Since the old forum is gone, maybe a little analysis needs posting for investors who missed out on it before...
The prop states "This proposition will pay out at POP$100 if an electromagnetic railgun enters active service in one of the four branches of the military by January 1, 2009."
That means the rail gun has to be an official military weapon by the end of this year. NOT a prototype or a test model that gets installed on a ship or elsewhere. It has to be in "active service".
The rail gun that was delivered to the Navy just recently is a TEST model. Check out http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military_law/4231461.html?nav=RSS20
"Installation of the laboratory launcher is currently underway."
This isn't even a viable WEAPON yet... it's a laboratory unit.
Also, read this passage: "The more daunting challenge is the force of the rail gun itself: A few shots can dislodge the conducting rails—or even damage the barrel of the gun."
So it is an unreliable weapon that can break down pretty quickly.
Or how about this concluding passage? "Effective rail guns will require a major breakthrough in materials between now and 2020, to keep the guns themselves from being shredded by each high-velocity barrage. Which means that for now, rail guns are precisely like lasers in one crucial way: They’re Holy Grails, irresistible precisely because they’re out of reach."
Also, for this weapon to become an active duty system for the military, it would require funding. To get funding, you have to fight with Congress. And I can't find anyone mentioning fighting for rail gun funding anywhere on the net.
Finally, the news listings on the prop about the Aegis BMD system being deployed has NOTHING to do with rail guns. The Aegis BMD uses the SM-3 missile, which is propelled by "the same booster and dual thrust rocket motor as the Block IV missile...". It does not use a rail gun.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/systems/sm3.htm
So this is an obvious short. It's only in laboratory testing... it shakes itself apart... and there's no push to fund the purchase of this weapon.
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I shorted this one but it has been mysteriosly climbing. To enter active service the railgun would have to be tested made into a working weopon and retro fitted on a ship. THEIR IS NO WAY IT WILL HAPPEN IN A YEAR.
Yup, there are wad loads of government testing in order for the rail gun to enter active service, definitely a short.
whats with todays spike?
Latest news says it won't be fielded until 2020.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,327205,00.html
from forestville, new york
those guns are awsome just wait till they are man portable weapons of doom
www.peacenow.org
from forestville, new york
okay milk stop messin with me i like guns death killing i once threatened to blow up a school now go away
www.in_need_of_a_good_shrink.com
And how much do you want to bet that he has serial-killer handwriting? (Actually, I shouldn't be picking on him about that. My handwriting sucks.)
from forestville, new york
you are next
What in the blue fuck was that last statement? Admins, take this guy off!!!!
I agree. This is getting out of hand. Either take him off or give me mod rights and I'll do it.
He's outta here. Personal threats like these, no matter how ridiculous, will not be tolerated.
ALL RIGHT! But seriously, couldn't you have done that 25 minutes earlier, before I responded to him in the love for the admins thread? Anyway, thanks a lot!
And Bill, watch your language. I'd hate to see you get kicked.
from Northfield, Vt
never happen in a year, osprey took how long to finally be deployed 3-4 yrs into iraq war even after extensive testing.
Yeah, but the Osprey kept killing people.
Peoples.
RAILGUNS ARE SCIENCE FICTION. the only vendor capable of delivering one of these in time to fulfill this prop wears a red suit, a white beard and keeps the company of elves and reindeers. The power demands are too high, and they have a nasty habit of shaking themselves apart after only a few rounds. Its not a weapon now, and it won't be a weapon soon.
Trips to Luna and probes to other planets used to be science fiction too.
from Northfield, Vt
yeah but the rail gun has also had it problems, instability after a few shot, not what the military wants, the reason it killed people was because of a mechanical malfunction just like the rail gun it will not be in for a while
Isn't it designed to kill people?
you probably don't want the user of it to be killed though
Ahh, the grunts are expendable.
Yes, that's why they send them out in the field to drag heavy metal plates through minefields.
au RAIL I remember this shorted at the start lost a hell of a lot of money but its a sure short people as much as I want a railgun to help our troops out its not coming any where near production until the materials get ready and that is simply not happening in the next few years