Chapter 61: The Tale of the Romance Cannon
“Commencing test fire of the railgun.”
“Okay. You don’t need to wait for my signal; just go ahead and do it as you see fit.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
The Microwave Power Transmission System was functioning normally overall. There was an issue with the convergence becoming less precise as the distance increased, but this could be resolved with improvements to the transmitter. However, if we switched to a method utilizing spatial coherence, this issue would become moot.
“Destroyer 18 (Romeo), capacitor circuit open. Charging begins. Power transmission is now increasing. The internal load is within expected parameters.”
Firing the electromagnetic acceleration cannon (railgun) required an immense amount of power. Therefore, the power was first charged into the capacitor and then released all at once to meet the necessary energy demands. While it was technically possible to supply enough power to fire without using a capacitor, doing so would lead to excessive supply when the railgun wasn’t in use, making capacitor charging essential for operation.
“Capacitor voltage has reached the specified level. Firing the railgun.”
In an instant, a flash of light erupted from the barrel of the railgun mounted on the ship’s bow. Simultaneously, steam was released from the muzzle like the smoke of gunfire.
“First shot fired successfully.”
“Wow!”
“The projectile’s initial velocity is approximately 4,500 m/s. This is the expected result.”
For reference, the weight of the fired projectile was 20 kg, and its kinetic energy exceeded 200 megajoules (MJ). In comparison, the APDS of a 150mm smoothbore cannon has an initial velocity of 2,000 m/s and a projectile weight of 60 kg, resulting in a kinetic energy of 120 MJ. At this point, the railgun’s power was about 1.7 times greater. While the smoothbore cannon cannot achieve a higher acceleration due to its principles, the prototype railgun is designed to reach a maximum initial velocity of 8,000 m/s. In that case, the kinetic energy would reach 640 MJ. Furthermore, if improvements were made to the barrel and the projectile’s weight increased, that would directly translate into increased kinetic energy.
“Commencing barrel replacement.”
However, due to the nature of railguns, the surface of the rails becomes plasma-formed and gradually eroded with each shot. Therefore, after a certain number of firings, the rails need to be replaced. Compared to smoothbore cannons, the lifespan of the barrel is significantly shorter. The amount of heat generated during firing is also substantial, necessitating proper cooling. Metal increases in electrical resistance at high temperatures, making it impossible to fire without cooling.
“The replaced barrel will undergo precision inspection. Barrel replacement complete. Calibration begins. Loading the next round. Capacitor charging starts.”
The removed barrel was retrieved and replaced with a new one. The barrel, manufactured with molecular-level control by the industrial 3D printer, was joined with micrometer precision. Calibration was performed, but no significant adjustments were necessary. The sea surface was calm, and any slight swaying was absorbed by the excellent vibration-damping devices. While issues might arise during combat maneuvers, there was no reason to expect problems with the connections made by RINGO’s machines during peacetime.
“Charging complete. Firing the second round. Success. Loading the next round. Capacitor charging begins. We will conduct a continuous firing test.”
Following that, a series of five consecutive shots from the railgun were executed. Afterward, the power transmission was increased while continuing to test the rapid-fire capability.
“Barrel overheating; safety mechanisms have activated. Firing rate is 20 rounds per minute, with a rapid-fire count of 13 rounds.”
“Is the cooling system the issue?”
“Yes, Ma’am. However, if the gap between heat generation and cooling is too large, there is a risk of barrel deformation, so this may be our limit.”
The retrieved barrel would be sent for a precision inspection to assess its condition. They would thoroughly investigate whether the wear was within expected limits, whether there were any distortions or cracks, and whether the current was flowing properly—looking for issues that simulations might not have detected.
While The Core was an exceptionally capable computing device, accurately simulating physical properties required constructing precise models. Creating accurate models necessitated meticulous observation of the physical world, which in turn required high-precision sensors.
Delving too deeply into this could lead to a circular reasoning trap, so RINGO used a reasonably adequate computational model (according to RINGO’s standards). They would examine the discrepancies between the real-world results and the simulations, and if they fell within acceptable ranges, further prototypes would be developed. If problems arose, the model would be redesigned.
“If overheating is an issue, we might have to consider a multi-barrel system.”
“Yes, Ma’am. From a cost perspective, if we limit it to eight barrels firing at around 60 rounds per minute, the lifespan would be significantly extended.”
“If we can achieve 60 rounds per minute with the railgun, that would provide ample projectile energy…”
Considering an initial velocity of 8,000 m/s and a kinetic energy of 640 MJ raining down once per second, the target would have quite the predicament. According to calculations, this power would easily penetrate the skin of that Rain Croin. While it was uncertain if they could break through the mysterious barrier, its characteristics were known, and it was conquerable.
“Even if a monster on the level of Rain Croin attacks, we can at least feel secure for now.”
“Yes, Ma’am. As long as we remain within the range of the Microwave Power Transmission System, we can ensure defense. Additionally, we are currently constructing a large multi-stage electromagnetic coilgun at The Tree, which will significantly enhance our combat capabilities once operational.”
“Oh, right. The centipede cannon.”
The coilgun was a weapon that utilized the electromagnetic field within coils to launch projectiles without using contact rails. Unlike railguns, it did not suffer from issues of plasma formation and erosion of the barrel. However, it was less energy-efficient and had inferior initial velocity compared to railguns, so the plan was to arrange multiple coils in synchronization to ensure sufficient initial velocity. If the electromagnetic coils could be perfectly controlled, they could achieve astonishing initial velocities. Using superconducting coils would also alleviate some energy loss due to heat generation. However, this would result in larger turrets, making it impossible to mount them on destroyer-class ships.
“Theoretically, it is possible to deliver projectiles over a distance of 1,000 km. If we develop controllable (smart) projectiles, we could launch one-sided attacks from extreme long ranges.”
“Hmm, that sounds romantic. I can’t imagine a scenario where we’d use something like that in actual combat, but… as long as we develop it, we can mass-produce it with the printer…”
“Yes, Ma’am. It can also be applied to mass drivers, so let’s continue the development.”
The Tree was currently ramping up its mass production capabilities. Large drones for the power transmission network of the Microwave Power Transmission System, various materials and equipment for fortress construction. Modifications to the Alpha-class ship and prototypes for the next-generation vessels. The new fortress would be on land, so preparations for defensive machines were also necessary.
Fortunately, no hostile forces had been detected in the vicinity, so the demand for defensive capabilities was not particularly high. The primary mission would likely be to prevent the intrusion of wild animals. However, given the precedents set by Rain Croin and Worm, one could not afford to be complacent.
Information regarding monsters was being gathered in the Port Town of Terek. However, the local fauna was sparse, and not much useful information had been collected. This was largely due to the expansive wasteland of lava rock. For now, they had managed to glean that there were large, herbivorous monsters resembling aggressive cattle, as well as wolf-like monsters that preyed on them. However, these creatures were said to be rarely seen. Moreover, from aerial observations, such monsters had not been detected around the fortress construction site. The environment was nearly devoid of vegetation, making it inhospitable for large herbivorous creatures.
“It seems we won’t have to worry about a clash between magic and science like we feared in the beginning for a while.”
“Yes, Ma’am. At least as long as we remain within the currently controlled area, there should be no conflicts. However, we will be expanding our operational range soon. If that happens…”
“…we will eventually run into some faction. I’d like to find oil soon and develop large-scale mines. In that case, we might need to start enhancing our combat capabilities.”
“We’ll need eyes as well. Infiltration bots will be necessary, but reconnaissance using Communicator Androids will also be essential.”
“Hmm. Should we establish a base at the new fortress for that? We could even set up a dedicated AI.”
“Yes, Ma’am. I will consider it.”