9 MJ laboratory gun and range at The University of Texas at Austin

The authors describe a 9 MJ laboratory gun and range program. The goal of the program is to demonstrate a single-shot EM (electromagnetic) gun suitable for establishing gun parameters for repetitive EM gun systems and for supporting projectile development. A description is given of the activities of phase I of this program, wherein the power supply has been prepared, the range has been designed and constructed, a one-half-scale and a full-scale gun have been designed and constructed, and the one-half-scale gun has been assembled and undergone initial tests. Of significance is that within a six-shot test sequence on the one-half-scale gun the electric gun has matched the muzzle velocity of the conventional gun that is operated on the M1E1 battle tank