According to the South China Morning Post on December 9, in a test at the National Key Laboratory of Electromagnetic Energy Technology at the Naval University of Engineering, the track of the electromagnetic gun developed by China is still intact after 120 shots, which has been publicly announced. This also means that China has solved the important problem of orbital ablation, which limits the development of electromagnetic railguns.
The principle of the electromagnetic railgun is not complicated, it is based on the Lorentz force, that is, when an electric current passes through a conductor, a magnetic field will be generated around the conductor, and the magnetic field will in turn produce a force on the current. Whereas, in an electromagnetic railgun, this force is used to accelerate the projectile. The electromagnetic railgun consists of two rails, one of which is connected to the power supply and the other is the path of the shell. When an electric current is passed through the rails, a strong magnetic field is created between the rails. This magnetic field interacts with the current passing through the rail, which pushes the projectile forward at an accelerated pace along the rail. During the actual launch, the electromagnetic railgun accelerates the projectile to a very high speed, which can often reach several kilometers per second. This speed is far beyond the limits of what can be achieved with conventional gunpowder**, so kinetic energy alone can cause great damage to the target.
However, the ultra-high-speed projectile also brings another problem, if you want to launch a large mass projectile at high speed, the current required by the railgun is extremely large, and the arc generated on the guide rail is particularly strong, so the electromagnetic gun will cause great ablation to the track every time it is fired, and it will be scrapped after several uses. The electromagnetic railgun of the United States was unable to solve the problem of orbital ablation for a long time, and finally discontinued its electromagnetic railgun project in 2021.
The Chinese research team used advanced measurement and diagnostic systems in electromagnetic emission orbits to analyze complex and extreme operating environments, and solved the problem of orbital ablation. The breakthrough of this technology means that the electromagnetic railgun can truly achieve reliable, fast and uninterrupted launch, which is of great significance for the actual equipment deployment of the electromagnetic railgun. Due to the advantages of low cost of use and great power, electromagnetic railguns will change the style of warfare in the future.
As China has solved the key technology of electromagnetic emission, China's research and application in the field of electromagnetic emission technology has reached the world's leading level. The Fujian ship of the Chinese Navy adopts electromagnetic catapult technology and has successfully completed the test of the electromagnetic catapult little red car. With electromagnetic catapult, the world's most advanced take-off method, the carrier-based aircraft on the aircraft carrier will have a higher take-off efficiency and a larger bomb load, and can take off multiple sorties with heavy loads at the same time, and can also allow fixed-wing early warning aircraft to take off from the aircraft carrier, thus solving the biggest bottleneck restricting the combat effectiveness of China's aircraft carriers.
In short, this time China has solved the problem of ablation of electromagnetic railguns, so that electromagnetic railguns really have the conditions for actual production and deployment. This will not only greatly enhance the combat capability of the PLA, but also promote the further development of China's military and civilian applications. In the future, we look forward to seeing more electromagnetic emission technology widely used and promoted in China, making greater contributions to the prosperity and development of the country.