THUNDERBOLT

The Thunderbolt program is being conducted by the Westinghouse Marine Division in Sunnyvale, CA, with funding from the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization's Innovation Science and Technology Office, and managed by the RAEV Division of the Defense Nuclear Agency. The facility will provide 60 MJ of energy at 21 kV from capacitor banks for powering breech-fed or distributed energy railgun electromagnetic launchers. After discharge from the capacitor banks, the energy pulse is shaped with room temperature solenoidal inductors, with switching being provided by D- and E-sized ignitrons. Fast recharging of the capacitor banks could permit repetitive operation. A screened room provides protection for the control and data acquisition equipment, while a single-point grounding scheme protects against ground loops. A substantial foundation provides support for the catch tank, while high-vacuum equipment will permit operation at high velocities with the round bore railgun. Preinjection of the test projectiles to velocities of about 1 km/s is provided by a helium gas gun to minimize damage to the breech section of the railgun. In addition to providing more details on Thunderbolt, this paper describes operating experience and results obtained with a subscale launcher (SUVAC II) at the Westinghouse R&D Center in Pittsburgh, PA. Data obtained at this facility has led to the selection of materials and operating techniques for Thunderbolt.