Launching a missile with the range needed for naval combat through a battleship-style barrel would require a bore estimated at 22 to 24 inches. A missile more than 300 inches long needs a substantial launcher, but it does not require the proportions of a conventional 40- or 50-calibre gun. A 24-inch, 40-calibre barrel would be 960 inches, or 80 feet, long. That is longer than the proposed missile launcher needs. The concept is physically conceivable, but its enormous dimensions make its practical effectiveness doubtful.
Notable Point · 4:55:37-4:58:26
How large would a gun-launched missile barrel need to be?
A speculative battleship missile launcher needs a bore estimated at 22 to 24 inches, but a conventional artillery-length barrel would be excessive.