Siheyuan: Game of Red Dust

Chapter 139 Electromagnetic Railgun Successfully Produced

The performance of the electromagnetic gun is extremely powerful. Its kinetic energy far exceeds that of traditional sparks. Even the most conservative estimate is that it can hit targets three hundred kilometers away.

However, conventional artillery is already significantly affected by the curvature of the Earth when firing projectiles at distances of 50 to 70 kilometers, let alone the distances of electromagnetic guns. As electromagnetic guns reach their extreme ranges, another problem becomes apparent: the Earth's gravity field, air friction, and wind speed significantly impact accuracy.

Conventional artillery fires at short ranges, and the interference from wind and air pressure fluctuations can be calculated. However, electromagnetic guns, with a range of over 300 kilometers, must pass through several different terrain zones, even in plain areas. Wind and air pressure also fluctuate constantly depending on the region. With so many variables, current fire control radars simply cannot perform such complex calculations.

As the saying goes, a slight error can lead to a huge loss. Even without considering the influence of the gravity field, the wind speed change over more than 300 kilometers alone makes the accuracy of the electromagnetic gun a big problem.

Li Weidong pondered this problem for nearly a week before coming up with a solution. Since it's impossible to accurately hit a target within the atmosphere, what about outside?

Li Weidong envisioned that the initial velocity of the electromagnetic gun should be at least Mach 15 or even around Mach 20, which is lower than the escape velocity of the first universe.

At this initial velocity, the electromagnetic gun can fully project the projectile over 1000 kilometers away. This is an electromagnetic gun with such kinetic energy and ultra-long range.

The electromagnetic gun can completely imitate the trajectory of intercontinental ballistic missiles, allowing the projectiles to fly outside the atmosphere most of the time, making the trajectory more standardized.

Moreover, during the period of flight outside the atmosphere, the air friction deceleration effect will be very weak. The projectile flies outside the Karman line most of the time, and only during the last part of the descent does it need to be brought almost vertically into the lower atmosphere more than ten kilometers away. At this time, the wind and air pressure changes will have little interference with the hit accuracy. In fact, because of this method, the actual hit accuracy of electromagnetic cannon shells with such a long range is higher than that of ordinary shells, and can be comparable to guided shells.

In this way, the problem of hitting accuracy is perfectly solved, but the range is a bit exaggerated. Compared with ordinary artillery shells that can only hit about 50 kilometers, the electromagnetic gun's strike range of more than 1000 kilometers is a bit exaggerated.

However, to keep the enemy out of the country, it is reasonable to have more fierce firepower. After all, the scope of truth is only within the range of cannons!
Li Weidong thought about it. How far is Puhai from the city on the island nation? It seems to be more than 690 kilometers. In other words, if our truth is placed in Puhai City, the territory where people live a good life will be covered.

Will the island countries and the Korean country, which are living a good life, have sleepless nights and be unable to eat or sleep?
After thinking about it, Li Weidong got a little excited about developing a weapon that could keep his neighbors awake. Li Weidong was a man who would do whatever he thought of.

Li Weidong's work became busy, and he spent most of his time making electromagnetic guns. Only when problems arose in the "Ten Days Across the Sky" plan did Li Weidong go to the command center for guidance.

A month later, from the trajectory of the artillery shells to the barrel of the electromagnetic gun, the energy supply, and finally the fire control system, all the problems were solved, and finally an electromagnetic gun weapon was produced.

"Weidong, when are we going to test it?" Professor Lin said.

"Teacher, don't rush the test. The electromagnetic gun is an ultra-long-range strike weapon, and we don't have a suitable testing site right now. I'll notify the military later and ask them to help find a target for testing." Li Weidong said.

After saying that, Li Weidong walked towards the office, entered the office, picked up the phone and called Chief Yang of the military.

"Dad, I have developed the electromagnetic gun. Please send someone to arrange a target for me so I can experiment with it," said Li Weidong.

"Oh, okay! Wait, what did you develop? Electromagnetic gun?" Commander Yang may not have heard clearly at first, but later he reacted and asked Li Weidong.

"Yes, the electromagnetic gun has been developed and is ready for experiment, but there is no target. Can you help me with it?" said Li Weidong.

"No, aren't you busy with the nuclear power plant? How did you come up with the electromagnetic gun?" Commander Yang asked puzzledly on the phone. "Hey, I only help them solve problems when there are problems at the nuclear power plant. I don't have anything to do normally, do I? I built an electromagnetic gun myself, and now that it's finished, I want to test it out," Li Weidong said.

"Okay, you can contact Zhou Zhenbei directly. He has a shooting range there." Commander Yang said.

"No, the distance over there is too close. The range of the electromagnetic gun is a bit far, and the shooting range over there is not suitable." Li Weidong said.

"The range is a bit far? What is the range?" Commander Yang asked in confusion.

"More than 1000 kilometers!" said Li Weidong.

"How much?" Commander Yang said loudly.

"More than 1000 kilometers!" said Li Weidong.

"Wait, I'll be there soon." Commander Yang hung up the phone after saying that.

"Hey! Please arrange a shooting range for me first, and then come over. Alas! I, your old father-in-law, am too impatient." Li Weidong said, shaking his head before putting the phone down.

Li Weidong left the office after finishing the call and told the guard to take the military personnel to the location of the electromagnetic gun when they arrived.

Then he walked towards the location of the electromagnetic gun. The electromagnetic gun was installed on the top of the mountain by Li Weidong for testing.

When Li Weidong reached the top of the mountain, he rechecked the electromagnetic gun. After confirming that there was no problem, he chatted with Professor Lin and Squad Leader Wang. He waited for the arrival of the military before starting the test of the electromagnetic gun.

About an hour later, Commander Yang and a group of people came up, led by guards. Li Weidong and the others quickly stood up and greeted them.

"Chief, you are here?" Li Weidong said.

"Weidong, where is the electromagnetic gun? Where is it? Let me see." Commander Yang said anxiously.

Li Weidong turned and pointed at the electromagnetic gun, saying, "Isn't that it? Commander, is the target ready?"

Commander Yang looked in the direction Li Weidong pointed and saw a cannon, reminiscent of a futuristic weapon, standing solemnly before him. Unlike traditional artillery, the electromagnetic gun barrel wasn't closed, but instead consisted of two rails roughly the same length as the barrel, with a special section in the middle.

The electromagnetic railgun consists of two fixed parallel rails connected to a large current source and an armature that can slide along the axis of the rails.

(End of this chapter)