A comparison of armature performance

All electromagnetic launchers require that the launch package have an armature. The armature is the component in which the electromagnetic forces are generated. In this paper we examine "armature efficiency" as one measure of armature performance which permits direct comparison of metal, plasma, and hybrid armatures. Efficiency also translates directly to energy and power requirements. In this paper we examine the efficiency of metal and plasma armatures for rail guns. The operating regimes in which each type performs best are identified.