Jay Clemens
Raytheon has started to deliver the pulse power containers for the U.S. Navy‘s future railgun following the validation of power requirements for the next-generation directed energy weapon.
The Navy will integrate the pulse power containers into its railgun test range to prepare for further development and testing under the program, Raytheon said Monday.
The company added that the containers consist of multiple pulsed power modules that produce energy required for the electromagnetic launch of a railgun’s projectile, which has a speed of Mach 6 and beyond.
“Directed energy has the potential to redefine military technology beyond missiles,” said Colin Whelan, vice president of advanced technology for Raytheon’s integrated defense systems business.
Raytheon, one of three companies selected to design the containers, received a $10 million contract from the Navy in 2012 to research and develop a pulse powered system.
