WTF?! In news that certainly sounds concerning, China’s navy has reportedly tested an electromagnetic rail gun by firing a smart bomb nine miles into the stratosphere at a speed exceeding Mach 5 (3,836 mph). However, the test was declared a failure as the bomb did not reach its intended altitude and failed to follow the expected trajectory.
Militaries have spent years testing rail guns, which use electromagnets instead of chemical propellants to launch projectiles at incredibly high speeds.
The US Navy decided to abandon research into the technology in 2021 due to budgetary constraints, difficulty integrating the weapons on warships, and the durability of the gun’s barrel, which needed replacing after just 12 to 24 shots. The need for a substantial power supply was also an issue.
China, however, continued its research and development of rail gun technology. As reported by the South China Morning Post, sensor data showed that the projectile accelerated at around 35 times the force of gravity for around 5 seconds after launch, confirming researchers’ claims it exceeded Mach 5, or 3,836 mph.
That sounds impressive, but “the projectile did not follow the expected trajectory and the maximum range and altitude did not meet the design values,” said the Naval Engineering University team. Analysis of data showed that the projectile was spinning too fast during its ascent, resulting in a tilt; “Rotational speed latching” was one of the issues the US Navy faced with its rail gun project.
China’s test took place a while ago – before August 2023 – though it’s only being reported now. Previous research papers suggest the aim is for the hypersonic gliding guided bomb to reach Mach 7 (5,370 mph).
SCMP notes that the engineering team used artificial intelligence to identify and rectify some of the technical hurdles of rail guns. Any use of AI in military applications is controversial; the US recently pledged never to put the technology in control of its nuclear weapons systems and called on China and Russia to make the same commitment.
