Massive artillery weapons are no longer a thing of the past, as the U.S. Army is looking for new ways to shoot down missiles and engage in what it calls “near-peer fighting”.
Over the past few decades, the Army’s big guns have been watered down a bit, losing emphasis due to a shift in priorities overall. Fortunately, with President Trump in the White House, major artillery is now in the works to help support our men and women in uniform.
The world has shifted, and with that has come to a changing of the tides in terms of the type and quantity of firepower that is being utilized. From the hands-on guerilla fighting of the Iraq War, Army leaders are seeing yet another change towards the need for massive conventional firepower and exceptional armor. These displays of battlefield supremacy are a requirement to ensure that our troops retain real-world readiness in the possibility that they will be called to war.
While no one wants another major global war, it’s important that Americans be equipped to handle anything coming their way. With Russians in particular making a show of arming their military with massive arsenals such as cannons with double the range of comparable American weapons, it was time to make some upgrades. Old school cannons are getting an overhaul, providing U.S. troops to exceed the firing distance of any of our potential adversaries. New weapons are expected to provide a surface-to-surface range of nearly 1,500 miles.
Hypervelocity. Speeds of 5,000 miles per hour. Firing 10 rounds per minute. These specs may seem like an incredibly lethal future weapon, but this so-called “big gun” is currently in development and is expected to be deployed to key strategic locations throughout the world. What type of weapon is this? It’s an electromagnetic rail gun, firing a warhead that is more than three times faster than weapons that currently exist. It’s beyond a bunker-buster, meant to target aircraft, drones, enemy missiles and weapons systems. This launcher files a hypervelocity projectile and can be deck-mounted for the Navy.
These guns are important for yet another reason. They may be the last line of defense for American people should our enemies decide to launch their ballistic weapons in our direction. While there are countermeasures available, they are limited in scope, and may not be able to meet all of the threats that could potentially come at us from all directions. These less-expensive ground weapons may be able to provide an added level of protection or even a second round volley should the initial counter-defense fail.
It’s an exciting time in the military, as new technologies for defense are introduced and expanded. One thing is certain, our military will have some exceptional firepower at their fingertips once these most recent projects are completed.
See the railgun in action by watching the video below!
~ Firearm Daily
