprise and would ensure target destruction in one single blow.

Click to expand...

Depending on atmospheric conditions (all of which can be taken into account in the calculation), the Rail Gun will allow much greater capability to make changes in terms of angle and power (muzzle velocity) so that numerous projectiles can be fired to arrive on target at the same time.

Before you had to change the angle of the gun alone because most projectiles were powedered up the same, unless you preloaded varying amounts...which is not normal practise. Now, not only the angle can be varied, but the amount of "charge" and therefore the power propelling the projectile. As long as enough power is available for the firing programs to work with, they will be able to achieve significant variance and therefore adaptability to whatever conditions or requirementrs are placed on the fire mission.

Re: Naval Laser CIWS and Rail Gun Technology and Development News

If the gun can be fired fast enough it may not matter if the shells are a little delayed from each other - like if they are half a second behind each other.

Re: Naval Laser CIWS and Rail Gun Technology and Development News

no_name said:

If the gun can be fired fast enough it may not matter if the shells are a little delayed from each other - like if they are half a second behind each other.

Click to expand...

Yes, and that is the goal and desire. Both with the AGS which will initially be in service on the Zumwalt vessels, and then following with this rail gun technology in the 2020s.

Once the rail gun (which are being live fire tested on short ranges - indoors and out - now) are ready, the range for these type of near simultaneous fire support missions will be extended out to 200 nautical miles.


Working prototypes will be delivered and begin live-fire testing in 2014. I expect the initial production variety to be available around 2020, and probably installed in the early to mid 2020s.

Re: Naval Laser CIWS and Rail Gun Technology and Development News


General Atomics 2013 Rail Gun Test.

The executive at General ATomics talks about the new, aerodynamic test projectile they used. At 0 degrees elevation, shooting at Mach 5-6, they penetrated a 1" steel plate and then the projectile traveled on 7km down range.

Ramp it up to mach 8-10, give it some elevation and a full military projectile, and they will be adding serious fire power to any vessel they are added to.

He indicates they are now interested in also including the DDG 51 (The Burke Class) in deployment plans and that within four years they could be testing on ship, and then three years after that, deploying. That's 7 years folks. In the 2020-2021 time frame.

Exciting technology.

Re: Naval Laser CIWS and Rail Gun Technology and Development News

High Energy Laser destroys rocket in flight from mobile ground launcher/firing system in May 2013.


The slow motion shows how the missile is destroyed relatively quickly.

Naval Laser Weapons System (Laws) Shoots down drone from the helipad of a US Arleigh Burke Destroyer underway at sea in April 2013.


I like the view from the UAV that shows how quickly the Laws causes the UAV to burst into flames.

These weapons are moving along rapidly now, both on land and at sea.