Russia is gearing up for the future and in many ways. And one of them is a deadly future weapon, electromagnetic railgun, which the Russian scientists recently tested.
Russia and India to develop new Fifth Generation stealth fighter; but India wants export rights too
Russian scientists at Institute of High Temperatures' branch in Shatura tested this future weapon, which has already been tested by the US Navy. The Russian railgun can fire shells at 3km per second and is able to cut through any armour, Sputnik quoted Russian scientists as saying.
The railguns were powered by electromagnetic conductors and are capable of causing major damage. The Russian test saw a 15 gram plastic cylinder fired by the railgun cutting throw several centimetres thick aluminium plate.
The report noted that Russia is also considering railgun for "peaceful application," which includes ferrying cargoes to the International Space Station (ISS).
One of the countries pioneering the railgun development is the US, which is working on a super-powerful railgun that is able to fire rounds at speeds up to Mach 7.5, which is about 9,100km per hour and covers a distance of 400km.
US Navy had presented the completed weapon with its ordnance in 2016.
However, the report noted that one issue with the US design was that it needed over 25mw per shot. Another issue is that the projectile's impact becomes weaker if it is hitting a target that is far away.
The Russian railgun development has reportedly not produced any military breakthrough, but it is has been considered as a major scientific achievement.
