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How Japan’s hypersonic railgun could deter China’s naval ambitions (interestingengineering.com)
submitted 3 weeks ago by Icytrees@sh.itjust.works to c/wildfeed@sh.itjust.works
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At a time when control of Pacific sea lanes is contested, Japan is positioning its hypersonic electromagnetic railgun development as a strategic centerpiece, aiming to deter Chinese naval threats and shift the regional balance of power.

Tokyo’s latest demonstration, shown by state-run ATLA, displays a prototype railgun firing hypersonic rounds at a moving ship. As the projectile surged forward, the deck shuddered slightly under the silent electromagnetic pulse, while nearby crew members steadied themselves, their expressions a mix of awe and anticipation.

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[-] wizzor@sopuli.xyz 11 points 3 weeks ago

For the curious, the key specs mentioned in the article:

  • Mach 6
  • Range in "miles"
  • 200 rounds per barrel
  • Cap banks take multiple sea containers worth of space

200 rounds per barrel takes the gun into practical territory. I bet Taiwan could use a fozen of them.

Interesting to hear what the true range ends up being.

[-] magnetosphere@fedia.io 4 points 2 weeks ago

Didn’t I recently read a post about the practical limitations of railguns, which concluded that lasers are better?

[-] Icytrees@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 weeks ago

Only you can answer that.

[-] Manifish_Destiny@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago

No, that was a dream we shared.

[-] magnetosphere@fedia.io 2 points 2 weeks ago

Okay, it all makes sense now

[-] wizzor@sopuli.xyz 3 points 2 weeks ago

For hitting drones and artillery shells? Almost certainly lasers win.

For hitting ships? Railguns, if the problems with the rails getting festroyed after a few shots can be fixed. The Japanese claim 200 shots per barrel. Whether that means just the rails or whole barrel is unclear.

[-] getoffthatchronic@lemdro.id 2 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wunderwaffe

I'm sure you don't care that Japan's military still uses Rising Sun iconography. Maybe if you knew anything about UN resolutions, you might care that Japan remilitarizing is a death blow to any kind of global peace or security. This is not something to... ...squee about. The UN Security Council members are specifically allowed to bypass it and do whatever they want if Japan remilitarizes. I'm sure despite not knowing that before I said it, you will respond with something stupid anyways. If we are to trust bellicose rhetoric alone (as we are expected to do with Japan here), then, no, this will not deter China whatsoever. It actually provides them cassus belli. Have you, by any chance, looked at the shipbuilding capacity of China? You may want to look at China's shipbuilding capacity. China is a large country, inhabited by many Chinese. Your anime shows will not tell you this, but Japan's primary strength is financial. You cannot eat or shoot money. You should listen to the RAND Corporation, the USA is well out of its depth in the Pacific...

[-] Icytrees@sh.itjust.works 12 points 3 weeks ago

Are you talking to me, specifically? 'Cause you're not being very cool or respectful.

I posted an article, not my opinion on it.

[-] getoffthatchronic@lemdro.id 1 points 3 weeks ago

Just wait and see

[-] Icytrees@sh.itjust.works 12 points 3 weeks ago

Wait and see what? What are we even talking about here?

[-] NoPanko@feddit.uk 7 points 3 weeks ago

Follow your usernames advice

[-] getoffthatchronic@lemdro.id 1 points 2 weeks ago

Keep dreaming about railguns, it took a substantial amount of meth to make Hitler this delusional. Japanese and Western folks have no such excuse. When push comes to shove, these guns had better be targeting Dongfeng missiles. That's how wars are fought nowadays.

[-] mojofrododojo@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago

so what, japan is supposed to sit there while china builds up? or they're supposed to rely on an increasingly erratic ally like the US to save them?

What anime shows are you watching that explain the historical dynamic between the Japanese and Chinese?

[-] getoffthatchronic@lemdro.id 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Did I say that or did I say that they're buying dinky little water pistols when they're itching to be struck with an ICBM? Because that seems like a much bigger issue than whether I personally support Japan's remilitarization, which I just framed as a threat to global security. By essentializing Japan's response to what you see as Chinese aggression, you're just doing apologetics for fascism.

[-] sabin@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago

Fascism is when a country I don't like produces military technology .

[-] getoffthatchronic@lemdro.id 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Fascism is when the United States bankrolls fascists, and scoops up all of their loot after the war. It seems like you're unclear why the US is even allied with Japan in the first place. Is that how you think the world works: countries like each other, they love each other, they want to protect each other against the bad countries? I must be such a fun view of the world. Have you ever seen that Team Fortress 2 short where we get to experience the Pyro's worldview?

[-] sabin@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago

Fascism is when countries with vested interests support each other.

[-] Icytrees@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 weeks ago

Pfft a rail gun doesn't shoot water it shoots rails, obv

[-] mojofrododojo@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

y'all keep forgetting that russia wanted to nuke you.

Zhenbao island remembers, maybe you should learn some history.

[-] Icytrees@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 weeks ago

Russia wanted to nuke Canada?

[-] mojofrododojo@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

apparently this was the wrong reply for the wrong person lol.

I mean I'm not saying they didn't but I'm referring to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-Soviet_border_conflict

[-] Icytrees@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 weeks ago

Ah, gotcha.

Russia just plays the "I'm not touching you" game with us in the north.

[-] mojofrododojo@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

Russia just plays the “I’m not touching you” game with us in the north.

bwahaha nice way to put it, I'm not flying my possibly nuclear armed bomber in your air space... juuuuuuuuuust off it.. nya nay...... fun games that shit

[-] Icytrees@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 weeks ago

Oh gurl, we're over here balls deep in uranium pretending like all those stockpiles are for clean energy. Not our fault those difficult-to-monitor-because-they-run-continuously-reactors spit out plutonium.

[-] mojofrododojo@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

hope it doesn't come to that. good luck friend. hope to visit again soon.

[-] mojofrododojo@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

Haha you're actually bonkers. And have no idea what the fuck you're talking about. Is japan rolling all over the south pacific threatening fishing vessels? ramming other vessels? no, that's the chinese navy, having temper tantrums that anyone else dare use "their" south pacific.

You're so deluded you probably buy into all the silly ass 9-line shit huh?

it's all so silly. your real enemy still occupies your own cities, denies you the easy expansion to lands already full of ethnic chinese... but you're too weak and stubborn to realize that losing a navy over Taiwan is a silly way to waste time when you could just go take Yongmingcheng back from the thieves who stole it from you. A lot more resources up there too.

Nah, you want to try to rollerskate up hill in the snow against a headwind. Bright.

[-] mojofrododojo@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

y’all keep forgetting that russia wanted to nuke you.

Zhenbao island remembers, maybe you should learn some history.

this post was submitted on 24 Nov 2025
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