Development of an advanced electromagnetic gun barrel

An advanced electromagnetic gun (AEMG) barrel was developed for the US Air Force Wright Laboratory (Armament Directorate) to repetitively accelerate large mass projectiles. The AEMG barrel used 5-m rails, had a 50-mm square bore, and was designed to operate at a peak current of 1.5 MA (bore pressure 25 ksi). Key technical achievements included (1) an efficient barrel containment structure that weighs approximately 25% of a similarly rated clamped barrel; (2) an insulator material that retains surface resistivity after repeated firings; and (3) a high-velocity water cooling system designed to remove a peak heat flux of 5 MJ/m/sup 2/ per shot. A 2-m prototype of the AEMG barrel was tested in a 4-MJ electromagnetic launcher test facility.<
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