GA-EMS tests railgun projectiles

Projectiles with prototype components for a Control and Actuation System (CAS) have been tested at the US Army’s Dugway Proving Ground in Utah, General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) announced on 8 January.

The projectiles were fired from the company’s Blitzer electromagnetic railgun, successfully performing programmed actions and communicating component performance to a ground station via a telemetry link. 

Fired at accelerations greater than 30,000 times that of gravity, the projectiles and components experienced the multi-Tesla electromagnetic field within the launcher and performed as expected despite extreme conditions. Ambient operating temperatures during the firing ranged between 20 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit, with wind conditions ranging from 10 to 50 knots.

GA-EMS’ Blitzer railgun is a test asset designed to advance technology development toward multi-mission railgun weapon systems. Railguns launch projectiles using electromagnetic forces instead of chemical propellants and can deliver muzzle velocities greater than twice those of conventional guns.  Blitzer railgun technology, when integrated into a weapon system that includes the launcher, high density capacitor driven pulsed power, and weapon fire control system, can launch multi-mission projectiles with shorter time-to-target and greater effectiveness at longer range.

Risk reduction and technology maturation testing of additional components will continue in 2016.

Nick Bucci, vice president missile defense systems, GA-EMS, said: ‘We continue to mature railgun projectile technologies and conduct testing under varied open range, real-world conditions.

‘We remain committed to advancing this transformational weapon system and are making significant progress in the development and testing of multi-mission railgun projectiles and critical component technologies.’