Shipbucket

I don't really see rail guns becoming the main gun mount on ships until the late 2040s at the earliest - it's the fact that they have such large power requirements and I do foresee a global reduction in naval procurement over the nest decade or so. These, combined with the fact that a rail gun is going to be expensive to develop independently pushes back the IOC date. This is not to say that the USN won't have them in service sooner, only that the majority of the arsenal will still probably be 5" and 155mm guns.

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Oh I agree with you completely. But I don't doubt we'll see a couple of ships using them as a primary bombarment weapon in the next couple of decades. My main reason is cost vs. destructiveness when compared to the tomahawk.
I've read numerous articles which compare the two, stating that a railgun would be cheaper per munition while having similar capabilities. Accuracy should still be good on a railgun as well.
Anyway, I basically agree with you. Not for a bit, and not a main weapon for much longer.

Lately I have been picturing naval railguns, like however many years down the road, as less like deck guns and more akin to some kind of swiveling box-like "gun". Something like the positioning of the Tomahawk box launchers on the late Iowas but instead of opening and firing missiles they contain all the terminals and they swivel, possibly elevate on the surface like a box launcher. This is going by current railgun technology where you need those giant bolted surfaces to form the corridor for the projectile. Unless they can find a way to get around it, I just can't picture a railgun on a conventional barrel and turret design.

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Smoothbores could be used to bridge the gap so to speak. The M256 (M1 tank) has a muzzle velocity of 5,700 fps. Rail-guns generally are said to be designed for around 7,500 fps. With a Smoothbore, you'd have to use a sabot or have guidance fins for the projectile of some sort (in comparison to conventional naval guns).

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Just saying, but what if U ripped out many of the weapon systems on an Iowa and replace them with 5 in guns , 8 in guns, and a couple of 64-cell Mk.41s. Also If U gave it an aegis weapons system, It could do the job of a couple Ticos or Burkes

probably be cheaper to build the few Tico's and burkes, they also have the advantage of covering more sea

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"Loitering on the High Seas" (Named after the good ship Rodondo)
There's no such thing as "nothing left to draw" If you can down 10 pints and draw, you're doing alright by my standards

Yes, but if U want to pull an Odyssey Dawn type thing, you can anchor the BBG off of the coast with a carrier and some escorting ships, and it can sustain heavy fire in the enemy for extended periods and with more Firepower than a tico
I an just wondering what guns these are so can U tell me

No idea about the guns

The operation dawn style scenario has limits, you don't want to be right on the shore (5-10ks + away)

Also the Iowas are too old now, the gulf war upgrades will definitively be the last.

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Work list(Current)
Miscellaneous|Victorian Colonial Navy|Murray Riverboats|Colony of Victoria AU|Project Sail-fixing SB's sail shortage
How to mentally pronounce my usernameRow-(as in a boat)Don-(as in the short form of Donald)Dough-(bread)
"Loitering on the High Seas" (Named after the good ship Rodondo)
There's no such thing as "nothing left to draw" If you can down 10 pints and draw, you're doing alright by my standards

But don't we still have the Wisconsin in reserve?

The right gun is defenetly the 8"/55 Mark 71 from the 70`s. The left might be the OTO Malera 76 mm, or maybe it`s a British gun.
The Iowa is also in reserve, or mothballed as it`s called.