General Atomics' Next-Gen Railgun Is Designed To Blast Missiles Out Of The Sky

A growing problem in modern warfare is air defense. While this has been a concern for over a century, technology is progressing faster and faster, resulting in speedier, more lethal missiles. Add to that a concern about taking out enemy drones, and air defense becomes a top priority for commanders on the ground as well as captains of naval vessels. There's always a cost-benefit concern when talking about air defense, as it can be painful to fire a $4 million missile at a $25,000 drone. Sure, you've protected your assets, but at incredible cost.

Because of this, development of new systems is underway with the intent to reduce the cost of taking down airborne threats. There are several laser-based systems in use already, with more on the way, but another technology, railguns, is seeing widespread interest from the military. Electromagnetic railguns are significantly cheaper to operate than traditional air defense systems, making them an ideal means of shooting down drones and missiles alike.

General Atomics' next-gen system is designed to do just that, and it's one of the most effective new systems to employ the technology. Previously, railguns were installed on ships, as they require a great deal of energy to operate and aren't man-portable by any means. General Atomics' railgun system is designed to function on the ground off a flat-bed truck, is scalable, and requires fewer logistics considerations to operate. This could potentially make it a replacement for missile air-defense systems on ships and forward operating bases around the world.

Railgun technology isn't new, but transforming ideas into functional weapon systems has proven difficult and costly. Still, it's a fantastic means of saving money and reducing air-based threats, so the United States military has pursued it for some time. GA-EMS' new systems can send off a projectile at Mach 6 (4,604 mph), depending on its mass and the weapon's muzzle velocity. It does so without a chemical propellant, as an electric current moves the projectile at incredible speed.

The projectile consists of a sabot and a projectile armature (which provides rotation), and no explosives are required. The kinetic energy of the round is more than enough to punch through any missile or drone on the planet. Even if it hits an inbound missile and doesn't destroy it, there's little doubt it would be knocked off course. In theory, this new railgun system would be an ideal defense against all airborne threats, including fast-flying cruise missiles. The system uses pulsed power, which is scalable to reduce energy requirements.

It has a high-capacity magazine, though GA-EMS hasn't elaborated as of writing. The whole system can fit inside a shipping container, and there are three launchers and three different types of projectiles to choose from. The Multi-mission Railgun Weapon Systems can be fitted onto a truck, making it portable and easily deployable at the same time. They are also able to be installed onto ships, making them a potential replacement for existing missile-based systems, though that could be a long way off.