Scramjet-powered X-51A Waverider missile breaks Mach 6 record

[Hugh R]

Energy = 1/2 mass x velocity squared. A very small projectile going mach 12, the damage would be astronomical.

[m21sniper]

Originally Posted by Taz's Master

I think a battleship, or cruise missles could already do that. The benefit of extreme velocity to my thinking is simplifying the weapon. Imagine the battleship trying to defend itself against a weapon like that.

No, they cannot already do that. The best long range attack munition in the USN arsenal is the subsonic TACTOM cruise missile. Cruise speed is about 500 knots and payload is a 1000lb HE Unitary charge or bomblets. Max range is purported to be about 1500 miles under ideal conditions. Actual useful range is probably more like 1000 miles, but that's just a guess. At any rate, time of flight from launch to target impact can be measured in hours.

Clearly that is in no way comparable to a mach 12 2000lb 16" gun shell that will reach a target 1000 miles away in just a few minutes.

Originally Posted by Hugh R

Energy = 1/2 mass x velocity squared. A very small projectile going mach 12, the damage would be astronomical.

Which is the beauty of the 16" Iowa guns. The shell is massive.

That would equate to an absolutely tremendous amount of KE on impact, as well as allowing for the fastest track to an operational shell, since miniaturization requirements would be far less demanding in a big 16" shell as opposed to a 5" or 6" naval gun.

A 16" scramshell would be a "transformationally" potent weapon.

Unfortunately, there are no more ships with 16" guns now that the last two Iowas have been stricken.

[red-beard]

I know of one with 14" guns, not too far from here...

[m21sniper]

It's stricken, whatever it is.