Japan’s Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) announced on September 10 that it had completed offshore firing trials of an electromagnetic railgun.
According to ATLA, the tests took place between June and early July aboard the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s test vessel Asuka. The system, mounted on the ship, carried out long-range firings and struck a target vessel during the trial.The agency released four images from the exercise, showing the railgun in operation, including one sequence where it was directed at a surface target.
The railgun uses electrical energy to fire projectiles at very high speeds. ATLA noted that while conventional tank guns typically fire at 1,750 meters per second, the railgun achieved muzzle velocities above 2,500 meters per second. The system allows adjustments to projectile velocity, range, and impact without chemical propellants.
Because it employs smaller, non-explosive projectiles, ATLA said the weapon is more difficult to detect or intercept, offering potential advantages in contested environments.
ATLA first demonstrated the system in 2023, describing it then as the world’s first successful ship-based railgun firing. The latest trials expand on that achievement and are expected to be discussed further at the ATLA Symposium scheduled for November 11–12.
The agency frames the railgun as part of Japan’s broader response to regional security challenges, particularly ballistic missile threats. It is being developed as a potential tool for intercepting high-speed airborne or naval targets, as well as for long-range precision strikes at sea.
Japan’s work on electromagnetic weapons aligns with its ongoing Self-Defense Forces modernization program. While the U.S. Navy has discontinued its railgun program, Japan’s continued testing could renew international interest in electrically powered weapon systems.