U.S. Navy
Business Insider: The Navy's taking a hard look at hypervelocity railgun rounds for the Zumwalt destroyers that still don't have any ammo
* The Navy is considering arming the ammoless Zumwalt destroyers with hypervelocity railgun rounds.
* The service successfully test-fired hypervelocity projectiles, rounds designed for railguns, out of the standard Mk 45 5-inch deck guns aboard the destroyer USS Dewey during last year's Rim of the Pacific exercises.
* The test has apparently created new possibilities for the Zumwalt.
* "That is one thing that has been considered with respect to capability for this ship class," Zumwalt program manager Capt. Kevin Smith revealed recently, according to USNI News.
The embattled Zumwalt-class destroyers still don't have any ammunition, but the US Navy has an idea, or at least the beginnings of an idea.
The Navy has invested hundreds of millions of dollars and more than a decade into railgun research, which has run up against several technological roadblocks. But while the railgun may not turn out to be a worthwhile project, the railgun rounds seem to show promise.
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Update: Navy Studying Hyper Velocity Projectile, Other Ammo for Zumwalt Guns (USNI News)
WNU Editor:Bottom line. It is probably going to be years before the Zumwalts will have ammo for their guns.