China mulls building nuclear-powered tank with 450km-range railgun in 2 decades

AI Summary

Chinese military researchers plan to develop a nuclear-powered main battle tank equipped with a 450km-range electromagnetic railgun, potentially debuting after 2045. The concept features a 60-ton armoured vehicle using a small modular reactor and advanced railgun technology.

Chinese military researchers have outlined an ambitious plan to develop a nuclear-powered main battle tank armed with an electromagnetic railgun capable of hitting targets up to 450km (280 miles) away, possibly debuting after 2045. Detailed in a peer-reviewed paper published in June in the Chinese journal Acta Armamentarii, the concept envisions a 60-tonne armoured vehicle driven by a 10-megawatt-class small modular reactor (SMR) and a 50-megajoule (MJ) railgun. The paper was written by...