US brings giant cannon back into service: what it's for (PHOTO)

The US Army has successfully tested a hypersonic warhead using a giant artillery system instead of an expensive rocket. The tests took place at the Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona. The new method is expected to reduce testing costs. The system is based on the canceled Strategic Long Range Cannon (SLRC) project, developed over about two years with the participation of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the US Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center.

The US Army has successfully tested a hypersonic warhead using an unusual launch method: instead of an expensive rocket, the military used a giant artillery system built on the basis of a canceled super-long-range cannon project. The tests took place at the Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona. The military said that for the first time they were able to conduct a full-scale test of a hypersonic warhead using a special cannon system that can reproduce conditions close to the final stage of hypersonic weapon flight. The new method is expected to significantly reduce the cost of such tests: instead of launching a rocket costing millions of dollars, engineers will be able to use an artillery system to evaluate the behavior of the warhead under extreme speeds and loads. The project was developed over about two years with the participation of specialists from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the US Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center. A special launch system was created for the tests, capable of withstanding the enormous overloads that occur during firing. Before the main test, specialists conducted a series of launches with inert samples, after which they refined the design and proceeded to test the live version. According to the US Army, all assigned tasks were successfully completed during the final launch. The system used is based on the Strategic Long Range Cannon (SLRC) project, which was discontinued several years ago after Congress decided to stop funding the program. Now this technology has found a new application. The Pentagon believes that this approach will allow faster acquisition of data on the characteristics of new warheads and improve their design.