U.S. Navy restarts railgun firing trials in New Mexico

The United States Navy resumed testing of its electromagnetic railgun weapon system in February 2025 at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, according to a recent review published by Naval Sea Systems Command.

The renewed testing effort comes after the railgun program had largely been paused for several years due to budget constraints and shifting development priorities. The February trials were intended to gather technical data needed to evaluate the weapon’s performance under controlled conditions.

According to information published in the review, the testing was conducted during a three-day campaign in February at White Sands Missile Range.

“WSD tested a railgun to collect critical information about high-velocity firing during a three-day campaign at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) in New Mexico. The testing in February was a joint effort between WSD and NSWC Dahlgren Division in Virginia and conducted for Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA)’s Joint Hypersonics Transition Office.”

The statement indicates that the trials were carried out by WSD, working together with the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division in Virginia. The effort was conducted on behalf of the Joint Hypersonics Transition Office under Naval Sea Systems Command.

Electromagnetic railguns use powerful electrical currents to create magnetic fields that accelerate solid metal projectiles to extremely high speeds. Unlike traditional artillery systems, the railgun launches projectiles without using chemical propellants.

Instead, the weapon relies on electrical energy stored in capacitors that is released through conductive rails. When the current passes through the rails, it creates electromagnetic forces that propel the projectile forward at very high velocity.

Because the projectile does not contain explosives, the weapon relies on kinetic energy generated by its speed to damage the target. At extreme velocities, the impact energy alone can be enough to destroy or disable targets.

The railgun concept attracted attention within the U.S. Navy during the early 2000s as a potential long-range naval weapon capable of striking targets at distances far beyond conventional naval guns.

Research into the technology formally began in 2005 under the Office of Naval Research, which funded early experimental systems designed to demonstrate the feasibility of electromagnetic launch technology.

Over the following years, the railgun program encountered multiple engineering and funding challenges. Development efforts were repeatedly paused or reduced as the Navy evaluated competing modernization priorities and technical hurdles.

The Navy tested at least two railgun prototypes during earlier phases of the program. One design was developed by BAE Systems, while another prototype was produced by General Atomics.

Both systems used the same fundamental principle of electromagnetic launch, accelerating solid projectiles using magnetic forces generated by powerful electrical currents.

The BAE Systems prototype served as the primary system used in earlier Navy research and development experiments. Testing during those years focused on measuring projectile velocity, barrel wear, power requirements, and accuracy.

One of the main technical challenges associated with railgun weapons is the extreme stress placed on the launch rails during firing. The high electrical currents and intense heat generated during each shot can rapidly wear down the system’s components.

Another challenge involves generating and managing the large amounts of electrical power required to operate the weapon. Railguns require electrical systems capable of delivering rapid bursts of energy far beyond what conventional naval artillery requires.

Because of these challenges, the program experienced several pauses while engineers worked to address technical issues and budget considerations. At the same time, other countries have continued pursuing their own railgun development programs.

Reports indicate that both China and Japan have conducted experiments with electromagnetic launch weapons.

Japan has begun deploying an early railgun prototype on a naval vessel for further testing, while China has reportedly modified several ships to support trials of similar systems designed to evaluate the technology at sea.

These international development efforts have maintained interest in electromagnetic launch systems as a potential future weapon for naval platforms.

The renewed U.S. Navy testing effort at White Sands Missile Range suggests that the service continues to evaluate the technology’s potential, even after earlier development phases were slowed.

White Sands Missile Range is frequently used for advanced weapons testing because of its large controlled test environment and instrumentation capable of tracking high-speed projectiles.

Data collected during the February testing campaign will likely help engineers better understand how railgun systems perform during repeated high-velocity launches.