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U.S. Navy Receives First Industry Built Railgun Prototype
Zothecula writes "Two years after BAE Systems was awarded a US$21 million contract from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) to develop an advanced Electromagnetic Railgun for the U.S. Navy, the company has delivered the first industry-built prototype demonstrator to the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Dahlgren. The prototype launcher is now being prepared for testing which is scheduled to take place in the coming weeks."
Somehow I think these guns won't be used against plane hijackers and suicide bombers. :rolleyes:
Oh right, China! They're obviously going to invade...
Listen everyone, this kind of technology is not useful in a conflict like Iraq. I mean it can help a bit, but it wouldn't make a big enough difference to justify the cost of developing it. It's meant to be used against a powerful army.
If you don't think China or Russia are likely to invade the USA, then what other kind of conflict involving two powerful and technologically-advanced armies is there? Yeah, that's right, there's just one scenario left: the USA invading a modern country. Modern like Europe, Australia or Canada.
The rest of the Western World is a huge threat to the USA. While the US government has stripped US citizens from most of their rights, including the right to a trial (that "Obama repeals Habeas Corpus" stuff you might have heard of last month) and I think we all know about the prison problem, where an insane amount of people are sent to prison for petty things. The US government has also violated the human rights of the prisoners in Guantanamo. All in the name of security against terrorism.
And it's probably going to get worse, at least there's no sign that the government has decided to stop taking away people's rights. The government hasn't said "we've gone far enough" or "we're finally safe, mission accomplished".
The problem is, the rest of the Western World does not behave that way. Canada and Europe are examples of sanity and restraint.
American citizens see these other countries that are very similar to their own, and it makes them realize that their government is going way too far. They're asking how Europe and Canada are managing to not be burnt to ashes by terrorism without draconian laws and an over-armed and over-empowered police. There's increase talk of "Police-state", "Tyranny", "Fascism" and even "Revolution is the only solution we'll have" on the Internet and coming from US citizens.
The US government doesn't like that. Obviously, people realizing how oppressed they are is not good for the politicians who want power.
That's why the USA is often trying to make Europe, Canada and Australia do what the USA does. That's why they pushed for body scanners in European airports (why would the US government care that much if a plane hits the Eiffel Tower?? Explain that to me!). Some countries are resisting the US gov's insanity, but a few like the UK and Australia often fold.
If the USA can get the other Western countries to be as oppressive as the US government is, then Americans are less likely to realize how bad and unnecessary their situation is. And that makes them less likely to resist.
So what do you think happens when Europe constantly tells the USA "No, we won't have body scanners. No, we won't repeal Habeas Corpus. No, we won't allow our police to pepper-spray non-violent protesters"?
If you think the USA, sooner or later, stops taking "No" for an answer and tries a more direct approach than making demands, then you and I are thinking the same. It might be 5 or 20 more years until the USA decides to be more drastic, or it may never happen at all, but it's clear what direction these railguns are a step in.
A country that has repeatedly claimed all future wars would be fought against terrorists and which has nothing of value that places it at risk of being invaded, develops weapons that are only effective to fight modern armies. If we thought Iran was hypocritical when it said it's nuclear program was for developing energy sources only, then what do we call this?