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Technology

Leaked photos suggest China may now have a hypersonic railgun

By Chris Baraniuk

2 February 2018 Last updated 5 February 2018

Suspected railgun on Chinese ship

China’s top gun?

@XINFENGCAO

Photos suggest that China may be testing a ship-mounted electromagnetic railgun. If confirmed it would make China the first nation to develop such a superweapon, with potential implications for the power-struggle between China and the US in Asia.

A railgun uses electromagnetic force to fire projectiles along electrically charged rails at very high speeds. The US has been developing its own railgun technology over the last 10 years. In tests, prototype weapons – more than Mach 6 – with a range of around…

Article amended on 5 February 2018

We’ve corrected the amount the US spent on its railgun project.

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