What is the newest US destroyer?
The Navy Is Officially Building Its Next-Gen Destroyer. The DDG(X) will be the backbone of the service’s future fleet. The U.S. Navy has begun working on a next-generation guided missile destroyer. DDG(X) will replace both existing cruisers and destroyers across the fleet.
Is the railgun Cancelled?
The U.S. Navy is halting development of a high-tech weapon designed to fire projectiles at up to seven times the speed of sound. The Navy spent more than 10 years developing the weapon, called an electromagnetic railgun.
Do U.S. Navy ships have Railguns?
The U.S. Navy is finally canceling its electromagnetic railgun development program. The railgun appears to be the victim of the service’s new emphasis on great power competition. Although impressive, the railgun has been overshadowed by other weapons, particularly hypersonics.
Do destroyers have Railguns?
All-Electric Zumwalt Destroyer May Carry an Electromagnetic Railgun. It could become the first ship carrying next-generation weapons like electromagnetic railguns, which use a strong electromagnetic pulse, rather than gunpowder, to shoot projectiles.
Why was the railgun discontinued?
“Given fiscal constraints, combat system integration challenges and the prospective technology maturation of other weapon concepts, the Navy decided to pause research and development of the Electromagnetic Railgun [EMRG] at the end of 2021,” the statement from the Navy said.
Is the Navy developing a new rail gun?
In lieu of testing the prototype rail gun in an at-sea environment, the Navy might instead proceed directly to developing an operational weapon system. “It’s not definitely off but it’s not definitely going ahead,” Rear Adm. Peter Fanta, the Navy’s director of surface warfare, told Defense News during a Dec. 30 interview.
Is the DDG 1000 the right ship for the rail gun?
The first of three planned DDG 1000 destroyers was christened in April of last year. Navy leaders believe the DDG 1000 is the right ship to house the rail gun but that additional study was necessary to examine the risks.
Can a rail gun be fired from a destroyer?
The DDG 1,000 integrated power system, which includes its electric propulsion, helps generate up to 78 megawatts of on-board electrical power, something seen as key to the future when it comes to the possibility of firing a rail gun. It is also possible that the weapon could someday be configured to fire from DDG 51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.
Why was the Navy’s electromagnetic rail gun delayed?
Navy officials now explain that this planned at-sea demonstration may be delayed. This might help weapons developers further accelerate development of both the gun launcher and the hypervelocity projectile it fires.