The US Navy has released a test video showcasing its experimental new weapon, the electromagnetic railgun.
Capable of firing projectiles at Mach 6, the railgun requires no explosives and can be fired using nothing but electricity making it a seriously cost-effective new choice for the Navy.
Having seen early prototypes before, the Office of Naval Research has uploaded a brand-new video which shows what looks to be an almost production-ready prototype being test fired.
The railgun has long been a contraption portrayed by science fiction as a weapon of the future.
Using ultra-powerful electromagnets it propels a solid projectile at almost impossible speeds over mind-boggling distances, all without using a single drop of gunpowder.
Using a railgun completely eliminates the need for an explosive shell. Due to the sheer speed the gun uses ‘slugs’ instead which cause damage through force.
The gun is already undergoing sea-trials and there have been rumours that the finished weapon will be installed on the US Navy’s state-of-the-art Zumwalt stealth ship.
Powered by a ‘pulse’ firing system that’s no bigger than a packet of cigarettes, the gun can send a slug through the air at speeds of up to Mach 6.
The weapon has a predicted range of 110-miles and can achieve pinpoint accuracy even at that distance.