20-07-2025
China's new X-shaped rail gun design doubles firepower and improves range
Chinese researchers are experimenting with a new rail gun design to help overcome the firepower limitations of existing designs. They believe that stacking two rail guns in an X-shape in a single barrel could be the solution they need.
A rail gun is a futuristic weapon that utilizes electromagnetic force, rather than explosives or gunpowder, to launch projectiles. Designs vary, but rail guns typically utilize electricity to generate powerful magnetic fields that accelerate a projectile to extremely high speeds, around Mach 7 (approximately 5,344 mph or 8,600 kph).
Many nations around the world have experimented with the technology, with China developing its own version in 2018. This gun was mounted on the Haiyangshan, a Chinese Type 072III-class landing ship, and was seen as a first-of-its-kind at the time.
Meanwhile, the U.S. has abandoned its rail gun program owing to cost, complexity, and the rise of hyper-sonic missiles. Japan is working on a smaller rail gun—essentially a technology demonstrator—that fires tiny 0.66-pound (300g) shells from ships.
X marks the spot
China's existing rail gun, which seemed insurmountable during its induction, has displayed its set of limitations over time. Being a naval gun, the weapon needs to pack a punch but this requires more power, which in turn leads to issues.
Too much current melts the metal components, like the U-shaped armature (which helps carry current and launch the shell). Magnetic forces can tear apart melted metal mid-shot, likened to a "magnetic saw."
This leads to the rails getting damaged, reducing performance. At present, the navy's rail gun is capped at firing 33-pound (15 kg) shells, which is not nearly enough to damage a ship—suggesting the weapon is not yet war-ready.
In a bid to address the issue, a group of Chinese army researchers—led by associate professor Lyu Qingao from the Army Engineering University of PLA in Shijiazhuang—proposed a x-shaped 'double-decker' rail gun which could overcome power limitations.
To this end, the design features each rail gun having its own power circuit, allowing them to operate independently but in parallel. The setup utilizes four rails and two U-armatures that work together.
Patent pending
Vertical magnetic fields don't interfere with each other, so stacking two rail guns does not reduce performance. You can think of it like twin engines on a rocket, delivering more power without one interfering with the other.
This design, the team believes, will enable the weapon to launch a 132-pound (60 kg) shell at speeds of at least Mach 7. The improved ordinance size also happens to be four times more than the current Chinese Navy requirement.
The team has already filed a patent for the new 'x-shape armature' technology, but has not conducted any live-fire tests as yet. If the trials prove successful, it should translate to ranges in the region of 248 miles (400 km), with the shell able to cross that distance in as little as 6 minutes.
The team also believes the impact speed of the shell could exceed Mach 4 on target. However, researchers caution that the 'proximity effect' (interference between nearby electrical currents) may still cause issues with performance and reliability. To this end, real-world testing is necessary to demonstrate its effectiveness.
Solve the daily Crossword
