Our Science: Titan Guns

Our Science: Titan Guns
- September 20, 1998 -
Featured in 'The Colossal Protector of the Continent'

Situated in a suburban area near the ancient city of San Salvacion of the Usean Continent are the Interceptor Cannons. This is the Anti-Asteroid Continental-Defense Base built based on the FCU's Defense Initiative codenamed Project STN. In fall, 10 months away from the closest proximity of Ulysses, we visited the 2nd interceptor area where the system had already been in test operation.

'The Colossal Protector of the Continent'
We had heard that it was huge, but it was larger than we had thought. The size of the site was almost that of a small town. As a single-purpose facility, this scale was unparalleled. Tens of thousands of heaps of concrete panels were paved and piled up in circles, reflecting the sunlight into the faces of us reporters. The cranes carrying materials looked like a herd of big dinosaurs and the rumbles of UTO planes patrolling the airspace overhead sounded like roars. On the ground, numerous mechanical engineers were incessantly coming and going, which reminded us of worker ants. After a while or so, the gigantic figure started to reveal itself in the distance. Those enormous gun turrets staring up at the sky would play a pivotal role for the future of mankind. The huge circle structure stood magnificent as if to take us back to the ancient times. This indeed was Stonehenge.

According to Dr. Yang Tomic, head of the 28th Development Design Bureau of the Project STN Committee, the current progress is that "it is 80 percent complete as we successfully conducted the first test-fire the other day." The entire facility is divided into 8 areas like a pizza, and each octant is now conducting test operations respectively. There is one gun turret per one area, and they will ultimately function under a synthesized control system to facilitate all-direction interception. The range of the guns will be approximately 1200km in radius to cover the almost entire Usean Continent.

There have been numerous Spaceguard plans so far, but there has never been a Spaceguard project as substantial as this in the past. Furthermore, astounding technologies have been put into both the hardware and software by all corporations and scientists participating in this project in order to attain absolute success.

'Toward Absolute Trust Ability'
The official name of the Interceptor Cannons is "the 120cm-Caliber-Anti-Surface-And-Air Gunpowder-And-Electromagnetic-Propelling Semiautomatic-Fixated-Guns." This is an extended form of a rail gun with hybridized propelling forces. First, gunpowder is used as a propellant, and then the projectile is accelerated even more with magnetic forces. The top speed of the projectile is 6km/sec by using this method. Originally, they aimed for the acceleration up to 8km/sec (= Mach 23 = 1st Cosmic Velocity). However, considering time that can be spent for the development and the reliability needed for the project, it's decided that it should not be so. To that end, the development is now being done on a currently practical level along with existing technologies.

The reason why they choose gunpowder first is that if the projectile is accelerated solely by magnetic forces, then Joule heat (heat released when an electric current passes through a confuctor) will melt the gun turret. Also, a vast quantity of electricity is consumed in a single firing sequence. So, in order to save the quantity of electricity charged in the capacitor and to facilitate consecutive firing, the dual use of gunpowder and electromagnetic forces.

How to charge electricity in the capacitor was the largest issue in this Asteroid Intercept Project. Electric power itself could be supplied by the specialized nuclear power generator, but the size of the capacitor capable of accumulating such a large quantity of electricity would be quite a problem. In addition, in the early stage of the development, it was under consideration whether or not the rail guns should be locomotive, but the idea was later abandoned because the rail guns themselves could be so made, but the capacitor couldn't. It was inevitable that the size of a capacitor that could store as much energy as this would be unrealistically huge. In the end, 20% of the base site was covered with the capacitors.

The capacitors need to be charged every time the rail guns fire, which makes cannonade difficult. The Asteroid will disintegrate into numerous fragments. Even if 100% precision firing could be achieved, it would be meaningless. The Project Team solved this problem by disposing 8 rail guns in a circle. By this arrangement, all-sky coverage was attained. This also contributed to the realization of consecutive firing to engage multiple fragments at a time and simultaneous firing to engage a single huge asteroid fragment. The blast radius and accuracy greatly improved due to this disposition of the cannons. These ideas were initiated by placing priority on saving human lives over anything else for perfect reliability.

The control systems to facilitate these features were also required of amazing quality. Beneath the base are a complex of supercomputers. This is comprised of 8192 of them, 1024 sets of 8 parallel supercomputers, each of which are linked by high speed networks. Each computer performs 9 billion floating-point arithmetic operations per second, and the system as a whole can perform 100 trillion floating-point arithmetic operations per second. Based on data and information sent from observatories across the world and satellites in orbit, the system simulates the entire Usean Continent's atmospheric conditions and calculates the asteroid fragments' points of impact. The rail guns then fire the projectiles.

Concerning the projectiles, there are several types of them. The APE round -Armor Piercing Explosive Ammunition-, which is considered most technologically complex, is to make a direct hit on an asteroid fragment, cause an internal explosion, and smash it into pieces. Shells will be fired upon small fragments to place priority on precision over destruction. The Dr. mentioned, although not in detail, the existence of a special projectile which has a very wide range of destruction. According to him, this is quite useful in sweeping out numerous small fragments at one time, but its use will be permitted only under the temporary special measures act.

We can't hold back the sense of awe before this absolute potential. But the Dr. continues, "This is here solely to open the door to the future of mankind." In fact, the development team defines a rail gun as a kind of EML - Electro Magnetic Launcher - , and avoids calling it KEW - Kinetic Energy Weapon.

'The Interceptor Cannons and Their Guardians'
In the airport located northeast of the facility, aircraft under the UTO's command are stationed and are constantly conducting an 18-plane patrol in the surrounding airspace. Every time a transport plane arrives, a pair of F-15s take off with a deafening roar to escort them. This looks exactly like what happens in wartime. The Protector of the continent and the aircraft that are guarding it. A perturbed atmosphere envelopes the area.

"When I heard that I was going to join this project, I felt an honor, pressure, and curiosity at once", said John Harvard, member of the STN Guard Squadron. He is a seasoned veteran who once fought against coup forces. After his long career as a mercenary, he came back to the UTO where he used to belong. Even during the interview, he was quite busy chatting with maintenance crew. Trusted by his comrades and acquainted with many of the developers, he sometimes has a meal with Dr. Yang since both of them are on daytime duty.

"The whole world is watching us. Because if these cannons don't do the trick, then it's all over. At the same time, many people have started to realize their offensive potential. If anything happens, we sure won't be sitting and doing nothing."

In last spring when the construction site was decided by the the Society for Aeronautical and Space Science, a Human circle of 15,000 San Salvacion citizens was formed in this place. Some argued that no matter how scientific basis the decision was on, the continental defense mission would be too heavy a burden for this land. Others argued that sufficient attention was not paid to the historical background of this land. It could also be said that military support from UTO forces could provoke some nations. Does an unprecedented activity of this nature possibly create pressure against the nations concerned including the UTO and wind up in giving birth to new tensions?

"Of course, this is a project that takes extremely great responsibility. There's a fear of going into the unknown, too. But I guess this kind of problem is inseparable from any international collaborative project. The staffs trust the UTO forces' patrol activities and are getting their jobs done safely. I want people to recognize the fact that all of us working here have the same feeling, and we share that feeling with people in all countries."

"You take pride in your job and we take pride in ours. I believe everyone will do our job justice someday." They smiled, showing their teeth. And they said in chorus that this circle was the embodiment of absolute reliableness.

10 months left for the asteroid collision. The Titan Guns Project, which have incorporated incredible technologies and services, has entered the final stage. They are expected to work out mankind's destiny. When you see their sincere attitude with your own eyes, you can be sure that even in the worst situation in the history of humanity, human beings haven't given up the hope to live on.

Sources
Official Japanese Ace Combat 04 Website - Usea News

Accreditation
yellow26 for translation