Good, old cannons are slowly being pushed away by the new tech, at least in the US Navy. Their place will be taken by the futuristic electromagnetic cannons, also known as railguns (video game shooter players will certainly recognize the name). A video has just been released online in which the weapon is being talked about in detail. Not too much detail, of course: the system is still experimental, and whoever gets to crack its workings first will possess a weapon significantly stronger than those of other world’s militaries. Electromagnetic cannons shoot projectiles with a speed of 7 Mach or, in other words, over ten thousand kilometers per hour. This means that the projectile not only hits with a powerful force, but also does not lose this force over even a couple hundred kilometers of a distance. Since the projectile’s force comes from the kinetic effect of the weapon, the gun does not need to be chambered with explosive rounds, which means that it is cheaper to supply and maintain.
China is reportedly also working on their own railgun weapon platform. It is unknown, though, if their prototype is actually working.