Abstract: A single skirt projectile (20) having an insulating skirt (22) at its rear, or a dual trailing skirt projectile (30, 40, 50, 60) having an insulating skirt (32, 42, 52, 62) succeeded by an arc extinguishing skirt (34, 44, 54, 64), is accelerated by a railgun accelerator 10 having a pair of parallel conducting rails (1a, 1b) which are separated by insulating wall spacers (11). The insulating skirt (22, 32, 42, 52, 62) includes a plasma channel (38). The arc extinguishing skirt (34, 44, 54, 64) interrupts the conduction that occurs in the insulating skirt channel (38) by blocking the plasma arc (3) from conducting current from rail to rail (1a, 1b) at the rear of the projectile (30, 40, 50, 60). The arc extinguishing skirt may be comprised of two plates (36a, 36b) which form a horseshoe wherein the plates are parallel to the rails (1a, b); a chisel-shape design; cross-shaped, or it may be a cylindrical (64).

Abstract: A projectile for a railgun that uses a hybrid armature and provides a seed block around part of the outer surface of the projectile to seed the hybrid plasma brush. In addition, the hybrid armature is continuously vaporized to replenish plasma in a plasma armature to provide a tandem armature and provides a unique ridge and groove to reduce plasama blowby.

Abstract: An electromagnetic railgun accelerator system, for accelerating projectiles (14, 15, 114, 214, 314, 414) by a plasma arc (3), introduces a breakdown inhibiting gas into the railgun chamber (26) behind the accelerating projectile (14). The breakdown inhibiting gas, which absorbs electrons, is a halide or a halide compound such as fluorine or SF.sub.6. The gas is introduced between the railgun rails (12) after the projectile (14) has passed through inlets (16) in the rails (12) or the projectile (114); by coating the rails (12) or the projectile (15) with a material (28) which releases the gas after the projectile (14) passes over it; by fabricating the rails (12) or the projectile (15) or insulators out of a material which releases the gas into the portions of the chamber (26) through which the projectile has travelled. The projectile (214, 314, 414) may have a cavity (232, 332, 432) at its rear to control the release of ablation products (4).

Abstract: An electromagnetic railgun accelerator system, for accelerating projectiles (14, 15, 114, 214, 314, 444) by a plasma arc (3), introduces a breakdown inhibiting gas into the railgun chamber (26) behind the accelerating projectile (14). The breakdown inhibiting gas, which absorbs electrons, is a halide or a halide compound such as fluorine or SF.sub.6. The gas is introduced between the railgun rails (12) after the projectile (14) has passed through inlets (16) in the rails (12) or the projectile (114); by coating the rails (12) or the projectile (15) with a material (28) which releases the gas after the projectile (14 ) passes over it; by fabricating the rails (12) or the projectile (15) or insulators out of a material which releases the gas into the portions of the chamber (26) through which the projectile has travelled. The projectile (214, 314, 414) may have a cavity (232, 332, 432) at its rear to control the release of ablation products (4).

Abstract: A low voltage plasma arc is first established across the rails behind the projectile by switching a low voltage high current source across the rails to establish a plasma arc by vaporizing a fuse mounted on the back of the projectile, maintaining the voltage across the rails below the railgun breakdown voltage to prevent arc formation ahead of the projectile. After the plasma arc has been formed behind the projectile a discriminator switches the full energy bank across the rails to accelerate the projectile. A gas gun injector may be utilized to inject a projectile into the breech of a railgun. The invention permits the use of a gas gun or gun powder injector and an evacuated barrel without the risk of spurious arc formation in front of the projectile.

Abstract: A multiple stage magnetic railgun accelerator (10) for accelerating a projectile (15) by movement of a plasma arc (13) along the rails (11,12). The railgun (10) is divided into a plurality of successive rail stages (10a-n) which are sequentially energized by separate energy sources (14a-n) as the projectile (15) moves through the bore (17) of the railgun (10). Propagation of energy from an energized rail stage back towards the breech end (29) of the railgun (10) can be prevented by connection of the energy sources (14a-n) to the rails (11,12) through isolation diodes (34a-n). Propagation of energy from an energized rail stage back towards the breech end of the railgun can also be prevented by dividing the rails (11,12) into electrically isolated rail sections (11a-n, 12a-n). In such case means (55a-n) are used to extinguish the arc at the end of each energized stage and a fuse (31) or laser device (61) is used to initiate a new plasma arc in the next energized rail stage.