More Information on US Navy Railgun RFI

Fighting ballistic missiles, stealthy targets, swarmed surface and supersonic threats are high on the Pentagon’s wish list for its future electromagnetic rail gun, according to a request for information (RFI) for a rail gun fire control systems from Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) that posted in Dec. 22 but was quickly taken down.

The RFI for rail gun fire control systems was pulled because it posted earlier than intended due to a clerical error, NAVSEA officials told USNI News on Monday. The final announcement will repost on FedBizOpps later this month.

Regardless, the rescinded RFI — issued by NAVSEA on behalf of Directed Energy and Electric Weapons Program Office (PMS 405), the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) — gives major hints in how the U.S. wants to employ future rail guns.

The RFI sought a prototype system for a, “multi-mission railgun weapon system to support detect, track and engagement of ballistic missiles and air and watercraft threats,” by 2018 and an operational weapon by 2025.

NASEA asked industry to address at least one of the following areas:

• Ability to track low [radar cross section] (stealth) targets at extended ranges
• Electronically scanned coverage (FOV) of greater than 90 degrees in azimuth and elevation
• Endo atmospheric tracking and engagement of ballistic missile targets
• Environmental clutter rejection (weather, surface, biological)
• Support raid handling for ballistic missile, Anti-Air Warfare and Surface engagements
• Simultaneous tracking of inbound targets and outbound supersonic projectiles

The document did not outline speeds or ranges NAVSEA is seeking for the effort. In addition to air threats, the RFI also stressed the ability for the system to track and attack surface targets.

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