A U.S. Navy superweapon that uses electricity and magnetic force instead of explosives to rapidly fire hundreds of projectiles at speeds faster than a speeding bullet. The system launches projectiles with such power that it ignites the air around it. The railgun's underlying technology was originally designed to arm ships with long-range kinetic energy warheads while eliminating the hazards of high powered explosives.

The electromagnetic railgun is potentially a game-changing war-fighting and disruptive technology. It made history on Dec. 10 2011 by releasing a 33-megajoule shot at the Naval Surface Warfare centre Dahlgren Division.