MARAUDER (Magnetically Accelerated Ring to Achieve Ultra-high Directed Energy and Radiation) was a United States Air Force Research Laboratory project concerning the development of a coaxial plasma railgun. The first computer simulations occurred in 1990, and its first published experiment appeared on August 1, 1993.
Objectives
The first MARAUDER experiment was motivated by RACE, or the Ring Accelerator Experiment, which took place in 1991 at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The ultimate goal of the MARAUDER program was to accelerate highly dense toroids containing plasma to high speeds. Such a system could be used for "hypervelocity projectiles," x-ray production, and electrical power amplification. The stated goals of the program included studying the "formation, compression, and acceleration of magnetized plasma rings."
See also
- Casaba-Howitzer
- Directed-energy weapon
- Nuclear pumped laser
- Plasma-powered cannon