Railgun
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A railgun is a device that uses electromagnetic repulsion to accelerate a projectile. Currently the United States military is looking into the use of railguns as naval weapons, although it will be some time before the first railguns are mounted aboard a US navy ship.
Einhander is notable for being an avid fan of this technology.
Railguns in Science Fiction
Railguns are common weapons in science fiction; a few notable examples follow...
- In the current television series Battlestar Galactica, railguns are the primary anti-ship and point-defense weapons of the Galactica, as well as being the standard weapons of Colonial and Cylon fighter craft.
- In the Stargate universe, rapid-fire railguns are used by the United States as point defense weapons starting some time before the second season of Stargate: Atlantis; they are used both as ship-mounted weapons and as towed AA emplacements (distingishable by blue tracers).
- In the Warhammer 40,000 Universe, the Forces of the Tau Empire make use of Railguns both by their navy and ground forces with vehicle mounted weapons on Hammerhead Gunships and to their infantry as sniper rifles.