China's new X-shaped rail gun design doubles firepower, improves range

Chinese military researchers have developed a novel "double-decker" X-shaped rail gun design aimed at overcoming the firepower and range limitations of existing rail guns. The design stacks two rail guns vertically within a single barrel, each with its own independent power circuit, allowing them to operate in parallel without magnetic interference. This configuration uses four rails and two U-shaped armatures working together, enabling the weapon to potentially launch a 132-pound (60 kg) projectile at speeds of Mach 7, significantly increasing the shell size and firepower compared to the current Chinese naval rail gun, which fires 33-pound (15 kg) shells. The new design promises a range of approximately 248 miles (400 km), with projectiles reaching targets in about six minutes and impact speeds exceeding Mach 4. However, the technology remains untested in live-fire scenarios, and researchers acknowledge challenges such as the "proximity effect," where interference between nearby electrical currents could affect performance and reliability. The team, led by Associate Professor