The electromagnetic cannon on warships is suspected to be China's "wind weapon"

Electronic portal81.cnChina's military confirmed on March 14 that the country has achieved a new breakthrough in stable operation.electromagnetic gun installed on warshipHowever, experts have raised many questions about the actual features of this "super weapon".This is developed by China itself., according toNational Interest.

The railgun does not use explosives but utilizes the energy of electromagnetic rails to propel the projectile at speeds of up to 7,200 km/h, nearly 6 times faster than sound and much faster than conventional artillery shells. The large range and fast reaction speed of the railgun will help increase the power of warships equipped with this weapon.

Zhang Xiao, an expert at the Chinese military's Naval Engineering University, said they have successfully created a pulsed DC power system to charge electromagnetic guns, after hundreds of failures and more than 50,000 different tests.

If China's claims are true, it has perfected a weapon that the US has not been able to master after 10 years of development.Despite investing up to 500 million USD, Washington has not been able to test the electromagnetic gun on a warship, while Beijing's weapon system has been installed on the bow of the Type-072II amphibious ship.

However, there are three signs that the feasibility of China's electromagnetic railgun is still far from reality, and it is unlikely to be completed and put into service in the next few years.

First, Beijing released photos of a ship-mounted railgun without providing any evidence of a land-based deployment, which is considered much less challenging. The country’s railgun program is also in its early stages, and beyond statements from military officials, there is no evidence that China has made significant technological progress.

Besides, the photo of the gun mount mounted on a warship cannot be considered a signal that this weapon project is nearly completed. It could be a non-combat model, deliberately released to attract attention, as well as to deter potential opponents such as the US.

MelodyHa, an intern at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), said that the release of information about electromagnetic guns on Chinese warships is aIt is likely a "ploy" to show that they possess high-tech weapons capable of challenging the US Navy in the Asia-Pacific region.

This could be seen as a show of force against Beijing's potential opponents, rather than demonstrating actual progress in its electromagnetic weapons project, Ha said.