NewsChina announces success in firing missiles at hypersonic speed

China announces success in firing missiles at hypersonic speed

Beijing announced the successful conduct of railgun tests, also known as Railgun (illustrative photo)
Beijing announced the successful conduct of railgun tests, also known as Railgun (illustrative photo)
Images source: © GETTY | Bloomberg
ed. KKG

1:22 PM EST, December 11, 2023

Beijing recently announced the successful execution of railgun tests. The railgun, employing AI technology, successfully fired 120 missiles at hypersonic speeds. The development comes as surprising news, as America has recently decided to abandon similar technology. Experts perceive this as a significant step towards a new era in naval warfare.

Information released by the "South China Morning Post", a government newspaper, states that the electromagnetic railgun, firing missiles at a velocity of 1.24 miles per second, holds a range between 62 and 124 miles.

Such results are beyond the capability of conventional artillery, as stated by the journal. During the tests, the railgun fired 120 shells, showing "outstanding durability and operational efficiency". Surprisingly, even the most advanced American prototypes have struggled with these issues.

The scientific breakthrough could potentially place China at the forefront of advancements in a technological race that aims to redefine the way naval battles are conducted. Given that the U.S. recently abandoned their railgun project, this possibility becomes more considerable. Despite the U.S. Navy investing years in research and testing, they had to abandon ship in 2021 due to technical and financial issues, shifting their focus towards hypersonic missiles instead.

The Americans claimed the gun was not resilient enough to handle the stress and deterioration that comes with repeated firing. Conversely, China announced that they have solved these issues thanks to an advanced measuring and diagnostic system. This system contains 100,000 sensors to analyze data efficiently, Beijing asserts that the system can rectify potential issues in milliseconds.

The dawn of a new Naval Warfare Era

As per the "SCMP" reports, the weapon, reliant on AI technology, has been saved many times from probable damage.

Experts are heralding the advent of a new era in naval warfare. The Chinese, in enthusiasm, are considering implementing this technology in high-speed transport systems and are also considering building a vacuum tube train capable of exceeding sound speed. This technology also carries potential for advancements in space travel.