China Makes Major Strides in Electromagnetic Weapon Development
Chinese naval engineers have announced the successful creation of an electromagnetic railgun capable of firing multiple projectiles without damaging itself. Even during continuous firing, the weapon maintained high accuracy. The projectiles exit the barrel at a speed of 2 km/s, allowing them to hit targets at distances of 100-200 km, while conventional artillery shells can only reach several dozen kilometers.
A railgun is a type of electromagnetic weapon that uses a pair of parallel conductors (rails) through which a powerful electric current flows. This current interacts with the magnetic field generated by the currents to produce a force that accelerates the projectile along the rails.
In one test, the railgun fired 120 rounds, which is comparable to the capabilities of some modern artillery systems. After the test, the system remained intact, according to the researchers.
A team of scientists from the National Laboratory of Electromagnetic Energy at China’s Military Engineering University published a paper on November 10, stating that military technology is gradually shifting from chemical to electromagnetic energy, and the ability for continuous firing is a key indicator of combat effectiveness.
Comparison with the United States and Technological Innovations
The United States halted railgun development in 2021, focusing instead on hypersonic missiles. One of the main obstacles for the U.S. was the inability to design a railgun that could fire repeatedly without breaking down.
The success of the Chinese team is linked to the development of a sophisticated measurement and diagnostic system capable of collecting and analyzing data from over 100,000 components simultaneously using artificial intelligence technologies. This is nearly ten times the number of sensors found on a modern aircraft.
Future Applications and Strategic Importance
Chinese researchers working on electromagnetic weapons are thinking big. They believe this technology could be used to propel a train through a vacuum tube at speeds of 1,000 km/h—faster than any airplane flying today. By elevating one end of the tube, they could launch rockets and potentially make space travel more affordable. In November, China built the world’s longest vacuum electromagnetic launch tube in Shanxi Province, and many research teams from across the country are eager to test it.
Such developments are highly significant for China’s military strategy, as they could shift the balance of power at sea, especially in competition with the United States.