What is a railgun, how powerful are they and does the Chinese Navy have the technology?

A RAILGUN is a devastating hypersonic cannon that can blast projectiles at Mach 7 - but how do they work?

Here's our lowdown on what a railgun is, how powerful they are, and who has the technology...

What is a railgun?

A railgun is a type of weapon that uses powerful electromagnets to accelerate projectiles to very high speeds.

Conventional weapons typically use explosives or propellant to launch ammunition, but electromagnetic forces make it possible for a railgun to achieve a much higher "muzzle velocity".

This means that while a normal gun might manage a projectile speed of around 2km/s, a railgun could blast out projectiles 50 per cent faster, at at least 3km/s.

It also means that you don't need to transport explosive propellants or warheads, which could make a railgun-toting warship much safer than traditional vessels.

How powerful are they?

The giant cannon can hit ships over 125 miles away - and tear through armoured hulls like tissue paper.

The US navy has a railgun that can shoot projectiles at up to 5,000mph.

To fire, the gun needs 25megawatts of electricity - but most battleships only have nine.

The impact can be measured at up to 32,000,000 joules.

Does the Chinese government have the technology?

Last week pictures were released of a Chinese warship that appeared to be carrying one of the super-weapons.

The images suggest Beijing has beaten the United States and Russia to getting the next generation weapon into operational testing.

US reports suggest the Chinese cannon can hit targets nearly 125 miles away, and the People's Liberation Army plans to have their navy equipped with the weapon by 2025.

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