Kratos Defense contracted to develop electromagnetic railgun technology

The Defense and Rocket Support Services division of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. recently awarded a $20 million contract to develop an electromagnetic railgun program.

The contract is estimated to be approximately two years long and was awarded by an undisclosed customer in the United States government.

The railgun concept was once purely in the realm of science fiction, but technological advances have made electromagnetic-propelled armaments a reality. The U.S. Navy demonstrated the powerful new technology earlier this year.

The Navy’s railgun can fire, or more accurately launch, a projectile at mach 7, or seven times the speed of sound. That means there’s no need for an explosive element in the railgun projectile as the massive force itself does all the damage necessary, even while hitting targets at a range of 110 miles away.

No specs on the Kratos project have been released yet, but if the Navy’s railgun is any indication, the product developed by the company will have some major power.

San Diego, California-based Kratos Defense & Security is a leading U.S. provider of hardware, products, solutions and support services for National Security programs and initiatives.

The company specializes in directed and high-energy systems, hypersonics and ballistic missile defense.