The Office of Naval Research (ONR) is investigating whether it is feasible to have electronics in a guided projectile that can be used in its electromagnetic railgun (EMRG), according to its program officer.
Roger Ellis said although ONR is using non-guided “slugs” in its tests, it is looking into if electronics in guided muntions can withstand high temperatures when exiting the EMRG.
“We’ve been looking at technologies for guided munitions and material for material protection on the outside of the projectile and have been exploring concepts to ensure that it is feasible to have electronics in a guided projectile that can withstand the temperatures upon exiting out of the barrel,” Ellis said yesterday during a teleconference with reporters to announce the first test of the first industry-built, 30 mega joule EMRG prototype.
The first test firing, announced yesterday by ONR, kicks off Phase 2 of the program: developing thermal management systems for both the launcher and pulsed power to facilitate increased firing rates of up to 10 rounds per minute. ONR has awarded contracts through the Naval Sea Systems Command to General Atomics, BAE Systems and Raytheon [RTN] to develop a pulsed power system capable of meeting the firing rate goal.
In President Obama’s fiscal year 2013 budget request, the Navy requested $618.8 million for the EMRG’s Phase 2, down from $673.1 million it received in FY ’12.
The first launcher, developed by BAE and used in the first test, arrived at Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren, Va., Division on Jan 30. The second, developed by General Atomics, will arrive in April, according to Ellis. ONR previously relied upon laboratory-built systems to advance the technology.
The EMRG is a long-range weapon that fires projectiles using electricity instead of chemical propellants. Magnetic fields created by high electrical currents accelerate a sliding metal conductor, or armature, between two rails to launch projectiles at 4,500 miles per hour to 5,600 mph.
After installing the BAE launcher and outfitting it with a suite of sensors, high-speed cameras and measuring devices, engineers fired successful low-energy test shots to prepare it for evaluation, according to a statement. The team will conduct tests at 20 mega joules and 32 mega joules.
The Navy’s near-term goal is to develop an EMRG capable of a distance of 50 to 100 nautical miles, which is shorter than its initial capability goal of 200 nautical miles. The Navy said it is not abandoning its 200 nautical mile goal, but reduced it to “get something into the field sooner,” Ellis said (Defense Daily, Jan. 23).
Previous EMRG efforts centered on naval surface fire support missions, which are ship to land, but ONR is now considering a multi-mission railgun, which includes defense against missiles, ship self-defense and anti-surface warfare, in addition to naval surface fire support missions.
Ellis also believes, depending on acquisition, ONR can have an EMRG weapon system fielded in the fleet within 15 years.
Various new and existing ship platforms are being analyzed for future integration, according to a service statement.