Rail Guns - Re-birth of the Battleship?

CybrSlydr · 01-30-15, 09:28 AM

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?

Aktungbby · 01-30-15, 11:52 AM

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

Platapus · 01-30-15, 07:54 PM

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 · 01-31-15, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

Yeah, far more cost effective

TorpX · 02-01-15, 12:58 AM

Quote:

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.

01-30-15, 09:28 AM	#1
CybrSlydr Lieutenant Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Beverly, OH Posts: 263 Downloads: 13 Uploads: 0	Rail Guns - Re-birth of the Battleship? 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? __________________

01-30-15, 11:52 AM	#2
Aktungbby Gefallen Engel U-666 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: On a tilted, overheated, overpopulated spinning mudball on Collision course with Andromeda Galaxy Posts: 29,984 Downloads: 24 Uploads: 0	reconsidering Operation Millennium Challenge 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 __________________ "Only two things are infinite; The Universe and human squirrelyness?!!

01-30-15, 07:54 PM	#3
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,360 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	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. __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.