Defence Japan successfully tests advanced railgun

[thomas]

Japan has successfully test-fired a ship-mounted electromagnetic railgun at a target vessel. The Ministry of Defence's Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) confirmed on Wednesday that the tests were carried out from June to early July aboard the test ship JS Asuka. Japan's railgun was first tested from a ship in 2023 and uses electricity to propel projectiles at extremely high speeds, which gives them enhanced range and penetration compared with conventional artillery. China is also experimenting with similar technology, achieving milestones such as sustained firing. However, it hasn't deployed the weapon operationally yet. The US Navy previously experimented with railguns but halted development in 2021 due to technical difficulties.

"Advanced anti-ship missiles fly at high speeds near the sea surface making them difficult to intercept with conventional, fuse-based air defense missiles," said Masashi Murano, a Japan defense expert at the Hudson Institute think tank. To address this challenge, several countries are working on new technologies such as railguns and directed-energy weapons to complement existing interceptor missiles and provide multilayered air defense options, he added. At the same time, the kinetic projectiles fired from railguns are much more cost-effective compared to conventional air defense missiles, which can cost billions of yen per shot, the expert noted. Naval News reports that research will not be limited to armor-piercing rounds, but will also extend to technologies for airburst munitions — rounds that detonate midair to disperse lethal fragments — optimized for anti-air warfare scenarios. What is quite unique, however, is the idea of using the railgun as an anti-ship weapon.

Japan’s cutting-edge railgun successfully strikes target vessel

The defense ministry’s Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency says its test-firings marked the first time a ship-mounted railgun was successfully fired at a real vessel.

www.japantimes.co.jp

​