Flamethrowing Navy Railgun Blasts Projectiles Through Superheated Air

A new prototype of the Navy's weapon of the future just completed its first test, blasting a chunk of metal through the air at speeds up to 9,012 kph. Watch below as the Navy's electromagnetic railgun spews a formidable jet of orange flame. The best part is when the air behind the speeding projectile blurs with heat! Defense giant BAE Systems delivered the prototype railgun Jan. 30 and the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division just started testing it. The Navy has tested other designs in the lab, but this one is the first industry-built model. Tests will last two months, during which the Navy will check out the railgun's structural integrity and barrel life. Another model, built by General Atomics, is due to be delivered in April. This one is a 32-megajoule demonstrator, according to the Office of Naval Research - for comparison, one megajoule of energy is equivalent to a 1-tonne car thrust at 160 kph