A new prototype
of the Navy's weapon of the future just completed its first test,
blasting a chunk of metal through the air at speeds up to 9,012 kph.
Watch below as the Navy's electromagnetic railgun spews a formidable jet
of orange flame. The best part is when the air behind the speeding
projectile blurs with heat!





Defense giant BAE Systems delivered the prototype
railgun Jan. 30 and the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division
just started testing it. The Navy has tested other designs in the lab,
but this one is the first industry-built model. Tests will last two
months, during which the Navy will check out the railgun's structural
integrity and barrel life. Another model, built by General Atomics, is
due to be delivered in April.
This one is a 32-megajoule demonstrator, according to the Office of
Naval Research - for comparison, one megajoule of energy is equivalent
to a 1-tonne car thrust at 160 kph