Congress has not budgeted funding for the Long Range Strategic Cannon (SLRC) program in the 2022 budget. A Pentagon spokeswoman noted that even if the scientific and technological efforts were successful, the production of the weapon and its deployment would cost billions of dollars, writes Pop Mech Pro.
The firing range of 1800 kilometers far exceeds the characteristics of any weapon. Cannons mounted on Iowa-class battleships hit a target at a distance of almost 50 km.
Volley of guns of the battleship “Iowa”, 1984
Initially, the SLRC was positioned as a tool for the Indo-Pacific region with its huge distances. The SLRC stationed in the Philippines could strike at Shanghai. From the territory of Japan, large artillery mounts are able to hit even Beijing. The army believed that the guns could be aimed at Chinese bases and even warships in the South China Sea.
The project became the subject of study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. A select committee was tasked with “assessing the key technologies, materials, and manufacturing capabilities needed to make the program effective.” The hearings were closed to the public, but it is likely that the SLRC would have used “electromagnetic launch” to achieve hypersonic speeds.
We do not know what conclusion the experts came to, but the wording “even if scientific and technical efforts succeed” indicates that the military is not sure about the effectiveness of the weapon.