Source : Indian Defence Analysis
BREAKING: DRDO test fired Electromagnetic Rail Gun and 40 mm Grenade developed by ARDE
The lethality and range of conventional guns both including artilleries, naval guns, and tank guns have almost reached their limits. Projectiles range and acceleration in a conventional gun barrel depends on the propellant burning in the gun chamber. ATAGS for example has a chamber capacity of 25 litres and Dhanush has 23 litres. A gun needs a larger chamber volume to accommodate a higher amount of propellant for increased range. But there is a limit to how much propellant can be filled in the chamber of a gun. Further the conventional gun needs to maintain safety standards for manufacturing, transportation, handling, and storage.
This is where Electromagnetic railgun could be a ‘game-changing’ weapons of the future. The EM technology can accelerate projectile to muzzle velocity beyond 2000 m/s, which conventional chemical propellant guns cannot achieve. It can revolutionise naval strike operations by delivering hypervelocity projectiles to pinpoint accuracies and extended ranges.
How Railgun works?
The principle of railgun is simple, there are two parallel conductors (called rails) as the stationary part and a moving contact called armature. When a large current is passed through one rail, the armature conducts the current to the second rail. The EM field created by the rails causes the projectile armature to move in forward direction along the rails/barrel due to Lorentz force. For the gun to achieve such high velocities the current to be injected in the gun is in Mega Amperes MAs.
Designing and developing system and technologies for handling such high power is a challenging task in terms of ratings of the components, isolations, and operational built-in safeties. With the development in the semiconductor technologies and availability of high energy density capacitors, the design and development of a gun system based on EM propulsion could be made feasible.
10 MJ EM Rail gun
The initial research work related to EM gun at the laboratory was taken during 1983 to 1991. 5 kV, 240 kJ capacitor bank to power 12 mm railguns were developed and established.
A 10 MJ railgun powered by capacitor bank has been successfully test fired with various bore sizes and projectile masses. Using programmable pulsed power technology, a railgun based on 10 MJ capacitor bank has been successfully designed, developed, and installed at ARDE, Pune. a series of dynamic firing trials from a fixed firing stand was conducted for experimental evaluation and system performance. These experiments have helped to characterize EM railgun for different bore sizes up from 12 mm to 45 mm for projectiles of 80 gm, 120 gm, 250 gm, and 500 gm. Based on the know-how gained after the successful completion of Technology Demonstration TD project, the configuration and design methodology can be extended to achieve higher speed, range, and lethality in futuristic rail gun.
100 MJ EM Railgun
The next level plan is weaponization of the technology by developing a 100 MJ railgun. Steps in this direction have already been taken by establishing the ‘Centre for Electromagnetic Launch Technology CEMaLT at ARDE.
The technological advances gained in 10 MJ EM railgun development programme is being used to design, develop, and install an EM railgun to launch a 18 kg projectile at hypervelocity exceeding 2000 m/s powered by a 100 MJ capacitor bank from a fixed firing stand. Railguns suitable for large calibre up to 155 mm and medium range guns 100 km to 400 km will be developed and test fired, thus bridging the gap between conventional guns and missiles. To launch projectiles at such large distances electrical energy needed as input is very large 100 MJ. EM railgun weapon systems will give an edge to the Armed Forces in the battlefield and prove as game changer. The development will be carried out at a dedicated infrastructure facility ‘CEMaLT’ under development.
Railgun trail
In its June 2023 Newsletter, DRDO has informed that a firing demonstration under the guidance of Director, ARDE along with Associates Directors was organised for Electromagnetic Rail Gun (EMRG) and 40 mm Grenade. A 40 mm grenade is a generic class-name for grenade launcher ammunition (subsonic shells) in 40 mm (1.57 in) caliber. The details of EM railgun fired were not disclosed, however this indicates good progress by DRDO in mastering the niche technology.
BREAKING: DRDO test fired Electromagnetic Rail Gun and 40 mm Grenade developed by ARDE BREAKING: DRDO test fired Electromagnetic Rail Gun and 40 mm Grenade developed by ARDE BREAKING: DRDO test fired Electromagnetic Rail Gun and 40 mm Grenade developed by ARDE BREAKING: DRDO test fired Electromagnetic Rail Gun and 40 mm Grenade developed by ARDE BREAKING: DRDO test fired Electromagnetic Rail Gun and 40 mm Grenade developed by ARDE IgMp
