What was once considered science fiction is now, very close, to reality. The Electromagnetic (EM) Railgun developed by BAE Systems for the Office of Naval Research will certainly change the landscape of future warfare. With its cost effectiveness, devastating power, and myriad other benefits, the EM Railgun is something special. The best way to understand what an Electromagnetic Railgun is would be to understand the basic idea of ​​how it works. Two rails are electrically charged when they are parallel to each other. The projectile connects the two rails together, creating what is called the Lorentz force. The result is an electromagnetic force that sets the projectile in motion at speeds of up to 5,600 mph. The amount of power applied along with the size of the projectile helps determine the distance and speed at which the projectile will travel. The Navy's current focus is an EM Railgun that operates at up to 32 megajoules and has a range of 110 nautical miles. How fast is 5,600 mph? For starters, that's more than seven times the speed of sound and according to CBS News(David Mar...