Electrothermal-chemical gun.

I heard about this one a while ago - the future Abrams or new tanks can be equiped with so called "hybrid electrothermal-chemical gun". It should be much more powerfull than current cannons but I was no able to find some technical info on it. So can anyone explain how this thing works?
P.S. it is not a electromagnetical gun (or railgun) it is something different.

Its been well researched that when propellant is heated this produces more thrust for the mass. THus higher velocities for existing projectiles or higher projectile mass at the same velocity.

The germans are due to finish this in a couple of years [2007 was the target] and soon after that you will see verion of the 120mm and 105mm smoothbore guns produced in this manner. Should produce a 10-20% increase in penetration.

Interesting. So it is some kind of plasma gun? (plasma propelled projectile?). But what about temperatures? I think there must be really big temperature when firing the round. I wonder how many shots could the gun fire without damage.

Originally posted by longbow
So can anyone explain how this thing works?

Here is what I found after a quick search;

encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com...

www.globalsecurity.org...

These would be nice gund

go to www.powerlabs.org , he has a little description.

Use electricity to heat up gasses behind a projectile. Gets much much faster gas expansion than regular explosions.

The Israelis noticed a 18% increase in velocity with a 120mm electro-thermal chemical gun. It still takes way to much power.