Japan joins European efforts for railgun research project

[@antonleimbach648]

Japan has historically been an innovator of naval technology and tactics and we would do well to pay attention to what they are doing.

[@qtdcanada]

There was an ATLA video last year showing a test rig on land shooting down a test drone, reloading and shooting down a second test drone. For field (onboard) application, the 'rail gun' needs to be 'miniaturized' and/or made to use energy more efficiently to enable repeated firings. Good luck with the research and achieving breakthroughs!

[@calexico66]

The issue with railguns is that these are operating at the extreme end of power requirements and material science. Specifically in regards to material fatigue, the rail gun will be subject to high mechanical stress and also extreme heat buildup. And most of it's electromagnetic parts aren't has dimensional robust as a gun barrel. I think anyone one with enough money and technical knowledge can build a railgun, but the problems are getting it to a power level that is better than current guns and not having it catastrophically destroy itself after firing a round.

[@ARCNA442]

The US was getting well over 100 rounds from a railgun barrel years ago.

[@calexico66]

@@ARCNA442 I saw the prototype, a very large beast that would probably only fit on a large ship. Yeah... 100 rounds... it's not even a statistic... That is going backwards in terms of reliability to the old iron guns of the 15th century. When I saw the video of them firing that thing it really made me think that the design wasn't ready. It was impressive, but just seeing all the wiring and all those moving parts... Until they find a way to deal with the thermal and mechanical stresses it won't be practical, and after that there are the power issues. Unless they first start using low caliber rounds, the problem is what would be the minimum caliber that could fit the operational requirements and would still be technically feasible.

[@heuhen]

@@calexico66 The US railguns project was designed to the Zumwalt class Destroyers, thus it's size. The problem US had/have, is that they chewed over to much in one go. Instead on focus on a smaller caliber like Japan/France/Germany is doing, for then later when it is mature go for larger caliber. US Went straight for large caliber with all it's problems.

[@seraphwithatank6535]

But they are very important for Gundam robots...

[@_spooT]

That's the point. It don't matter. You can't progress forward because "The problem" or "the issue". Problems are always part of innovation. You improve and find better ways BECAUSE of the solution you come up after addressing the problem. You don't fear mistakes and failures, you embrace and accept them because it's part of growth. I'm sure we'll solve the power and durability issues as we go.

[@主水-p5b]

Japan has finally put linear motor cars to practical use, but it took more than 50 years. Railguns are also being researched using 40mm guns, and this is a long-term research and development effort.

[@aa-qc2wv]

ちなみにレールガン開発の予算は2022年度は65億円、2023年度は160億円、2024年度は238億円を計上しています。 実現不可能な研究にこれだけの金額をつぎこむわけないし財務省もこれを吞んだという事なので、まあそういうことですね。

[@ノブゾウ]

砲身の問題に関しては、解決の目途が立ったとの発表がありました。　 今までは砲身の強度をいかにして上げるかという方法が模索されていましたが 砲身の強度ではなく電流の流し方に問題があったということです。

[@_spooT]

I'm no Naval expert, but common sense-wise, not only does it require tons of power, it's quite costly to be spammed across the destroyer platform. Maybe on board a support ship that can carry the required power that destroyers can protect? Perhaps a cruiser or something even bigger?

[@indigenous.rabbit2877]

Pure railguns have way too much wear on the rails, they should work on combined rail/coil guns. The coilgun holds the projectile exactly in the middle and the railgun for acceleration.

[@lenn55]

What happened to the US railgun being developed by GA?

[@ARCNA442]

Budget cuts. And, as alluded to in this video, the complete lack of any future American warship that would have the power to support a railgun.

[@Jeff55369]

It consumes a ton of power and destroys the rails because material science isn't where it needs to be to make the project realistic. Each shot ended up being more expensive than the missiles the rail gun was designed to replace, so the whole project was scrapped.

[@seraphwithatank6535]

Very nice 👌 👍

[@Erik-rp1hi]

If I get it right the US gave up on it because of barrel wear.

[@heuhen]

US problem was that they went for a large caliber right away, it will of course have more tear and wear than if they went for a smaller caliber. Even big old battleships guns usually were rated for +-400 rounds before they needed maintenance, more modern battleships could fire a bit more between each maintenance period of their barrels.

[@rustcohle349]

Railgun is a dead end. It would've been operational for more than a decade by now with the US.

[@Jeff55369]

I wouldn't say it's a complete dead end, but it will be until other technologies come along that make it more feasible. It will likely need a fusion reactor to power it, and alloys for the rails that can withstand the stresses they're put under.

[@arakami8547]

As I understand it, BAE systems was working on a railgun for the US. Europe should be picking up where the US failed from lessons learned by the American programme. That is sensible, as China and many others are looking to develop railgun technology still. Giving the US the benefit of the doubt that behind the scenes they are innovators, Europe is still in regards to actual in-service military application, technologically more advanced than the US and should not be underestimated. It's a good thing Japan is getting closer with Europe in defence innovation.

[@TheTurtleLookingAtCamera]

How does this pronunciation, which sounds Japanese even to Japanese, sound to native speakers? Of course,I can only pronounce it similarly 😂

[@ncs2000]

ATLA reminds me of Avatar the last Airbender

[@kiefferfx18]

With Japanese France could cooperate successfully, with Germany It is always either an economic failure or a technical failure or both... Tiger helicopter, A400M, SCAF, MBT, etc.

[@marcg1686]

The Tiger helicopter is not a technical failure. Most certainly a financial one. Prior to the dissolution of the WarPac, French, German and Spanish requirements amounted to almost 450 airframes. That would most certainly have allowed the program to break even. The A400M is not a technical failure. Apart from the 4 partner nations, 6 other countries have procured the plane. The SCAF and MGCS MBT needn't be considered, given that no examples have been manufactured and given to the partner nations for assessment. The Alphajet is one of the best trainers in its class. Airbus Military is successful. ROLAND missile. Milan missile. Almost 40 customers. C160 Transall. Breguet Atlantic.

[@johnpaul3099]

What about Airbus???

[@inigo5525]

A400M a faillure ?You clearly don't know what you are talking about

[@kiefferfx18]

​​@@inigo5525Economic and sales failure. However, while in the early 2010s, the most pessimistic estimated the export potential of the A400M at 280 units, sales abroad are still struggling to take off, with only three customers [Malaysia, Kazakhstan and Indonesia]. Furthermore, the number of aircraft ordered is just over ten. However, according to Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence & Space, the A400M would not lack potential customers… However, given the involvement of German industry in its production, the difficulties in obtaining export licenses from Berlin are causing lost opportunities Airbus also had to make a provision of 1.3 billion euros related to the program for its 2017 financial year, which brings to more than 8 billion the total expenses published by the group since the launch of the program. The total bill now reaches more than 30 billion euros for 174 devices, compared to 20 billion planned in 2003.

[@kiefferfx18]

​@@johnpaul3099about A400M Airbus also had to make a provision of 1.3 billion euros related to the program for its 2017 financial year, which brings to more than 8 billion the total expenses published by the group since the launch of the program. The total bill now reaches more than 30 billion euros for 174 devices, compared to 20 billion planned in 2003

[@ziongite]

Japan already made a rail gun and performed the first ever ship based rail gun test firing as well, they are blatantly ahead of Europe in rail gun research. However, there are clearly some minor details that make the weapon problematic in certain areas, which is likely why the USA cancelled its own program in fact. I think it would be better for ATLA to abandon the railgun development, and instead just go fully ahead with the high powered LASER CIWS development (this 100% is going to blatantly be the future of short range air defence). Retain the regular naval gun, but upgrade it into a more advanced form that makes it more similar to those rheinmetall guns that can prime their round for detonation at a certain range, this will increase its anti-air capability as a gun. While it will still have the capability to shoot surface vessels as well, which is important with possible remote controlled small suicide boats being developed, it is required to maintain some ability to shoot small boats within a few kilometres.

[@heuhen]

France and Germany has been working on the railgun project for a decade now. And they bring a lot of experience with their ISL project. US problems, was that they chewed over to much in one go. They went for big caliber from day 1 and tried to get as much speed as possible and it had to end up as it did. France, Germany and Japan, didn't go the big massive gun and high speed route, they went the slow and steady rout, starting with small caliber and make it work with axepable tear and wear, then they have slowly increased speed and caliber (40mm last time), they had one go 3000 m/s during testing, some are equivalent to Mach 8.7

[@AchwaqKhalid]

RayURR gun 😂😂

[@BRAHMOSPOWER]

USA, JAPAN, AUSTRALIA and INDIA are conducting MALABAR 2024 NAVAL EXERCISE in India Right now.....

[@badhombre4942]

There economy has gone to shit, but they got money for weapons.

[@BRAHMOSPOWER]

INDIA is developing its own RAILGUN, a smaller prototype successfully completed trials...... hope India and Japan jointly make RAILGUNS in future.

[@everypitchcounts4875]

Japan should have asked US to join the project since US already has a working prototype.

[@NavalNews]

The US stopped working (and funding) on their prototype...

[@brunol-p_g8800]

The ISL (France and Germany) has a working prototype and has been working on this technology for decades, while the US doesn’t have anything anymore.

[@spikedpsycho2383]

And will FAIL. Railgun is just hypersonic projectile which date back to WWI paris gun. The big secret is that railguns have little range advantage since air resistance quickly slows the velocity of any bullet, including the 24lb bullet fired by current railguns. The greater the muzzle velocity, the faster it slows due to air resistance. A 30 caliber bullet loses one-third its velocity at 500 yards! Look at the ballistics of a railgun's 24lb (10,866 gram) projectile fired at Mach 7 at sea level. Results can be seen using an equivalent G7 low drag shape in a ballistic calculator, and show that it would lose half its velocity at just 2.4 miles When it reaches 6.6 miles it has slowed below Mach 1, so it cannot reach targets over 100 miles away as its salesmen proclaim.

[@markrighbruant6873]

The invisible hand will make sure it succeeds. A rail gun is unbeatable from an operating cost perspective.