A Russian senator criticized the U.S. military's obsession with developing an operational electromagnetic railgun, saying the weapon is too expensive and might not work as advertised.

Franz Klintsevich, first deputy chairman of Russia's Senate committee for defense and security, said the U.S. railgun won't be a substitute for conventional weapons, which Russia has a lot of, "even in the mid-term." This American "supergun" also isn't an effective technological breakthrough -- at least not yet -- he pointed out.

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"There is a huge distance between a first test and mass production, moreover, at present, the main problem of creating a supergun -- its expensiveness -- isn't solved," he pointed out.

He cited reports saying the railgun can defend against ballistic missile attacks but believes this capability is "at least a decade away."

He said Russia may respond asymmetrically with its existing capabilities to the railgun should the U.S. succeed in perfecting the weapon to an extent it can be mounted on U.S. Navy warships or deployed to the U.S. Army as a long-range artillery weapon. 

By asymmetric, Klintsevich meant Russia will ramp-up the development and production of other weapons to counter the U.S. railgun.

He noted, however, that Russia was developing its own electromagnetic railgun but declined to say at what stage this project had reached. On the strategic plane, Klintsevich claimed the Americans were intent on building their railguns to drag Russia into a new arms race similar to that during the Cold War.

"To not allow the change of balance of power in the world, we have lots of other possibilities. Which will be used, if necessary. In short, situation is under control."

TagsFranz Klintsevich, electromagnetic railgun, Russia