Explosively Formed Fragment and shaped charge warheads already drive what is technically a kinetic energy penetrator to velocities well in excess of EM gun launch capabilities , up to 8km/sec for a shaped charge , upon detonation with the target ; and it has been demonstrated that with respect to armor penetration , increased impact velocity much above 2 km/sec does not necessarily result in a deeper hole ; ( although the crater may be wider as more energy is deposited with increased impact velocity )
Penetration Mechanics : Analytical Modeling , Charles E. Anderson , Jr. , 2016 In addition to military applications , NASA has proposed to use a railgun from a high-altitude aircraft to fire a small payload into orbit ; however , the extreme g-forces involved would necessarily restrict the usage to only the sturdiest of payloads .
Railgun