A coilgun-based plate launch system

The characteristics and performance of a system for launching metal plates, based on a subscale prototype of a magnetic induction gun, are described. This system is meant to augment the armor of a combat vehicle, by allowing for the interception and disruption of incoming rounds before they strike. Electromagnetic launch is being considered as an alternative to explosive l aunch because it has several advantages: it causes no damage to the platfor m, does not require a special logistics train, allows for novel launch geom etries, and ties in well with the concept of an all-electric vehicle. The l auncher is similar to one previously reported, however significant changes have been made in both its design and its power supply design. A brief hist ory of the evolution of launcher designs at the U.S. Army Research Laborato ry is included and key design issues, as identified by both experimentation and theoretical modeling, are presented.