Design considerations in a 60 caliber electromagnetic railgun system

Integrated launch package design with considerations for reduced-scale demonstration

“…A code that incorporates analytical engineering expressions for thermal and mechanical loads was used to design integrated launch packages (ILPs) for both simple and augmented railguns [1,21. Resultant launcher dimensions and ILP properties (mass and dimensions) are calculated for each type of railgun. The topology of the armature is derived from existing, successful experiments when high-density tungsten-alloy penetrators were launched with a single taper sabot [3,4]. A double taper sabot was also successfully employed in the presence of armature contact transition, where the bore cross section had an aspect ratio greater than two [5].…”

A Technical Assessment of Electromagnetic Propulsion for Small Caliber Weapons Applications

“…These changes, although reducing risk and immediate cost, will likely account for a one-year delay in reaching the prototype stage. Detailed engineering designs have been completed for a two-pole air-core Compulsator, and details concerning the machine's technical aspects can be found in Fulcher, et al (1989), although the design considered here is based on the demonstrated iron-core machine. In FY90, the laboratory system is to demonstrate salvo fire of 32-g projectiles at 2 km/sec at 10 Hz in a three-shot burst.…”