BAE Systems wants the U.S. Army to know that there is no reason the Electromagnetic (EM) Railgun, which projects rounds at Mach 7, needs to be solely used by the U.S. Navy in the years ahead.
The defense and security company said its weapon, which has been tested at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Dahlgren, Virginia, would be a perfect fit for the Army’s next-generation Bradley Fighting Vehicle.
Military.com reported Friday that idea for placing the Electromagnetic (EM) Railgun aboard the Army’s “Future Fighting Vehicle” came during the Association of the United States Army’s annual conference held in Washington on Oct. 13-15.
BAE’s weapon currently blasts a 23-pound hyper-velocity round that can be fired from a rail gun, Navy 5-inch guns or 155mm artillery weapons, Military.com reported. However, the company said that scaling it down for use on any future versions of the Army’s M2/M3 Bradley can be done.
“We’re committed to developing this innovative and game changing technology that will revolutionize naval warfare,” Chris Hughes, vice president and general manager of Weapon Systems at BAE Systems, said on the company’s website. “The Railgun’s ability to defend against enemy threats from distances greater than ever before improves the capabilities of our armed forces.”
The Navy will integrate the electromagnetic pulse weapon onto one of its ships in 2016, Military.com reported.
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• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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