Japan launched a projectile from a rail cannon at a ship, the first successful shot in the world

Japan, not the USA, has made a breakthrough

The United States began developing railguns many years ago, but eventually curtailed the program due to too much technical complexity and energy consumption. And now a breakthrough has happened where it was not expected.: Japan has announced that its warship has successfully hit a target ship with a marine rail cannon for the first time in the world. This is not a test at the test site, but a full-fledged test in real conditions.

Tokyo is not just catching up, it is overtaking.

How does a rail gun work on a ship

The railgun uses electromagnetic force, not gunpowder, to accelerate the projectile to hypersonic speeds — more than Mach 5. Two parallel rails pass a powerful current, creating a magnetic field that literally shoots the projectile forward. No explosions, no gases, just speed and kinetic energy.

Hitting a ship with such a projectile is comparable to hitting a meteorite: it penetrates armor, causes internal destruction, without requiring explosives.

Why did the United States curtail the program, but Japan did not

The US Navy had ambitious plans, but ran into problems: the guns wore out quickly, required a huge amount of energy, and the service life of the barrels was too short. As a result, the project was suspended.

Japan went the other way. Using advanced materials, compact capacitors, and expertise in electronics, Japanese engineers have managed to create a system that is smaller, consumes energy more efficiently, and lasts longer. The development is being carried out with the participation of the MOD Defense Agency and the Self-Defense Forces (JGSDF).

What does this mean for the future of artillery

If Japan brings the system to mass production, it will change the rules of the game. A railgun is cheaper than missiles, almost inexhaustible (shells can be stored like ordinary blanks), and very fast. It can be used against drones, boats, ships, and even ballistic targets.

This is not fiction. This is the beginning of a new era — from gunpowder to electromagnetism.

Sources

1. Invoen.ru — JS Asuka rail-gun trials: test details & technical specs
2. Gazeta.ru — World’s first sea trial of a rail-gun, photos & video
3. Kommersant — firing results & JMSDF statements
4. Hi-Tech.mail.ru — prototype rail-gun mounted on test ship JS Asuka
5. Naked Science — photos & video of the rail-gun firing from JS Asuka

The US Air Force has successfully tested a lightweight version of the QUICKSINK anti-ship aerial bomb

On June 4, 2025, the US Air Force successfully tested a new lightweight version of the QUICKSINK anti-ship munition at the Gulf Test Range at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. During the test, the B-2 Spirit strategic stealth bomber dropped a 500-pound (about 226 kg) high-precision aerial bomb, demonstrating its flexibility and expanding the arsenal of weapons to defeat naval targets.

The QUICKSINK program is aimed at creating inexpensive, but powerful and accurate weapons capable of effectively hitting both stationary and moving surface ships. The new lightweight version of the munition expands the operational capabilities of combat unit commanders, allowing them to quickly respond to threats in the marine environment.

Dan Lehoski, Commander of the 53rd Air Wing, described QUICKSINK as an "affordable and revolutionary solution" for neutralizing naval targets. The project is being implemented jointly by the US Air Force Research Laboratory, the Air Force Combat Test Center and the Air Combat Operations Command.

The tests took place against the backdrop of the build-up of China's naval forces, which has the world's largest fleet, which poses serious challenges to US dominance in the Pacific Ocean. The development of QUICKSINK is designed to increase the effectiveness of American forces in countering such threats.

The US conducted a simulated military operation with anti-ship weapons in the Philippines amid China's buildup in disputed waters

During the annual Balikatan 2025 joint military exercises taking place in the Philippines from April 21 to June 6, the United States demonstrated for the first time the use of the advanced NMESIS (Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System) anti-ship system. This system includes land-based launchers with Naval Strike Missile anti-ship missiles mounted on unmanned light tactical vehicles capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 180 kilometers.

The exercises, which involve more than 4,000 troops from the United States and the Philippines, as well as representatives from Australia, Japan and South Korea, cover a wide range of scenarios, from traditional combat operations to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. For the first time, NMESIS is being used in live firing exercises, which significantly increases combat readiness and modernizes the defense capabilities of the Philippines.

At the same time, China continues to expand its naval presence in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, including building artificial islands and conducting combat patrols near disputed reefs and atolls such as Scarborough. These actions are causing concern to neighboring countries and the international community, given the strategic importance of the region and the tension around maritime borders.

The US demonstration of new anti-ship weapons capabilities in the Philippines serves as a signal of Washington's readiness to support its allies and restrain China's expansionist ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region.

China has unveiled a breakthrough maritime air defense system to combat hypersonic weapons and UAVs

 

In the April issue of the Chinese defense magazine Modern Weaponry, a new development was presented — a prototype of a naval air defense system designed to repel a wide range of threats, including hypersonic anti-ship missiles, cruise missiles, and drones, including swarms. attacks .

This system, according to Chinese experts, represents  the world's first approach to integrated terminal ship protection, combining elements of microwave weapons, rapid-fire anti-aircraft guns and a high-precision radar tracking system. This integrated solution makes it possible to effectively intercept targets at the final stage of their attack, when traditional air defense systems often turn out to be helpless.

The creation of this system was a logical step in China's efforts to modernize its naval forces. In recent years, the Celestial Empire has been actively developing technologies to counter high-speed precision weapons, which are increasingly being used both in theoretical scenarios and in real conflicts.  

Previously, such complexes as FK-4000, equipped with antenna arrays to combat inconspicuous targets, and Bullet Curtain, capable of forming a "wall of projectiles" to repel massive attacks, have already been presented. The new system will be an important addition to these solutions, creating a multi-level air defense model suitable for use both on ships and on the coast.

Given the tensions in the South China Sea and possible clashes with American military groups, the development of powerful air defense systems is a strategic priority of China. This is especially relevant in light of the emergence of new types of weapons, such as the Russian Zircon or similar Western hypersonic missiles, which endanger even the most modern ships if they are not adequately protected.

Thus, the new air defense system is not just a technological breakthrough, but also an important element of China's defense capability, aimed at ensuring the safety of its surface forces in the era of smart combat drones and hypersound.