Japanese ship-mounted railgun successfully hits targets in test
18 hours ago
- #railgun
- #Japan
- #defense technology
- Japan successfully tested a ship-mounted electromagnetic railgun, hitting a target vessel.
- The test was conducted by the Maritime Self-Defense Force on the test ship Asuka in the Pacific Ocean near Chiba Prefecture and Hachijo Island.
- The railgun prototype achieved a projectile speed of 2.3 km per second, nearly seven times the speed of sound.
- Japan aims for early practical use of railguns to defend against aerial and maritime threats.
- Railguns are seen as a potential counter to China's maritime assertiveness and North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.
- Japan has been funding railgun research since 2016 and signed a technological cooperation agreement with France and Germany in 2023.
- China is also developing railguns, while the U.S. has paused its program due to technical issues.