Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:34:46-1:35:10

Railgun magazines might store energy in distributed batteries

Flywheels could store energy for repeated shots, but modular batteries and capacitors appeared easier to distribute through a ship and retrofit into existing designs.

BatteriesCapacitorsEnergy StorageFlywheelsRailgunsWarship Design
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Question

Would flywheels make the best energy magazine for repeated railgun shots?

Short answer

They could work, but distributed batteries or capacitors appeared easier to integrate aboard ships.

Notes

A future railgun ship would need a dedicated energy store for repeated shots. Flywheels are technically useful, but batteries or capacitors appeared more likely in this 2020 forecast. Modular electrical storage can be split among spaces around a hull, making it easier to integrate into existing ship designs. Both approaches carry hazards, and maturing naval battery technology might also influence conventional-submarine design.