Rail Guns - Re-birth of the Battleship?

[CybrSlydr]

I don't have any links or stories about this sort of thing, but I've wondered about this.

The reason BBs were phased out was pretty much because Carriers could project force farther than BBs and were quite a bit more versatile - not to mention cruise missiles.

But now with the invention of the Rail Gun and the USN putting them into service, do you think a ship similar to the BBs of old may re-emerge to offer a larger platform for multiple rail guns?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6sAUHwTP4A

[Aktungbby]

Nope! much as I love the BB's especially the USS Iowa, the drill in the Persian Gulf a few years back and the current Chinese sat technology to take out big ships preclude the expense. The old gunboat diplomacy with national prestige reflections and Great White Fleets are long gone. http://www.cuttingedge.org/news/n2026.cfm (http://www.cuttingedge.org/news/n2026.cfm)

[Platapus]

If, that that is still a big if, the Navy weaponizes the Rail Gun, it will not be on big heavy battleship designs. More likely it will be on nuclear powered cruisers or even a destroyer sized craft.

[Jimbuna]

If, that that is still a big if, the Navy weaponizes the Rail Gun, it will not be on big heavy battleship designs. More likely it will be on nuclear powered cruisers or even a destroyer sized craft.

Yeah, far more cost effective :yep:

[TorpX]

More likely it will be on nuclear powered cruisers or even a destroyer sized craft.
Yes, I think since such a weapon requires a great deal of electrical power, a nuclear powerplant makes sense.