Navy invests $10 million in next generation weapons.

Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded Raytheon a $10 million contract to develop a Pulse Forming Network (PFN), which will power future weapons such as railguns, lasers, and advanced radar systems. The PFN is a power storage system, capable of delivering large amounts of power at once in the form of an electrical pulse.

The main focus for the PFN at this stage is to build a powerful railgun, which will use electromagnetism to enable projectiles to reach great distances without the use of an explosive charge or rocket motor. The projectile will travel up to 220 miles in less than six minutes and exit the atmosphere before hitting its target at a velocity of 5,000 feet per second.

“This new system will dramatically change how our Navy defends itself and engages enemies while at sea,” said Joe Biondi, vice president of Advanced Technology for Raytheon’s Integrated Defense Systems business. “We have the expertise to design and build a solution that provides our warfighters with a decisive advantage over a multitude of current and emerging threats.”