U.S. Army builds a cannon that fires 1,000 miles

The army of any country, regardless ofwhat position it is, is conducting a number of military developments. And sometimes these developments pull on the most real records. For example, the US military creates a cannon with an amazing firing range of more than 1000 nautical miles (which is almost 1900 kilometers). The gun, along with hypersonic weapons, will allow the military to attack strategically important targets that are far beyond the reach of existing army weapon systems.

Size matters!

The most long-range gun in the world

According to the editors of the portal Popular MechanicsWith reference to Defense News, Colonel John Rafferty, the head of the US Army’s long-range weapons development program, reports that the technology by which the gun will be made is truly innovative. However, a number of experts are still not convinced of the economic feasibility of such a project.

United States Army is about to holdTesting a key technical component at Dahlgren’s Virginia Naval Support Facility "very soon." For obvious reasons, the tactical and technical characteristics of the new gun are not revealed to us. Moreover, it is noteworthy that at the moment the most long-range guns available in the arsenal of the US Army are capable of hitting a target located at a distance of up to 265 nautical miles. However, apparently, we are talking about a gun firing rocket-propelled ammunition. The military already had similar developments, but it never came to the testing of prototypes.

Conventional artillery guns work usingartillery shell pushed by a powder charge. When firing from a gun, burning powder gases create tremendous pressure. The pressure itself rises and, reaching a "critical point", throws the cartridge out of the gun. Everything should be a little different right there. The new "Big Gun" will fire rocket shells (RAP).

Missile has a small rocketengine at the base of an artillery shell. The result is a shell with a lower explosive charge, but a longer range. A larger diameter artillery shell can carry a large solid rocket fuel payload, significantly increasing flight range. Says Colonel Rafferty.

The prototype of one of the most famous big guns in the USA. Photo 1990

Can a long-range gun be used forfleet needs? Quite possible. Now the U.S. army is testing the railgun guns (or railguns) with might and main. But no matter how powerful they are, they are hardly able to overcome the distance of 1800-1900 kilometers. Another argument in favor of the feasibility of this project is the cost of charges for railguns. Each of them in production costs 400 to 500 thousand US dollars, which is much more expensive than even "ordinary" projectiles with jet propulsion. What do you think about such a powerful gun? Write about it in our chat in Telegram.

See also: The tests of the most rapid-fire railgun weapons began

United States Army hopes to getready prototype guns by 2023. Until this point, tests will be carried out on all key elements of the gun. In particular, the most interesting at the moment is the projectile launch system, as well as systems for adjusting the accuracy of guns at such great distances. Whether the shells will be controllable is currently not reported.