An electromagnetic gun is a weapon that is similar to a standard firearm or other gun, except that the force that propels the projectile from the gun is created by electricity and magnetism. Gunpowder is used in standard firearm ammunition to create a small explosion that creates the force needed to fire the bullet from the casing. An electromagnetic gun generates a magnetic field with an electric current, which creates the force required to propel a bullet or other projectile out of the gun at incredible speeds.
An electromagnetic gun, also known as a rail gun or an EM gun, is typically quite large in scale due to the energy requirements for such a weapon. While efforts have been made to reduce the size of these weapons, current models resemble canons or mounted artillery weapons. An electromagnetic gun has a pair of electrically conductive rails that are held close together but not touching, hence the alternate name. The rails are then connected to a power source, which is usually a capacitor or another electrical power supply.
An armature may be present between these two rails, depending on the design of the electromagnetic gun, against which a projectile can be placed. This armature, or the projectiles used in the gun, can be conductive; in either case, the circuit between the two rails can be completed. The two rails become electrically charged as a result of this, producing a magnetic field. Within the electromagnetic gun, this field generates a tremendous amount of energy, which pushes the projectile down the barrel and out toward a target.
The electromagnetic gun’s high energy output, on the other hand, can be so intense that the rails on many early models melt and need to be replaced after each shot. These guns also require a large amount of power to operate, making the use of handguns or even rifles designed as rail guns prohibitively expensive. Larger rail guns, on the other hand, have been developed for use as large-scale artillery on battleships and other vehicles.
If current progress continues, an electromagnetic gun capable of firing a projectile more than 100 miles (160 km) at a rate over seven times the speed of sound could be built by 2016. These projectiles would be so powerful that an explosive payload would be unnecessary. On impact, the kinetic energy generated by their speed would be sufficient to destroy bunkers, tanks, and other targets.