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米海軍の電磁レールガン契約はBAEが獲得、初速マッハ7.5で射程370km超を目標
米海軍が複数の兵器メーカーを競わせていたEMレールガン(電磁加速砲)について、BAEシステムズがフェイズ2プロトタイプの開発契約を獲得しました。
小説やアニメなどフィクションでもおなじみの レールガン (Electromagnetic Railgun) は、火薬のかわりに電磁力で弾体を加速・射出する兵器。火薬の爆発すなわち化学反応による体積増加の限界を超えた加速が可能になるため、数百年来の歴史を持つ「大砲」を大幅に凌ぐ初速と射程距離が得られます。
米海軍はレールガンの基礎技術を実証するための試作コンペを実施していましたが、今回の Phase 2 では、より実用化に向けたプロトタイプの開発を目指しています。フェイズ1の試作型は単発だったのに対して、フェイズ2の要求仕様は秒間6発から10発の連射など。
3450万ドルでフェイズ2試作型の開発を請けおった BAE Systems は英国の軍事・保安・航空宇宙技術メーカー。BAE Systems の掲げる目標では、弾体の初速マッハ7.5、射程 370km 以上、着弾時の速度マッハ5など。
BAE Systems によると、Phase 2 プロトタイプは2013年にも完成する見込みです。動画はフェイズ1の実験映像。
【関連記事】
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BAE Systems 1960s Concept Sketches
The Jumping Jeep(01 of06)
The ‘Jumping Jeep’ was a concept reconnaissance vehicle capable of leaping over obstacles - a 4x4 transporter flanked by 12 vertical lift fans, whose angle could be adjusted dependant on the situation - allowing the jeep to overcome enemy barriers.\n\nDeveloped by BAC Warton at the request of the British army in the 1960s, the design was an attempt to adapt vertical take-off and landing technology to vehicles and was developed with the Ministry of Defence’s Fighting Vehicle Research and Development Establishment.\n\nThe project was cancelled in the mid-1960s, due to assessments that production of the design would be too expensive\n (credit:BAE Systems)
Jumping Jeep(02 of06)
(credit:BAE Systems)
Hypersonic Aircraft(03 of06)
In 1964 the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) designed a hypersonic aircraft capable of flight at five times the speed of sound, nicknamed MUSTARD (Multi-Unit Space Transport And Recovery Device).\n\nThe project would have created the world’s first reusable ‘space plane’, with the cost of development having been estimated as ‘20 to 30 times cheaper’ than that incurred by the expendable rocket systems in use that eventually put man on the moon in 1969.\n\nThe aircraft was formed of three separate crewed, delta-winged sections that are launched as a single unit. Two of those would act as boosters and launch the third into space, and then separate before returning to earth like normal aircraft – followed by the third, once its intended mission was complete.\n\nThe government decided not to proceed with the project though, prompting Tom Smith - one of the developers - to comment that MUSTARD was too “far ahead of its time”, and that there was “nothing worse than being right at the wrong time.”\n\nThe ideas behind that original aircraft can still be seen today in current delta-winged space aircraft such as Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo, XCOR’s Lynx Mk.III as well as early designs for the US Space Shuttle. (credit:BAE Systems)
Hypersonic Aircraft1(04 of06)
In 1964 the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) designed a hypersonic aircraft capable of flight at five times the speed of sound, nicknamed MUSTARD (Multi-Unit Space Transport And Recovery Device).\n\nThe project would have created the world’s first reusable ‘space plane’, with the cost of development having been estimated as ‘20 to 30 times cheaper’ than that incurred by the expendable rocket systems in use that eventually put man on the moon in 1969.\n\nThe aircraft was formed of three separate crewed, delta-winged sections that are launched as a single unit. Two of those would act as boosters and launch the third into space, and then separate before returning to earth like normal aircraft – followed by the third, once its intended mission was complete.\n\nThe government decided not to proceed with the project though, prompting Tom Smith - one of the developers - to comment that MUSTARD was too “far ahead of its time”, and that there was “nothing worse than being right at the wrong time.”\n\nThe ideas behind that original aircraft can still be seen today in current delta-winged space aircraft such as Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo, XCOR’s Lynx Mk.III as well as early designs for the US Space Shuttle. (credit:BAE Systems)
Intercity Vertical-Lift Aircraft(05 of06)
The Intercity Vertical-Lift Aircraft design from the Hawker Siddeley company was an attempt to bring vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) to commercial aircraft, to allow airlines to put airports amongst densely-populated cities, open up more direct travel for passengers and to cut down on the amount of space required for airport runways.\n\nA number of designs were drawn up over the 1960s, looking very similar to our passenger planes today; however featuring rows of lift fans on either side of the body of the plane.\n\nThe project was eventually dropped after it was decided that together with the cost of fuel required to fly the aircraft and the extra load from the frames housing the lift fans, combined with the weight of passengers, could lead to instability in flight.\n\nVTOL systems inspired by the project are still in use today however, through the F-35 Lightning II, with adaptations of the vertical lift fans having been engineered by BAE Systems to improve some of the most versatile military jets in the world. (credit:BAE Systems)
Intercity Vertical-Lift Aircraft(06 of06)
The Intercity Vertical-Lift Aircraft design from the Hawker Siddeley company was an attempt to bring vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) to commercial aircraft, to allow airlines to put airports amongst densely-populated cities, open up more direct travel for passengers and to cut down on the amount of space required for airport runways.\n\nA number of designs were drawn up over the 1960s, looking very similar to our passenger planes today; however featuring rows of lift fans on either side of the body of the plane.\n\nThe project was eventually dropped after it was decided that together with the cost of fuel required to fly the aircraft and the extra load from the frames housing the lift fans, combined with the weight of passengers, could lead to instability in flight.\n\nVTOL systems inspired by the project are still in use today however, through the F-35 Lightning II, with adaptations of the vertical lift fans having been engineered by BAE Systems to improve some of the most versatile military jets in the world. (credit:BAE Systems)