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Japan is investing in a new electromagnetic cannon and promises to innovate in the weapons sector. The equipment successfully fired 120 shots during tests.
Japan has begun testing a variant of its new electromagnetic railgun on the JS Asuka (ASE-6102) test vessel, images released on X on April 9, 2025, show. The weapon, which features an angular design, appears to be a major advancement on the system first tested in March 2023, developed by Japan's Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency (ATLA).
New electromagnetic cannon has been studied for over 15 years
The JS Asuka, launched in 1994, is a unique vessel in the fleet of Maritime Force Japan Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), used solely as a test platform.
The ship is 151 meters long and has a displacement of 6.200 tons and has served as a base for experiments with radars, propulsion systems, missiles and torpedoes for almost 30 years. Its history includes testing the OQQ-XX sonar, the FCS-3 radar and the COGLAG hybrid propulsion, as well as contributing to responding to natural disasters.
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The Asuka has a hangar for H-60 helicopters and space for towed sonar equipment, and is frequently modified to accommodate technology. In 2022, it participated in the test of the A-SAM anti-aircraft missile, currently known as the Type 23, and in recent years it has been optimized for tests of the VDS+TASS sonar of the Mogami class frigates.
The design of Japan's new electromagnetic cannon began with research in the 2010s and evolved into the development of a 40mm model.
In 2022, the system reached speeds exceeding 2.000 m/s and carried out 120 successful firings. In October 2023, the world's first test firing of the equipment at sea was carried out, with a 6-meter-long, 8-tonne model installed on the ship.
Find out how the test carried out by Japan went
The test used two types of 320-gram projectiles and featured a power supply system consisting of four containers, including a capacitor bank with a capacity of 5 megajoules. In images released, it is possible to note the extensive cabling and robust assembly of the system present on the ship.
Japan has also been signing contracts with international partners to develop electromagnetic weapons. An ATLA engineer was assigned to a U.S. Navy research center between 2023 and 2024, and in May of the same year, Tokyo signed a cooperation agreement with France and Germany to exchange data and possible joint projects.
The new electromagnetic truck is part of Japan's strategy to develop interception capabilities against hypersonic threats. The Defense Ministry's plans include prototypes of small-caliber naval versions by 2027 and medium-caliber models for land and ship use by 2028, with miniaturization of the power system expected from 2030.
Learn what an electromagnetic cannon is
Electromagnetic cannons use electromagnetism to fire objects even at very high speeds. In fact, this type of instrument has a centuries-old history. In fact, the first project of this type was carried out in 1918 by the Frenchman Louis Octave Fauchon-Villeplee and was clearly intended for military purposes.
This first prototype of an electric cannon consisted of two parallel conducting rods connected by the wings of a projectile. This entire device was then entirely surrounded by a magnetic field.
Over the years, this idea has been revisited numerous times. For example, during the Second World War, it was explored by the German Joachim Hansler to design an electric anti-aircraft cannon. Even today, this type of technology continues to be used almost exclusively by the armed forces of several countries.
