Slingin' Lead !
Deadliest Gun Ever Invented – Million
Rounds Per Minute – Metal Storm
www.metalstormusa.com/
Metal Storm Limited is a research and development company that specialises in electronically initiated stacked projectile weapons technology. Metal Storm is both the name of the company and the technology.The company is based in Brisbane, Australia with a subsidiary in Washington DC, U.S.A. Metal Storm owns the proprietary rights to the electronic ballistics technology invented by J. Mike O’Dwyer.
Metal Storm has created a 36-barreled stacked projectile machine gun, boasting the highest rate of fire in the world. The prototype weapon demonstrated a firing rate of slightly over one million rounds per minute for a 180-round burst.
Metal storm is one of the most devastating / deadliest weapons ever invented. This amazing weapon combines the magazine with the barrel, cutting moving parts down to zero. With the bullets simply lined up next to each other in the barrel, this gun can fire at absolutely staggering rates. There’s no hammer pulling the trigger sends a series of electrical signals down the barrel to the bullet. This weapon can intercept supersonic weapons it’s reliable. It’s also the most powerful automatic weapon ever made. – The Discovery Channel put together a great piece showing just how this amazing weapons operates.
With the ability to fire 16,000 rounds of ammunition each second, the Metal Storm Stacked Projectile is one of the most fearsome military weapons in development.
Music: “Here Today Gone Tomorrow” by Dhruva Aliman
and “Warfish” by Dhruva Aliman
https://dhruvaaliman.bandcamp.com/alb…
http://www.dhruvaaliman.com
UNFORTUNATELY …………….
Voluntary administrators were called in this morning to Metal Storm, which has chalked up $115 million in losses.
Metal Storm was forced into receivership in 2012.
It was a fierce system while it lasted and may show up again sometime in the future.
DEADLY FAST us military M134D
gatling machine gun
Another great video on US military Gatling machine guns The Dillon M134D Gatling Gun is the finest small caliber, defense suppression weapon available. It is a six barreled, electrically driven machine gun chambered in 7.62mm NATO and fires at a fixed rate of 3,000 shots per minute. Gatling Guns typically feed from a 3,000 or 4,000 round magazine. They are capable of long periods of continuous fire without threat or damage to the weapon making them an excellent choice for defensive suppression.
Dillon Guns are reliable. The M134D has system life in excess of one million rounds and an average time between stoppage of 30,000 rounds. In the unlikely event of a stoppage the weapon can be serviced and made operational again in under a minute. The multi barrel design means that each barrel only experiences a 500 round per minute rate of fire. This allows for repeated long bursts of fire and a barrel group life of 200,000 rounds.
Dillon Gatling Guns are in service with the US and Allied Armed Forces. The standard application is as helicopter crew served and fixed forward fire installations. In addition to their more traditional roles, Dillon Gatlings are supplanting M2 50 cal. Heavy Machine Guns and M240′s on a number of the US Army’s vehicles. Dillon M134s are also in service with the US and British navies in the fleet protection role and Special Operations fire support role.
Dillon M134 Gatling Guns are entirely new production weapons. Dillon guns are sold as complete weapon systems or as component upgrade packages for older GE M134 systems.
Minigun
Machine Gun, High Rate, 7.62mm, M134 | |
---|---|
Dillon Aero’s M134D-H (H for Hybrid) combines the titanium and skeletonized parts that were engineered for use in the M134D-T minigun with the steel housing of the previous M134D.
|
|
Type | Rotary machine gun |
Place of origin | United States |
Service history | |
In service | 1963–present |
Used by | See Users below |
Wars | War in Afghanistan[1][2] |
Production history | |
Designer | General Electric |
Designed | 1960 |
Manufacturer | General Electric, Dillon Aero, Garwood Industries, Profense |
Produced | 1962–present |
Variants | See Design and variants below |
Specifications | |
Weight | 85 lb (39 kg) (41 lb (19 kg) lightweight mod.) |
Length | 801.6 mm (31.56 in) |
Barrel length | 558.8 mm (22.00 in) |
|
|
Cartridge | 7.62×51mm NATO |
Caliber | 7.62 mm (0.308 in) |
Barrels | 6 |
Action | Electrically driven rotary breech |
Rate of fire | Variable, 2,000–6,000 rpm |
Muzzle velocity | 2,800 ft/s (853 m/s) |
Maximum firing range | 3,280 ft (1,000 m, 1,093 yd) |
Feed system | Cartridge on disintegrating link belt or linkless feed; dependent on installation [500-5,000-round belt] |
Sights | Dependent on installation; no fixed sights |
The M134 Minigun is a 7.62×51mm NATO, six-barrel rotary machine gun with a high rate of fire (2,000 to 6,000 rounds per minute) which can also fire at a high sustained rate.[3] It features Gatling-style rotating barrels with an external power source, normally an electric motor. The “Mini” in the name is in comparison to larger caliber designs that use a rotary barrel design, such as General Electric’s earlier 20-millimeter M61 Vulcan, and “gun” for the use of rifle caliber bullets instead of shells used by an autocannon.
The Minigun is used by several branches of the U.S. military. Versions are designated M134 and XM196 by the United States Army, and GAU-2/A and GAU-17/A by the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy.
“Minigun” refers to a specific model of weapon that General Electric originally produced, but the term “minigun” has popularly come to refer to any externally powered rotary-style gun of rifle caliber. The term is sometimes used loosely to refer to guns of similar rates of fire and configuration regardless of power source and caliber.
Contents
History
Background: electrically driven Gatling gun
The ancestor to the modern minigun was a hand cranked mechanical device invented in the 1860s by Richard Jordan Gatling. Gatling later replaced the hand-cranked mechanism of a rifle-caliber Gatling gun with an electric motor, a relatively new invention at the time. Even after Gatling slowed down the mechanism, the new electric-powered Gatling gun had a theoretical rate of fire of 3,000 rounds per minute, roughly three times the rate of a typical modern, single-barreled machine gun. Gatling’s electric-powered design received U.S. Patent #502,185 on July 25, 1893.[4] Despite Gatling’s improvements, the Gatling gun fell into disuse after cheaper, lighter-weight, recoil and gas operated machine guns were invented; Gatling himself went bankrupt for a period.[5]
During World War I, several German companies were working on externally powered guns for use in aircraft. Of those, the best-known today is perhaps the Fokker-Leimberger, an externally powered 12-barrel rotary gun using the 7.92×57mm Mauser round; it was claimed to be capable of firing over 7,000 rpm, but suffered from frequent cartridge-case ruptures[6] due to its “nutcracker”, rotary split-breech design, which is fairly different from that of a Gatling.[7] None of these German guns went into production during the war, although a competing Siemens prototype (possibly using a different action) which was tried on the Western Front scored a victory in aerial combat.[6] The British also experimented with this type of split-breech during the 1950s, but they were also unsuccessful.[8]
Minigun: 1960s–Vietnam
In the 1960s, the United States Armed Forces began exploring modern variants of the electric-powered, rotating barrel Gatling-style weapons for use in the Vietnam War. American forces in the Vietnam War, which used helicopters as one of the primary means of transporting soldiers and equipment through the dense jungle, found that the thin-skinned helicopters were very vulnerable to small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) attacks when they slowed down to land. Although helicopters had mounted single-barrel machine guns, using them to repel attackers hidden in the dense jungle foliage often led to barrels overheating or cartridge jams.[citation needed]
In order to develop a weapon with a more reliable, higher rate of fire, General Electric designers scaled down the rotating-barrel 20 mm M61 Vulcan cannon for 7.62×51mm NATO ammunition. The resulting weapon, designated M134 and known popularly as the Minigun, could fire up to 4,000 rounds per minute without overheating. The gun was originally specified to fire at 6,000 rpm, but this was later lowered to 4,000 rpm.
The Minigun was mounted on Hughes OH-6 Cayuse and Bell OH-58 Kiowa side pods; in the turret and on pylon pods of Bell AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters; and on door, pylon and pod mounts on Bell UH-1 Iroquois transport helicopters.[citation needed] Several larger aircraft were outfitted with miniguns specifically for close air support: the Cessna A-37 Dragonfly with an internal gun and with pods on wing hardpoints; and the Douglas A-1 Skyraider, also with pods on wing hardpoints. Other famous gunship airplanes were the Douglas AC-47 Spooky, the Fairchild AC-119, and the Lockheed AC-130.[citation needed]
Dillon Aero minigun
The U.S. government had procured some 10,000 miniguns during the Vietnam War. By 1975, production of spare parts had ceased with the Army in possession of a large inventory. By 1985, there were few spares left in the inventory. Units that received miniguns could not maintain them, so by the 1990s only Task Force 160 (later named the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) or 160th SOAR) and some Navy Special Boat Units kept them in regular use. Around 1995, the 160th SOAR began acquiring spare miniguns. Industry had a difficult time reproducing parts according to the original blueprints, so models that were being procured were mechanically unreliable and mixed with the inventory of working spares. This resulted in using a mixed batch of working and unreliable weapons. This fact was unknown to the 160th SOAR, and the use of miniguns that would not work shook the unit’s confidence in the system. The 160th was on the verge of dropping the Minigun from its inventory entirely, which would essentially have ended its service life in the U.S. military.[9]
Around 1990, Dillon Aero acquired a large number of miniguns and spares from “a foreign user”. The guns kept failing to shoot continuously, revealing that they were actually worn-out weapons. The company decided to fix the problems encountered, rather than simply putting the guns into storage. Fixing failure problems ended up improving the minigun’s overall design.[9] Dillon’s efforts to improve the minigun reached the 160th SOAR, and Dillon was invited to Fort Campbell, Kentucky to demonstrate its products. A delinker–used to separate cartridges from ammunition belts and feed them into the gun housing–; and other parts were tested on Campbell’s ranges. The 160th SOAR liked the delinker’s performance and began ordering them by 1997. This prompted Dillon to improve other design aspects, including the bolt, housing and barrel. Between 1997 and 2001, Dillon Aero was producing 25–30 products a year. In 2001, it was working on a new bolt design that increased performance and service life. By 2002 virtually every component of the minigun had been improved, so Dillon began producing complete weapons with improved components. The guns were purchased quickly by the 160th SOAR as its standardized weapon system. The gun then went through the Army’s formal procurement system approval process and in 2003 the Dillon Aero minigun was certified and designated M134D.[9]
The core of the M134D was a steel housing and steel rotor. To focus on weight reduction, a titanium housing and rotor were introduced, creating the M134D-T. This reduced weight from 62 pounds (28 kg) to 41 pounds (19 kg). The gun housing had a 500,000 round lifespan before it wore out, which was higher than a conventional machine gun’s 40,000 round lifespan but was a reduced time for a rotary gun. A hybrid of the two weapons resulted in the M134D-H, which had a steel housing and titanium rotor. It was cheaper with the steel component, was only one pound (450 grams) heavier than the M134D-T, and had an increased lifespan of 1 million rounds.[10] The M134D-H is currently in use on various 160th Regiment platforms.[9]
Dillon also created specialized mounts and ammunition-handling systems. Initially, mounts were only made for aviation systems. Then from 2003 to 2005, the Navy began mounting Dillon miniguns on specialized small boats. In 2005, the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division procured guns to mount on Humvees. In Iraq, US Army Special Forces units on the ground were frequently engaged by opposition forces, so they mounted M134D miniguns on their vehicles for additional firepower. After several engagements the attackers seemed to avoid vehicles with miniguns. Later the Special Forces units began concealing their weapons so opposition troops would not know which weapon they were facing.[9]
Garwood Industries minigun
Garwood Industries created the M134G version with several modifications to the original GE system. The optimum rate of fire was determined by Garwood to be around 3,200 rounds per minute (rpm). The M134G is being produced with this firing rate as well as 4,000 rpm and the previous standard 3,000 rpm rate.[11]
Garwood Industries made several other modifications to the 1960s Minigun design in order to meet modern day military and ISO standards.[11] This includes modifications to the drive motor, feeder and barrel clutch assembly.[12]
Design and variants
The basic minigun is a six-barrel, air-cooled, and electrically driven rotary machine gun. The electric drive rotates the weapon within its housing, with a rotating firing pin assembly and rotary chamber.[13] The minigun’s multi-barrel design helps prevent overheating, but also serves other functions. Multiple barrels allow for a greater capacity for a high firing rate, since the serial process of firing/extraction/loading is taking place in all barrels simultaneously. Thus, as one barrel fires, two others are in different stages of shell extraction and another three are being loaded. The minigun is composed of multiple closed-bolt rifle barrels arranged in a circular housing. The barrels are rotated by an external power source, usually electric, pneumatic, or hydraulic. Other rotating-barrel cannons are powered by the gas pressure or recoil energy of fired cartridges. A gas-operated variant, designated XM133, was also developed.[14] It is near identical but has barrels with ports that align with the piston drive in the center of the barrel cluster. It fired over 3000 rpm but was not put into production.[citation needed]
While the weapon can feed from linked ammunition, it requires a delinking feeder to strip the links as the rounds are introduced to the chambers. The original feeder unit was designated MAU-56/A, but has since been replaced by an improved MAU-201/A unit.[15]
The General Electric minigun is in use in several branches of the U.S. military, under a number of designations. The basic fixed armament version was given the designation M134 by the United States Army, while the same weapon was designated GAU-2/A (on a fixed mount) and GAU-17/A (flexible mount) by the United States Air Force (USAF) and United States Navy (USN). The USAF minigun variant has three versions, while the US Army weapon appears to have incorporated several improvements without a change in designation. The M134D is an improved version of the M134 designed and manufactured by Dillon Aero,[16] while Garwood Industries manufactures the M134G variant.[17] Available sources show a relation between both M134 and GAU-2/A and M134 and GAU-2B/A.[18][19] A separate variant, designated XM196, with an added ejection sprocket was developed specifically for the XM53 Armament Subsystem on the Lockheed AH-56 Cheyenne helicopter.[20]
Another variant was developed by the USAF specifically for flexible installations, beginning primarily with the Bell UH-1N Twin Huey helicopter, as the GAU-17/A. Produced by General Dynamics, this version has a slotted flash hider. The primary end users of the GAU-17/A have been the USN and the United States Marine Corps (USMC), which mount the gun as defensive armament on a number of helicopters and surface ships. GAU-17/As from helicopters were rushed into service for ships on pintle mountings taken from Mk16 20 mm guns for anti-swarm protection in the Gulf ahead of the 2003 Iraq War – 59 systems were installed in 30 days.[21] The GAU-17/A is designated Mk 44 in the machine gun series[21] and is generally known as the Mk 44 when installed on British warships.
The weapon is part of both the A/A49E-11 armament system on the UH-1N; and of the A/A49E-13 armament subsystem on the USAF Sikorsky HH-60H Pave Hawk helicopter. The weapons on these systems feature a selectable fire rate of either 2,000 or 4,000 rpm. There is mention of a possible GAUSE-17 designation (GAU-Shipboard Equipment-17), in reference to the system when mounted on surface ships, though this would not follow the official ASETDS designation system’s format.[22][23]
US Army designation | US Air Force designation | US Navy designation | Description |
---|---|---|---|
XM134/M134 | GAU-2/A | N/A | 7.62×51mm NATO GE “Minigun” 6-barreled machine gun |
N/A | GAU-2A/A | N/A | GAU-2/A variant; unknown differences |
M134 | GAU-2B/A | Mk 25 Mod 0 | GAU-2A/A variant; unknown differences |
N/A | GAU-17/A | N/A | GAU-2B/A variant; optimized for flexible use, uses either an MAU-201/A or MAU-56/A delinking feeder. |
XM214 Microgun | N/A | N/A | Scaled-down variant of the XM134 firing the 5.56×45mm NATO round. |
XM196 | N/A | N/A | M134/GAU-2B/A variant; housing modified by addition of an ejection sprocket; for use in the XM53 armament subsystem on the AH-56 helicopter |
Gun pods and other aircraft mounts
One of the first applications of the weapon was in aircraft armament pods. These gun pods were used by a wide variety of fixed and rotary wing aircraft mainly during the Vietnam War, remaining in inventory for a period afterward. The standard pod, designated SUU-11/A by the Air Force and M18 by the U.S. Army, was a relatively simple unit, completely self-contained, with a 1,500-round magazine directly feeding delinked ammunition into the weapon. This means the Minigun fitted to the pod does not require the standard MAU-56/A delinking feeder unit.[24] A number of variations of this pod exist.
Initially on fixed-wing gunships such as the Douglas AC-47 Spooky and Fairchild AC-119, the side-firing armament was fitted by combining SUU-11/A aircraft pods, often with their aerodynamic front fairings removed, with a locally fabricated mount. These pods were essentially unmodified, required no external power, and were linked to the aircraft’s fire controls. The need for those pods for other missions led to the development and fielding of a purpose built “Minigun module” for gunship use, designated the MXU-470/A. These units first arrived in January 1967 with features such as an improved 2,000-round drum and electric feeder allowing simplified reloading in flight. The initial units were unreliable and were withdrawn almost immediately.[25] By the end of the year, however, the difficulties had been worked out and the units were again being fitted to AC-47s, AC-119s, AC-130s, and even being proposed for lighter aircraft such as the Cessna O-2 Skymaster.[26] A fit of two MXU-470/As was also tested on the Fairchild AU-23A Peacemaker, though the Royal Thai Air Force later elected to use another configuration with the M197 20 mm cannon.[27]
In September 2013, Dillon Aero released the DGP2300 gun pod for the M134D-H. It contains 3,000 rounds, enough ammunition to fire the minigun for a full minute. The system is entirely self-contained, so it can be mounted on any aircraft that can handle the weight, rotational torque, and recoil force (190 lb (86 kg)) of the gun. The pod has its own battery which can be wired into the aircraft’s electrical system to maintain a charge.[28]
US Army designation | US Air Force designation | Description |
---|---|---|
XM18 | SUU-11/A | Gun pod fitted with the GAU-2/A/M134 7.62 mm machine gun and fixed rate of fire of 4,000 RPM[29] |
XM18E1/M18 | SUU-11A/A | SUU-11/A/XM18 variant; various improvements including additional auxiliary power and selectable fire-rate capability (2,000 or 4,000 RPM)[30] |
M18E1/A1 | SUU-11B/A | SUU-11A/A/M18 variant; differences modified selectable fire-rate capability (3,000 or 6,000 RPM)[18] |
N/A | MXU-470/A | Emerson Electric module for mounting a GAU-2B/A minigun; used in AC-47, AC-119G/K, and AC-130A/E/H aircraft |
Various iterations of the minigun have also been used in a number of armament subsystems for helicopters, with most of these subsystems being created by the United States. The first systems utilized the weapon in a forward firing role for a variety of helicopters, some of the most prominent examples being the M21 armament subsystem for the UH-1 and the M27 for the OH-6. It also formed the primary turret-mounted armament for a number of members of the Bell AH-1 Cobra family. The weapon was also used as a pintle-mounted door gun on a wide variety of transport helicopters, a role it continues to serve in today.
US Navy designation | Description |
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Mk 77 Mod 0 | Machine gun mount for the GAU-2/Mk 25 Mod 0/GAU-17 series of machine guns; deck mount applications |
References
Notes
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQKMxBkU994
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWdw81A_qUA
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLEGE7k9FD4 US Military M134D Gatling Machine Gun
- “U.S. Patent 502185 Gatling Gun”. Retrieved February 4, 2010.
- Chivers, C. J. (2010). The Gun. Simon & Schuster. pp. 116–119. ISBN 978-1-4391-9653-3.
- Weyl, A. R. (8 March 1957). “Motor-guns—a Flashback to 1914-18″. Flight. 71 (2511): 313–314. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
- Williams, Anthony G. (8 November 2005). “Split Breech Guns: The Nutcracker and the 40mm Mk 18″.
- Williams, Anthony G.; Gustin, Emmanuel (2005). Flying Guns of the Modern Era. Crowood. p. 55. ISBN 978-1-86126-655-2.
- Gourley, Scott W. (30 May 2013). “The Evolution of the M134D Minigun”. Defense Media Network. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
- “Hybrid M134D-H: M134 Gun Systems”. Dillon Aero. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
- “Garwood Industries M134G Minigun”. The Bang Switch. 7 June 2013. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
- “M134G Gun Control Unit”. Garwood Industries. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
- United States, 1969. p. D-37-8
- United States, 1969. p. B-2.
- United States, 1969. p. C-31.
- “Standard M134D”. Dillon Aero. 2015. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
- “Garwood Industries M134G Minigun”. Garwood Industries. 2013. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
- Jane’s, 1986. pp. 453–4
- Gunston, 1988. pp. 188–9.
- “U.S. Army Helicopter Weapons”. U.S. Army TACOM-RI. 24 February 2006. Retrieved 8 January 2008.
- Friedman, Norman (2006). The Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Weapon Systems. Naval Institute Press. p. 491. ISBN 9781557502629.
- DiGiulian, Tony (30 October 2006). “USA 0.30 caliber (7.62 mm) Minigun”. NavWeaps.com. Retrieved 3 April 2008.
- Parsch, Andreas (23 June 2006). “Designations Of U.S. Aeronautical and Support Equipment”. Designation-Systems.net. Retrieved 3 April 2008.
- United States, 1969, p. G-1-3
- Ballad, 1982. p. 57
- Ballad, 1982. pp. 77, 251
- Davis, 1982, p. 62
- “You Call That High Capacity?”. Thefirearmblog.com. 11 September 2013.
- United States, 1969. p. G-1
- United States, 1969. p. G-3
- “RAL 7013 – Bell OH-58B Kiowa”. doppeladler.com (in German). Retrieved 30 September 2015.
- Kammonen, Teemu (3 August 2012). “Puolustusvoimien uusi ase: M134D “Minigun”". Uusi Suomi (in Finnish). Retrieved 30 September 2015.
- “Armament of the Georgian Army”. geo-army.ge. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
- “En Enero el Ejercito Mexicano recibira 400 full Kits M-134 minigun para Hummvees y Cheyenne” (in Spanish). Todopormexico.foroactivo.com.mx. 21 December 2010. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
- “Perú inspecciona las ametralladoras M-134D adquiridas a Dillon Aero”. Infodefensa.com (in Spanish). 25 April 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
- “Miniguny w końcu kupione”. Altair Agencja Lotnicza (in Polish). 11 January 2013. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
- Hogg, Ian (1989). Jane’s Infantry Weapons 1989–90 (15th ed.). Jane’s Information Group. p. 351. ISBN 0-7106-0889-6.
Sources
- Ballad, Jack S. Development and Employment of Fixed-Wing Gunships, 1962–1972. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History, United States Air Force, 1982.
- Davis, Larry. Gunships: A Pictorial History of Spooky. TX: Squadron/Signal Publications, Inc, 1982. ISBN 0-89747-123-7
- Gervasi, Tom. Arsenal of Democracy III: America’s War Machine, the Pursuit of Global Dominance. New York, NY: Grove Press, Inc, 1984. ISBN 0-394-54102-2.
- Gunston, Bill. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft Armament. New York, NY: Orion Books, 1988. ISBN 0-517-56607-9.
- Jane’s Weapon Systems, 1986–1987. Ronald T Pretty, Ed. London, UK: Jane’s Publishing Company, Ltd, 1986. ISBN 0-7106-0832-2
- United States. Headquarters, Department of the Army. FM 1–40 Attack Helicopter Gunnery. Washington, DC: Headquarters, Department of the Army, 1969.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Minigun. |
- M134 page on Dillon Aero site
- M134 page on Garwood Industries site
- M134 page on Profense site
- Minigun page on DeGroat Tactical Armaments site
- U.S. Army TACOM Qualifications Report
- M134 Minigun at Modern Firearms
- Exploded diagrams and specifications
- GAU-17 info at NavWeaps.com
- Specs on a variety of minigun models
- 1985 Patent on a Handheld Minigun Design
- Video showing a CG animation of the firing process of a minigun
- Helicopter mounted applications video on Military.com
- The M134 Minigun in film and Handheld M134 Minigun – As used in “Predator” and “T2″ at imfdb.org
TERRORIST KILLER us military GAU
19B 50 Cal Gatling Gun
GAU-19
GAU-19/A | |
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Type | Heavy machine gun |
Place of origin | United States |
Service history | |
Used by | See History |
Production history | |
Designer | General Electric |
Manufacturer | General Dynamics |
Produced | 1983–present |
Variants | 3-barrel or 6-barrel |
Specifications | |
Weight | With feeder and transfer unit:139 lbs. (63 kg) |
Length | 53.9 in. (1,369 mm) |
Barrel length | 36 in. (914 mm) |
Width | 13.5 in. (343 mm) |
Height | 15 in. (381 mm) |
|
|
Cartridge | .50 BMG (12.7×99mm NATO) |
Barrels | 3 |
Action | Electric |
Rate of fire | 1,000 or 2,000 rounds per minute |
Muzzle velocity | 2,910 fps (887 m/s) |
Effective firing range | 1,800 m |
Maximum firing range | 6,000 m |
Feed system | linkless or M9 linked belt |
The GAU-19/A (GECAL 50), is an electrically driven Gatling gun that fires the .50 BMG (12.7×99mm) cartridge.
Contents
Technical specifications
The GAU-19/A is designed for a linkless feed, but can be fed from a standard M9 linked belt if a delinker feeder is used. The rate of fire is selectable to be either 1,000 or 2,000 rounds per minute. The Humvee armament kit version fires at 1,300 rounds per minute. The average recoil force when firing is 2.2kN. In January 2012, General Dynamics announced they would be delivering a new version designated GAU-19/B. It provides the same firepower in a lighter platform, weighing 48 kg.[1]
History
The GECAL 50 was first manufactured by General Electric, then by Lockheed Martin, and now by General Dynamics. Design work began in 1982. Early prototypes had six barrels, but a three-barreled configuration is now standard. The GAU-19/A was originally designed as a larger, more potent version of the M134 Minigun. Due to the loss of nine helicopters in Grenada, GE started building prototypes of the weapon in both a three-barreled and a six-barreled configuration. The six-barreled version was designed to fire 4,000 rounds per minute, and could be adapted to fire up to 8,000 rounds per minute. The GAU-19 takes 0.4 seconds to reach maximum firing rate.[2] Soon it was recommended as a potential armament for the V-22 Osprey.[3] The magazine would be located underneath the cabin floor and could be reloaded in-flight. However, plans to mount the gun were later dropped.[4] In 2005, the GAU-19/A was approved to be mounted on the OH-58D Kiowa helicopter. It also could have been used on the Army’s now cancelled ARH-70.[5] In January 2012, the U.S. Army ordered 24 GAU-19/B versions for use on helicopters. All were delivered by the next month.[1]
In 1999, the United States sent 28 GAU-19s to Colombia.[6]Oman is known to use the GAU-19/A mounted on their HMMWVs. The Mexican Navy uses MDH MD-902 series helicopters with the GAU-19/A system mounted for anti-narcotics operations.[7]
See also
- M61 Vulcan
- M134 Minigun
- XM214 Microgun
- M197 Gatling gun
- GAU-8 Avenger
- Yak-B 12.7mm machine gun
- Hua Qing Minigun
- List of multiple barrel firearms
Notes
- GD delivers GAU-19/B – General Dynamics
- “GAU-19/A (GECAL 50) 12.7 mm Gun (United States), Guns – Integral and mounted”. Jane’s Air-Launched Weapons. Jane’s Information Group. 21 January 2008. Archived from the original on 23 March 2009. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
- “General Dynamics Selected to Develop Turreted Gun System for V-22 Aircraft” (Press release). General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products. 7 September 2000. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
- Thompson, Mark (26 September 2007). “V-22 Osprey: A Flying Shame”. Time. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
- “ARMY AIRCRAFT”. Committee Reports – 108th Congress (2003–2004) – Senate Report 108-260. Library of Congress. 11 May 2004. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
- “Memorandum for Correspondents No. 176-M” (Press release). United States Department of Defense. 10 November 1999. Archived from the original on 8 June 2011. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
- Fricker, John (2002). “Region’s Military Seeks to Modernize . . . But Tight Funding Forces Ingenuity”. Aviation Week & Space Technology. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
References
- Gander, Terry J. (ed.). Jane’s Infantry Weapons 1997–98 (23rd ed.). Coulsdon, UK: Jane’s Information Group. p. 298. ISBN 0-7106-1548-5.
- “General Dynamics Fact Sheet” (PDF). (401 KB)tfdufetgder34564
External links
- General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems GAU-19/A page
- General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems GAU-19/B page
- General Dynamics-GAU-19/B
- GAU-19 Gatling Gun Video
- List of Military Gatling & Revolver cannons
- Information at Navy weapons
Most Powerful Grenade Launcher in
Action: Mk-19 During US Army
Training Session
Daily Military Defense & Archive
Mk 19 grenade launcher
Mk 19 grenade launcher | |
---|---|
A Mk 19 40 mm grenade launcher mounted on an M3 tripod
|
|
Type | Automatic grenade launcher |
Place of origin | United States |
Service history | |
In service | 1968–present |
Used by | See Users |
Wars | |
Production history | |
Designer | Naval Ordnance Station Louisville |
Designed | 1966 |
Manufacturer | Saco Defense Industries (now a division of General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems), Combined Service Forces, MKEK[4] |
Unit cost | $20,000[5] |
Produced | 1968–present |
Variants | Mk 19 Mod 0, Mk 19 Mod 1, Mk 19 Mod 2, Mk 19 Mod 3, Mk 19 Mod 4 |
Specifications | |
Weight | 77.6 pounds (35.2 kg) (empty, without accessories) |
Length | 43.1 inches (1,090 mm) |
Barrel length | 16.25 inches (413 mm) |
Width | 9.46 inches (240.4 mm) |
Height | 7.8 inches (199 mm) |
|
|
Cartridge | 40×53 mm |
Action | Blowback (Advanced primer ignition) |
Rate of fire | 40 rpm (sustained) 60 rpm (rapid) 325–375 rpm (cyclic) |
Muzzle velocity | 790 feet per second (241 m/s) (average) |
Effective firing range | 1,500 m (1,600 yd) |
Maximum firing range | 2,212 m (2,419 yd) |
Feed system | 32- or 48-grenade belt |
The Mk 19 grenade launcher (also known as the Mark 19) is an American 40 mm belt-fed automatic grenade launcher that was first developed during the Vietnam War. The first model (Mod 0) in 1966 was determined to be unreliable and unsafe, but a total of six Mod 1 launchers were successfully tested on U.S. Navy riverine patrol craft in the Mekong Delta in 1972. The Navy made further improvements to the weapon, resulting in the Mod 3 in 1976. The Mod 3 was adopted by the U.S Army in 1983 and remains in service to the present day.[6][7]
Contents
Overview
The Mk 19 is a belt-fed, blowback-operated, air-cooled, crew-served, fully automatic weapon that is designed not to cook off. It fires 40 mm grenades at a cyclic rate of 325 to 375 rounds per minute, giving a practical rate of fire of 60 rounds per minute (rapid) and 40 rounds per minute (sustained). The weapon operates on the blowback principle, which uses the chamber pressure from each fired round to load and re-cock the weapon. The Mk 19 can launch its grenade at a maximum distance of 2,212 meters (2,419 yd), though its effective range to a point target is about 1,500 meters (1,600 yd), since the large rear leaf sight is only graduated as far. The nearest safe distance to launch the grenade is 310 meters in training and 75 meters in combat. Though the Mk 19 has a flash suppressor, it serves only to save the eyesight of its operator, not concealing the weapon’s position. For night operation, a picatinny rail quadrant sight can be added for thermal and night vision optics.
The Mk 19A is a man-portable crew-served weapon that can fire from a tripod-mounted position or from a vehicle mount, with the latter being the preferred method, as the weapon alone weighs 77.6 pounds (35.2 kg). The primary ammunition for it is the high-explosive dual-purpose M430 grenade. On impact, the grenade can kill anyone within a radius of five meters, and wound them within a radius of 15 meters. It can also punch through 2 inches (5.1 cm) of rolled homogeneous armor with a direct hit (0-degree obliquity), which means it can penetrate most infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers. It is especially effective when used against enemy infantry formations. The ammunition comes in cans that hold a 32- or 48-grenade belt weighing 42 and 60 pounds (19 and 27 kg), respectively. Due to its low recoil and comparatively light weight, it has been adapted for use on many different platforms, including small attack boats, fast attack vehicles such as the Humvee (HMMWV), AAV and Stryker, military jeeps, and a large variety of naval mounts.
The Mk 19 automatic grenade launcher replaced the earlier Mk 18 hand-cranked multiple grenade launcher. The 40 mm ammunition used (40×53 mm) is not interchangeable with that used in the M203 (40×46 mm). The M203 ammunition develops a lower chamber pressure, and resultant lower muzzle velocity and range, compared to ammunition loaded for the Mk 19. The Mk 19 fires from an open bolt. The rounds are mechanically fed onto the bolt face with the pull of the charging handles. When the trigger is pressed, the bolt closes, and the firing pin is released. The recoil blows back the bolt, feeds a new round onto the bolt face, which pushes the expended casing off the bolt face.
Production of the Mk 19 is managed by Saco Defense Industries (now a division of General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems).
In November 2014, General Dynamics entered into an agreement with Advanced Material Engineering Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Singapore Technologies Kinetics, to manufacture 40 mm high-velocity airburst ammunition for the U.S. military. The 40 mm airburst grenade uses a programmable, time-based fuse that computes and programs the detonation time into it, which counts down once fired to zero to detonate at the intended target point. The airburst ammunition is compatible with the Mk 19, which would give it greater effectiveness and lethality, particularly against concealed and defilade targets.[8]
The U.S. Army plans to introduce several new features to the Mk 19 in an upgrade package that could be introduced by late 2017. Initiatives include: increased muzzle velocity through a less resistant barrel; increased cyclic rate from an improved profile for the vertical cam to reduce the force needed to charge the weapon; enhancing reliability with a redesigned round-positioning block to decrease the chance of misfires; increased durability and shortened re-assembly time after maintenance from a new cocking cam and lever; and an updated mechanical sight utilizing up-to-date ammunition ballistic data to aid accuracy.[9]
United States of America:[12] Currently in widespread use throughout the U.S. Armed Forces.
-
Mk 19 in use by Polish Land Forces
-
A Mexican Army Chevrolet Silverado equipped with a Mk 19 at a military checkpoint in March 2009
See also
- XM174 grenade launcher, predecessor used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War
- Mk 47 Mod 0 Striker, U.S. military successor in limited service
- List of automatic grenade launchers
- AGS-17, similar weapon
- Comparison of automatic grenade launchers
References
- “Report: Profiling the Small Arms Industry – World Policy Institute – Research Project”. World Policy Institute. November 2000. Retrieved 2010-07-15.
- “Milliyet – Özel birlikler Kato’yu PKK’ya dar etti”. Gundem.milliyet.com.tr. Retrieved 2012-11-24.
- https://maps.southfront.org/sdf-preparing-security-forces-to-keep-control-over-raqqa/
- “MKEK – Makina ve Kimya Endüstrisi Kurumu”. mkek.gov.tr. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
- “Weapons: Mk19 Gets A Brain”. Strategypage.com. 2011-03-30. Retrieved 2012-11-24.
- “Field Manual 3-22.27 (FM 23.27) MK 19, 40-mm GRENADE MACHINE GUN, MOD 3″ (PDF). Department of the Army. November 2003. Retrieved 2015-06-05.
- Tucker, Spencer C. (20 May 2011). The Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History [4 volumes]: A Political, Social, and Military History. ABC-CLIO. p. 431. ISBN 978-1-85109-961-0.
- General Dynamics to manufacture ST Kinetics’ 40mm High Velocity Air Burst Ammunition – Armyrecognition.com, 20 November 2014
- Army building a better grenade machine gun – Armytimes.com, 2 July 2016
- [1] Archived July 7, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
- Armada Argentina – official site
- Jones, Richard D. Jane’s Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane’s Information Group; 35 edition (January 27, 2009). ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.
- - EDA – Defense Security Cooperation Agency – Morocco
- “Bangladesh Navy Special Warfare Diving And Salvage (SWADS)”. Bdmilitary.com. Retrieved 2012-11-24.
- “Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais adquire 23 novos CLAnfs – Noticias Infodefensa América”. infodefensa.com. 2 April 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
- http://www.hrvatski-vojnik.hr/cache/fdgallery/5b2eef04df_mimohod-b-tehnika-4_750x550.jpg
- http://www.osrh.hr/Data/HTML/HR/GLAVNA/DOGA%C4%90ANJA/20150806_ZZ_Sve%C4%8Dani_mimohod_u_Zagrebu_4.8.2015/mimohod_0150.jpg
- http://www.osrh.hr/Data/HTML/HR/GLAVNA/DOGA%C4%90ANJA/20150806_ZZ_Sve%C4%8Dani_mimohod_u_Zagrebu_4.8.2015/mimohod_0151.jpg
- “A new generation of AGLs”. Thefreelibrary.com. 2002-04-01. Retrieved 2012-11-24.
- “Greece Land Forces”. Armyrecognition.com. Retrieved 2012-11-24.
- “Great Prophet 5 Maneuvers (5)”. uskowioniran.com. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
- Miles, Donna (April 8, 2009). “Gates, Lebanese Defense Minister Explore Expanding Bilateral Relationship”. American Forces Press Service – DefenseLink News. Retrieved 2009-04-08.
- “Pakistan Army”.
- http://mon.gov.pl/pl/galeria/2374/
- Janq Designs. “Special Operations.Com”. Special Operations.Com. Retrieved 2012-11-24.
- Henrik Svensk. “Granatspruta 40mm Grsp”. Soldf.com. Retrieved 2012-11-24.
- “Sayfa bulunamadi”. anahaberyorum.com. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mk 19 grenade launcher. |
DEADLY KILLER us military GAU 8
Gatling Gun
GAU-8 Avenger
GAU-8 Avenger | |
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The GAU-8/A Avenger’s barrel and breech assembly
(ammunition drum off right edge of photo). |
|
Type | Gatling-type autocannon |
Place of origin | United States |
Service history | |
In service | 1977–present |
Used by | United States Air Force (Avenger) Various navies (Goalkeeper) |
Production history | |
Manufacturer | General Electric |
No. built | Approx. 715[1] |
Variants | GAU-12/U Equalizer GAU-13/A |
Specifications | |
Weight | 619.5 lb (281 kg) |
Length | 19 ft 10.5 in (6.06 m) (total system) 112.28 in (2.85 m) (gun only) |
Barrel length | 90.5 in (2.30 m) |
Width | 17.2 in (0.437 m) (barrels only) |
|
|
Cartridge | 30×173 mm |
Caliber | 30 mm caliber |
Barrels | 7-barrel (progressive RH parabolic twist, 14 grooves) |
Action | Electrically controlled, hydraulic-driven |
Rate of fire | 3,900 rpm (variable) |
Muzzle velocity | 3,324 ft/s (1,010 m/s) (API) |
Effective firing range | 4,000 feet (1,220 m) |
Maximum firing range | Over 12,000 feet (3,660 m) |
Feed system | Linkless feed system |
The General Electric GAU-8/A Avenger is a 30 mm hydraulically driven seven-barrel Gatling-type autocannon that is typically mounted in the United States Air Force‘s Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II. Designed specifically for the anti-tank role, the Avenger delivers very powerful rounds at a high rate of fire. The GAU-8/A is also used in the Goalkeeper CIWS ship weapon system, which provides defense against short-range threats such as highly maneuverable missiles, aircraft, and fast maneuvering surface vessels.
Contents
History
The GAU-8 was created as a parallel program with the A-X (or Attack Experimental) competition that produced the A-10. The specification for the cannon was laid out in 1970,[2] with General Electric and Philco-Ford offering competing designs. Both of the A-X prototypes, the YA-10 and the Northrop YA-9, were designed to incorporate the weapon, although it was not available during the initial competition; the M61 Vulcan was used as a temporary replacement. Once completed, the entire GAU-8 assembly (correctly referred to as the A/A 49E-6 Gun System)[3] represents about 16% of the A-10 aircraft’s unladen weight. Because the gun plays a significant role in maintaining the A-10′s balance and center of gravity, a jack must be installed beneath the tail of the plane whenever the gun is removed for inspection in order to prevent the aircraft from tipping rearwards.
The gun is placed slightly off center in the nose of the plane with the front landing gear positioned to the right of the center line, so that the actively firing cannon barrel is directly on the aircraft’s center line. The gun is loaded using Syn-Tech’s linked tube carrier GFU-8/E 30 mm Ammunition Loading Assembly cart. This vehicle is unique to the A-10 and the GAU-8.[4]
The A-10 and its GAU-8/A gun entered service in 1977. It was produced by General Electric, though General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products has been responsible for production and support since 1997 when the division was sold by Lockheed Martin to General Dynamics.[3]
Design
The GAU-8 itself weighs 620 pounds (280 kg), but the complete weapon, with feed system and drum, weighs 4,029 pounds (1,828 kg) with a maximum ammunition load. It measures 19 ft 5 1⁄2 in (5.931 m) from the muzzle to the rearmost point of the ammunition system, and the ammunition drum alone is 34.5 inches (88 cm) in diameter and 71.5 inches (1.82 m) long.[5] Power for operating the gun is provided by twin hydraulic motors pressurized from two independent hydraulic systems. The magazine can hold 1,174 rounds, although 1,150 is the typical load-out. Muzzle velocity when firing Armor-Piercing Incendiary rounds is 1,013 m/s, almost the same as the substantially lighter M61 Vulcan’s 20 mm round, giving the gun a muzzle energy of just over 200 kilojoules.[6]
The standard ammunition mixture for anti-armor use is a five-to-one mix of PGU-14/B Armor Piercing Incendiary, with a projectile weight of about 14.0 oz (395 grams or 6,096 grains) and PGU-13/B High Explosive Incendiary (HEI) rounds, with a projectile weight of about 13.3 oz (378 grams or 5,833 grains).[7] The PGU-14/B’s projectile incorporates a lightweight aluminum body, cast around a smaller caliber depleted uranium penetrating core.[8] The Avenger is lethal against tanks and all other armored vehicles.[9]
A very important innovation in the design of the GAU-8/A ammunition is the use of aluminum alloy cases in place of the traditional steel or brass.[10] This alone adds 30% to ammunition capacity for a given weight. The projectiles incorporate a plastic driving band to improve barrel life. The shells are imposing to examine and handle, measuring 11.4 inches (290 mm) in length and weighing 1.53 pounds (0.69 kg) or more.[5][10]
The Avenger’s rate of fire was originally selectable, 2,100 rounds per minute (rpm) in the low setting, or 4,200 rpm in the high setting.[11] Later this was changed to a fixed rate of 3,900 rpm.[12] In practice, the cannon is limited to one and two-second bursts to avoid overheating and conserve ammunition; barrel life is also a factor, since the USAF has specified a minimum life of at least 20,000 rounds for each set of barrels.[13] There is no technical limitation on the duration the gun may be continuously fired, and a pilot could potentially expend the entire ammunition load in a single burst with no damage or ill effects to the weapons system itself. However, this constant rate of fire would shorten the barrel life considerably and require added barrel inspections and result in shorter intervals between replacement.
Each barrel is a very simple non-automatic design having its own breech and bolt. Like the original Gatling gun, the entire firing cycle is actuated by cams and powered by the rotation of the barrels.[10] The seven-barrel carriage assembly itself is driven by the aircraft’s dual hydraulic system.[13]
The GAU-8/A ammunition is linkless, reducing weight and avoiding a great deal of potential for jamming. The feed system is double-ended, allowing the spent casings to be recycled back into the ammunition drum,[14] instead of ejected from the aircraft, which would require considerable force to eliminate potential airframe damage. The feed system is based on that developed for later M61 installations, but uses more advanced design techniques and materials throughout, to save weight.[5]
Firing system
Accuracy
The GAU-8/A is extremely accurate and can fire 4,200 rounds per minute without complications. The 30-mm shell has twice the range, half the time to target, and three times the mass of projectiles fired by guns mounted in comparable close air support aircraft.[1]
The muzzle velocity of the GAU-8/A is about the same as that of the M61 Vulcan cannon, but the GAU-8/A uses heavier ammunition and has superior ballistics. The time of flight of its projectile to 4,000 feet (1,200 m) is 30 percent less than that of an M61 round; the GAU-8/A projectile decelerates much less after leaving the barrel, and it drops a negligible amount, about 10 feet (3.0 m) over the distance. The GAU-8/A accuracy when installed in the A-10 is rated at “5 mil, 80 percent”, meaning that 80 percent of rounds fired will hit within a cone with an angle of five milliradians. According to Dennis R. Jenkins, author of Fairchild-Republic A/OA-10 Warthog, 5 milliradians equates to a 40 feet (12 meters) diameter circle at the weapon’s design range of 4,000 feet (1,200 m).[15] According to the milliradian system in use in the U.S. however, an angle of 1 milliradian equates to 1 meter (3.3 ft) diameter at 1,000 m (3,300 ft);[16][17] meaning 5 milliradians equates to 20 feet (6 m) circle at 4,000 feet (1,200 m). By comparison, the M61 has an 8-milliradian dispersion.[10][18]
Recoil
Because the gun’s recoil forces could push the entire plane off target during firing, the weapon itself is mounted laterally off-center, slightly to the portside of the fuselage centreline, with the actively “firing” barrel in the nine o’clock position (when viewed from the front of the aircraft), so that the firing barrel lies directly on the aircraft’s center line. The firing barrel also lies just below the aircraft’s center of gravity, being bore sighted along a line 2 degrees below the aircraft’s line of flight. This arrangement accurately centers the recoil forces, preventing changes in pitch or yaw when fired. This configuration also provides space for the front landing gear, which is mounted slightly off-center on the starboard side of the nose.[19]
The GAU-8/A utilizes recoil adapters. They are the interface between the gun housing and the gun mount. By absorbing (in compression) the recoil forces, they spread the time of the recoil impulse and counter recoil energy transmitted to the supporting structure when the gun is fired.
The A-10 engines were initially susceptible to flameout when subjected to gases generated in the firing of the gun. When the GAU-8 is being fired, the smoke from the gun can make the engines stop, and this did occur during initial flight testing.[2] Gun exhaust is essentially oxygen-free, and is certainly capable of causing flame-outs of gas turbines. The A-10 engines now have a self-sustaining combustion section. When the gun is fired the igniters come on to reduce the possibility of a flame-out.[20]
The average recoil force of the GAU-8/A is 10,000 pounds-force (45 kN),[3][21] which is slightly more than the output of one of the A-10′s two TF34 engines (9,065 lbf / 40.3 kN each).[22] While this recoil force is significant, in practice a cannon fire burst only slows the aircraft a few miles per hour in level flight.[20]
Variants
Some of the GAU-8/A technology has been transferred into the smaller 25 mm GAU-12/U Equalizer, which was developed for the AV-8B Harrier II aircraft. The GAU-12 is about the same size as the 20 mm M61. GE has also developed the GAU-13/A, a four-barreled weapon using GAU-8/A components, which has been tested in podded form as the GPU-5/A. The Avenger also forms the basis for the Dutch-developed Goalkeeper CIWS naval air-defence gun. No current or contemplated aircraft other than the A-10, however, carries the full-up Avenger system.[5]
Specifications
- Precision: 80% of rounds fired at 4,000 feet (1,200 m) range hit within a 40 feet (12 m) diameter circle
- Ammo:
- PGU-14/B API Armor Piercing Incendiary (DU)
- PGU-13/B HEI High explosive incendiary
- PGU-15/B TP Target Practice
- Armor penetration of Armor-Piercing Incendiary ammunition, BHN-300 RHA, attack angle 30 degrees from vertical:[23]
- 76mm at 300 meters
- 69mm at 600 meters
- 64mm at 800 meters
- 59mm at 1,000 meters
- 55mm at 1,220 meters
See also
General:
References
- “A-10/OA-10 Thunderbolt II”. GlobalSecurity.org.
- “GAU-8/A Avenger”. National Museum of the USAF. Retrieved 2009-09-14.
- Goebel, Greg (October 1, 2008). “A-10: Development & Description”. Archived from the original on 2009-09-25. Retrieved 2009-09-14.
- “Turrets & Mounted Weaponry”. Archived from the original on 2009-03-27. Retrieved 2009-09-14.[verification needed]
- Spick 2000, p. 44.
- “Defense Systems: 30mm GAU-8/A Ammunition”, Orbital ATK Incorporated, page 2, November 2002.
- ATK corp. “GAU-8/A Ammunition (30 mm)”. ATK. Retrieved 2014-01-09.
- Stravonski. “Firepower of the A-10″. Archived from the original on 2003-04-15. Retrieved 2009-09-14.
- http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a522397.pdf
- Wagner, Jirka. “30mm cannon GAU-8 Avenger”. Archived from the original on 2013-01-05.
- Stephens, Rick (1995). A-10 Thunderbolt II. World Air Power Journal. p. 18. ISBN 1-874023-54-9.
- Time Compliance Technical Order 1A-10-1089, Flight manual TO 1A-10A-1. 1-150A (Change 8 ed.). United States Air Force. 20 February 2003. p. vi.
- “Fact Sheet: General Electric GAU-8/A “Avenger” 30mm Cannon”. Hill Air Force Base. Archived from the original on 2011-06-04.
- “GAU-8 Avenger”. Retrieved 2005-04-27.
- Jenkins 1998, pp. 64–73.
- http://mil-dot.com/articles/the-mildot-reticle
- FM 23-10 Sniper Training, p. 43
- “GAU-8 Avenger”. Retrieved 2009-09-14.
- “A-10 Described: GAU-8 Cannon / External Stores”. Vectorsite.net. Archived from the original on 2008-12-25. Retrieved 10/1/2008. Check date values in:
|access-date=
(help) - Jenkins, Dennis R (1998). Fairchild-Republic A/OA-10 Warthog. North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press. ISBN 1-58007-013-2.
- “Armament Systems: Aircraft Gun Systems”. General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
- “TF34 Engine”. GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 2009-09-14.
- Berko Zecevic, Jasmin Terzic, Alan Catovic, Sabina Serdarevic-Kadic.“Dispersion of PGU-14 ammunition during air strikes by combat aircraft A-10 near urban areas”, page 800. University of Sarajevo, Mechanical Engineering Faculty, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. April 21 2010.
- Spick, Michael. The Great Book of Modern Warplanes, Salamander Books, 2000. ISBN 1-84065-156-3.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to GAU-8 Avenger. |
- General Electric GAU-8/A Avenger on USAF National Museum site
- GAU-8 Avenger, Hill Aerospace Museum, fas.org
- General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems GAU-8/A page
- Video of the GAU-8 Avenger test firing
AC-130H Spectre Gunship • Airstrike
On Insurgents
Lockheed AC-130
AC-130 Spectre/Spooky/Stinger II/Ghostrider | |
---|---|
AC-130H Spectre gunship deploys flares in 2007 | |
Role | Ground-attack aircraft and close air support gunship |
Manufacturer | Lockheed Lockheed Martin Boeing |
First flight | AC-130A: 1966 |
Introduction | AC-130A: 1968 AC-130H: 1969[1] |
Retired | AC-130A: 1995 AC-130H: 2015[1] |
Status | In service |
Primary user | United States Air Force |
Number built | 47 (in all variants)[citation needed] |
Unit cost | |
Developed from | Lockheed C-130 Hercules |
The Lockheed AC-130 gunship is a heavily armed, long-endurance ground-attack variant of the C-130 Hercules transport fixed-wing aircraft. It carries a wide array of anti-ground oriented weapons that are integrated with sophisticated sensors, navigation, and fire-control systems. Unlike other military fixed-wing aircraft, the AC-130 relies on visual targeting. Because its large profile and low operating altitudes (around 7,000 ft) make it an easy target, it usually flies close air support missions at night.[2]
The airframe is manufactured by Lockheed Martin, while Boeing is responsible for the conversion into a gunship and for aircraft support.[3] Developed during the Vietnam War as ‘Project Gunship II’, the AC-130 replaced the Douglas AC-47 Spooky, or ‘Gunship I’. The sole operator is the United States Air Force, which uses the AC-130U Spooky and AC-130W Stinger II[4] variants for close air support, air interdiction, and force protection, with the AC-130J Ghostrider in development. Close air support roles include supporting ground troops, escorting convoys, and urban operations. Air interdiction missions are conducted against planned targets and targets of opportunity. Force protection missions include defending air bases and other facilities. AC-130Us are based at Hurlburt Field, Florida, while AC-130Ws are based at Cannon AFB, New Mexico; gunships can be deployed worldwide.[5] The squadrons are part of the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), a component of the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM).[6]
The AC-130 has an unpressurized cabin, with the weaponry mounted to fire from the port side of the fuselage. During an attack, the gunship performs a pylon turn, flying in a large circle around the target, therefore being able to fire at it for far longer than in a conventional strafing attack. The AC-130H Spectre was armed with two 20 mm M61 Vulcan cannons, one Bofors 40 mm cannon, and one 105 mm M102 howitzer; after 1994, the 20 mm cannons were removed. The upgraded AC-130U Spooky has a single 25 mm GAU-12 Equalizer cannon in place of the Spectre’s two 20 mm cannons, an improved fire control system, and increased ammunition capacity. New AC-130Js based on the MC-130J Combat Shadow II special operations tanker were planned as of 2012. The AC-130W is armed with one 30 mm Bushmaster cannon, AGM-176 Griffin missiles, and GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs (SDBs).[7]
Contents
Development
Origins
During the Vietnam War, the C-130 Hercules was selected to replace the Douglas AC-47 Spooky gunship (Project Gunship I) in order to improve mission endurance and increase capacity to carry munitions. Capable of flying faster than helicopters and at high altitudes with excellent loiter time, the use of the pylon turn allowed the AC-47 to deliver continuous accurate fire to a single point on the ground.[8][9]
In 1967, JC-130A 54-1626 was selected for conversion into the prototype AC-130A gunship (Project Gunship II). The modifications were done at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base by the Aeronautical Systems Division. A direct view night vision telescope was installed in the forward door, an early forward looking infrared device in the forward part of the left wheel well, and Gatling guns fixed facing down and aft along the left side. The analog fire control computer prototype was handcrafted by RAF Wing Commander Tom Pinkerton at the USAF Avionics Laboratory at Wright-Patterson AFB. Flight testing of the prototype was performed primarily at Eglin Air Force Base, followed by further testing and modifications. By September 1967, the aircraft was certified ready for combat testing and was flown to Nha Trang Air Base, South Vietnam for a 90-day test program.[8] The AC-130 was later supplemented by the AC-119 Shadow (Project Gunship III), which later proved to be underpowered.
Seven more warplanes were converted to the “Plain Jane” configuration like the AC-130 prototype in 1968,[10] and one aircraft received the “Surprise Package” refit in 1969.[11] The Surprise Package upgrade included the latest 20 mm rotary autocannons and 40 mm Bofors cannon but no 7.62 mm close support armament. The Surprise Package configuration served as a test bed for the avionic systems and armament for the AC-130E. In 1970, ten more AC-130As were acquired under the “Pave Pronto” project.[12] In the summer of 1971, Surprise Package AC-130s were converted to the Pave Pronto configuration and assumed the new nickname of ‘Thor’. Conversion of C-130Es into AC-130Es for the “PAVE Spectre” project followed.[13][14] Regardless of their project names the aircraft were more commonly referred to by the squadron’s call sign ‘Spectre’.
Recent and planned upgrades
In 2007, Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) initiated a program to upgrade the armament of AC-130s. The test program planned for the 25 mm GAU-12/U and 40 mm Bofors cannon on the AC-130U gunships to be replaced with two 30 mm Mk 44 Bushmaster II cannons.[15] In 2007, the Air Force modified four AC-130U gunships as test platforms for the Bushmasters. These were referred to as AC-130U Plus 4 or AC-130U+4. AFSOC, however, canceled its plans to install the new cannons on its fleet of AC-130Us. It has since removed the guns and re-installed the original 40 mm and 25 mm cannons and returned the planes to combat duty.[16] Brigadier General Bradley A. Heithold, AFSOC’s director of plans, programs, requirements, and assessments, said on 11 August 2008 that the effort was canceled because of problems with the Bushmaster’s accuracy in tests “at the altitude we were employing it”. There were also schedule considerations that drove the decision, he said.[17]
There were also plans to possibly replace the 105 mm cannon with a breech-loading 120 mm M120 mortar, and to give the AC-130 a standoff capability using either the AGM-114 Hellfire missile, the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (based on the Hydra 70 rocket), or the Viper Strike glide bomb.[18]
In 2010, the Air Force awarded L-3 Communications a $61 million contract to add precision strike packages to eight MC-130W Combat Spear special-mission aircraft[19] to give them a gunship-like attack capability; such-equipped MC-130Ws are known as Dragon Spears. Air Force Special Operations Command is arming these aircraft to relieve the high operational demands on AC-130 gunships until new AC-130Js enter service.[20] The MC-130W Dragon Spear was renamed the AC-130W Stinger II in 2011.[21] The precision strike packages consist of a 30 mm gun and several precision guided munitions (PGMs). Rails are mounted on the out-board pylon of the wing for four Hellfire missiles, SDBs, or SDB IIs under each. 10 Common Launch Tubes (CLTs) are mounted on the rear ramp to fire Griffin A missiles; additional missiles are stored in the aircraft that can be reloaded in flight.[22] CLTs are able to fire other small munitions able to fit inside the 6 in (15 cm)-diameter, 48 in (1.2 m)-long tubes.[23]
The Air Force launched an initiative in 2011 to acquire 16 new gunships based on new-built MC-130J Combat Shadow II special operations tankers outfitted with a “precision strike package” to give them an attack capability, requesting $1.6 billion from Fiscal Years 2011 through 2015. This would increase the size of the gunship fleet to 33 aircraft, a net increase of eight after the planned retirement of eight aging AC-130Hs. The first aircraft would be bought in Fiscal 2012, followed by two in Fiscal 2013, five in Fiscal 2014, and the final eight in Fiscal 2015.[24] The decision to retain the C-130 came after funding for 16 C-27Js was removed from the fiscal 2010 budget.[25] The AC-130J will follow the path of the Dragon Spear program.[26] On 9 January 2013, the Air Force began converting the first MC-130J Combat Shadow II into an AC-130J Ghostrider[27] and delivered it to AFSOC on 29 July 2015.[28] The first AC-130J is to enter service in 2017.[29]
The Air Force decided to add a 105 mm cannon to the AC-130J in addition to the 30 mm cannon and smart bombs, the shells being more accurate and cheaper than dropping SDBs. AFSOC is interested in adding a directed energy weapon to the AC-130J by 2020,[30] similar to the previous Advanced Tactical Laser program. It is to produce a beam of up to 120 kW, or potentially even 180–200 kW, weigh about 5,000 lb (2,300 kg), defensively destroy anti-aircraft missiles, and offensively engage communications towers, boats, cars, and aircraft.[31][32][33] However, laser armament may only be installed on a few aircraft rather than the entire AC-130J fleet;[34] the laser will be mounted on the side in place of the 30 mm cannon.[35] Other potential additions include an active denial system to perform airborne crowd control, and small unmanned aerial vehicles from the common launch tubes to provide remote video feed and coordinates to weapons operators through cloud cover.[36] Called the Tactical Off-board Sensor (TOBS), the drones would be expendable and fly along a pre-programed orbit to verify targets the aircraft can’t see itself because of bad weather or standing off from air defenses.[33][34] AFSOC will initially utilize the Raytheon Coyote small UAV for the TOBS mission, as it is an off-the-shelf design with a one-hour endurance, but plans to fulfill the role with a new drone capable of a four-hour endurance by 2019.[23]
The Air Force is also interested in acquiring a glide bomb that can be launched from the common launch tubes capable of hitting ground vehicles traveling as fast as 120 km/h (70 mph) while above 10,000 ft (3,000 m).[37] In June 2016, Dynetics was awarded a contract by SOCOM to integrate its tactical munition onto the AC-130. Designated the GBU-69/B Small Glide Munition, the weapon weighs 27 kg (60 lb) and is armed with a 16 kg (35 lb) blast-fragmentation warhead that can detonate by direct impact or at a pre-selected height; despite being smaller, being unpowered allows more volume for its warhead to be heavier than those on the Hellfire and Griffin A missiles, 9 kg (20 lb) and 5.9 kg (13 lb) respectively. Guidance is provided by a GPS receiver with anti-spoofing software and four Distributed Aperture Semi-Active Laser Seeker (DASALS) apertures adapted from the WGU-59/B APKWS for terminal guidance. Fielding is planned in 2017.[38][39][40]
Future
By 2018, AC-130 gunships will have been providing close air support for special operators for 50 years. Although the aircraft have been kept relevant through constant upgrades to their weaponry, sensor packages, and countermeasures, they are not expected to be survivable in future non-permissive environments due to their high signatures and low airspeeds. Military analysts, such as the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, have suggested that AFSOC invest in more advanced technologies to fill the role to operate in future contested combat zones, including a mix of low-cost disposable unmanned and stealthy strike aircraft.[41]
Design
Overview
The AC-130 is a heavily armed long-endurance aircraft carrying an array of anti-ground oriented weapons that are integrated with sophisticated sensors, navigation, and fire-control systems. It is capable of delivering precision firepower or area-saturation fire over a target area over a long period of time, at night or in adverse weather. The sensor suite consists of a television sensor, infrared sensor, and radar. These sensors allow the gunship to visually or electronically identify friendly ground forces and targets in most weather conditions.
The AC-130U is equipped with the AN/APQ-180, a synthetic aperture radar for long-range target detection and identification. The gunship’s navigational devices include inertial navigation systems and a Global Positioning System. The AC-130U employs technologies developed in the 1990s which allow it to attack two targets simultaneously. It has twice the munitions capacity of the AC-130H.[3] Although the AC-130U conducts some operations in daylight, most of its combat missions are conducted at night.[42] The AC-130H’s unit cost is US$132.4 million, and the AC-130U’s cost is US$190 million (fiscal 2001 dollars).[6]
Upgrades
During the Vietnam era, the various AC-130 versions following the Pave Pronto modifications were equipped with a magnetic anomaly detector system called Black Crow (designated AN/ASD-5), a highly sensitive passive device with a phased-array antenna located in the left-front nose radome that could pick up localized deviations in the Earth’s magnetic field normally used to detect submerged submarines. The Black Crow system was slaved into the targeting computers of the AC-130A/E/H, enabling the detection of the unshielded ignition coils of North Vietnamese trucks hidden under dense jungle foliage along the Ho Chi Minh trail. It could also detect hand-held transmitter signals of air controllers on the ground to identify and locate targets.
The PGM-38/U enhanced 25 mm high explosive incendiary round was created to expand the AC-130U gunships’ mission in standoff range and survivability for its 25 mm GAU-12/U gun. This round is a combination of the existing PGU-25 HEI and a M758 fuze designated as FMU-151/B to meet the MIL-STD-1316. The FMU-151 has an improved arming delay with multi-sensitive range.[43]
Operational history
Vietnam War
The AC-130 gunship first arrived in South Vietnam on 21 September 1967 under the Gunship II program and began combat operations over Laos and South Vietnam that year. In June 1968, AC-130s were deployed to Tan Son Nhut AB near Saigon for support against the Tet Offensive. By 30 October 1968, enough AC-130 Gunship IIs arrived to form a squadron, the 16th Special Operations Squadron (SOS) of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW), at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. It was at this time that the C-130A gunship was designated the AC-130A.
On 18 August 1968, an AC-130 gunship flying an armed reconnaissance mission in Vietnam’s III Corps was diverted to support the Katum Special Forces Camp. The ground commander quickly assessed the accurate fire and capabilities of this weapon system and called for fire on his own perimeter when the Viet Cong attempted to bridge the wire on the west side of his position.
By December 1968, most AC-130s flew under F-4 Phantom II escort (to protect the gunship against heavy and concentrated AAA fire) from the 497th Tactical Fighter Squadron, normally three Phantoms per Gunship. On 24 May 1969, the first Spectre gunship was lost to enemy fire.[44]
In late 1969, under code name “Surprise Package”, 56-0490 arrived with solid-state laser-illuminated low-light-level-TV with a companion YAG laser designator, an improved forward looking infrared (FLIR) sensor, video recording for TV and FLIR, an inertial navigation system, and a prototype digital fire control computer. The remaining AC-130s were refitted with upgraded similar equipment in the summer of 1970, and then redeployed to Ubon RTAFB. On 25 October 1971, the first “Cadillac” gunship, the AC-130E arrived in Vietnam. On 17 February 1972, the first 105 mm cannon arrived for service with Spectre and was installed on Gunship 570. It was used from mid-February until the aircraft received battle damage to its right flap. The cannon was switched to Gunship 571 and was used until 30 March when the aircraft was shot down.
Date | Gunship model | Unit | Cause of loss / remarks |
---|---|---|---|
24/05/69 | AC-130A | 16th Special Operations Squadron (SOS) | Downed by 37 mm anti-aircraft artillery (AA) at 6,500 feet while on reconnaissance for enemy trucks.[45] |
22/04/70 | AC-130A | 16th SOS | Downed while truck hunting by 37 mm AA[46] |
28/03/72 | AC-130A | 16th SOS | Downed while truck hunting along the Ho Chi Minh Trail by a SA-2 surface-to-air missile (SAM). Nose art named “Prometheus“.[47] |
30/03/72 | AC-130E | 16th SOS | Downed while truck hunting by 57 mm AA at 7,500 feet. The “E” model was armed with a 105 mm howitzer. This search and rescue (SAR) mission was “overshadowed by the Bat-21 rescue mission.”[48] |
18/06/72 | AC-130A | 16th SOS | Downed by a SA-7 shoulder fired SAM which struck the #3 engine and blew off the wing.[49] |
21-22/12/72 | AC-130A | 16th SOS | Downed while truck hunting along the Ho Chi Minh trail at 7,800 feet by 37 mm AA.[50] |
On 28 January 1973, the Vietnam peace accord went into effect, marking the end of Spectre operations in Vietnam. Spectre was still needed and active in the region, supporting operations in Laos and Cambodia. On 22 February 1973, American offensive operations in Laos ended and the gunships became totally committed to operations in the Cambodian conflict.
On 12 April 1975, the Khmer Rouge were threatening the capital of Phnom Penh and AC-130s were called on to help in Operation Eagle Pull, the final evacuation of American and allied officials from Phnom Penh before it fell to the communists. The AC-130 was also over Saigon on 30 April 1975 to protect the final evacuation in Operation Frequent Wind. Spectres were also called in when the SS Mayaguez was seized, on the open sea, by Khmer Rouge soldiers and sailors on 15 May 1975.
Six AC-130s and 52 air crew members were lost during the war.[44] AC-130s destroyed more than 10,000 trucks and participated in many crucial close air support missions in Vietnam.
Cold War and later action
With the conclusion of hostilities in Southeast Asia in the mid-1970s, the AC-130H became the sole gunship in the regular Air Force, home based at Hurlburt Field, Florida, while the AC-130A fleet was transferred to the Air Force Reserve‘s 919th Tactical Airlift Group (919 TAG) at Eglin AFB Auxiliary Field #3/Duke Field, Florida. With the transition to the AC-130A, the 919 TAG was then redesignated as the 919th Special Operations Group (919 SOG).
In the late 1970s, when the AC-130H fleet was first being modified for in-flight refueling capability, a demonstration mission was planned and flown from Hurlburt Field, Florida, non-stop, to conduct a 2-hour live-fire mission over Empire Firing Range in the Republic of Panama, then return home. This 13-hour mission with two in-flight refuelings from KC-135 tankers proved the validity of flying long-range missions outside the contiguous United States to attack targets then return to home base without intermediate stops.
AC-130s from both the 4th and 16th Special Operations Squadrons have been deployed in nearly every conflict the United States has been involved in, officially and unofficially, since the end of the Vietnam War.
In July 1979, AC-130H crews deployed to Howard Air Force Base, Panama, as a precaution against possible hostile actions against American personnel during the Nicaraguan Revolution. New time aloft and non-stop distance records were subsequently set by a 16th SOS 2-ship AC-130H formation flight that departed Hurlburt Field on 13 November 1979 and landed on 15 November at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, a distance of 7,200 nautical miles (13,300 km) and 29 hours 43 minutes non-stop, refueling four times in-flight.[51][52] Refueling support for the Guam deployment was provided by KC-135 crews from the 305th Air Refueling Wing from Grissom AFB, Indiana.
In November 1979, four AC-130H gunships flew nonstop from Hurlburt Field to Anderson AFB, Guam, because of the hostage situation at the Embassy in Iran. At Guam, AC-130H crews developed communications-out/lights-out refueling procedures for later employment by trial-and-error. This deployment with the 1 SOW/CC as Task Force commander was directed from the office of the CJCS for fear that Iranian militants could begin executing American Embassy personnel who had been taken hostage on 4 November. One early option considered AC-130H retaliatory punitive strikes deep within Iran. Later gunship flights exceeded the 1979 Hurlburt-to-Guam flight. Upon return in March 1980, the four planes soon found themselves in Egypt to support the ill-fated hostage rescue attempt.
During Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada in 1983, AC-130s suppressed enemy air defense systems and attacked ground forces enabling the assault of the Point Salines Airfield via airdrop and air-land of friendly forces. The AC-130 aircrew earned the Lieutenant General William H. Tunner Award for the mission.
The AC-130Hs of the 16th Special Operations Squadron unit maintained an ongoing rotation to Howard AB, Panama, monitoring activities in El Salvador and other Central American points of interest, with rules of engagement eventually permitting attacks on FMLN targets. This commitment of Maintainers and crews started in 1983 and lasted until 1990.[53] The AC-130 is considered to have hastened the end of the Salvadoran Civil War in the 1980s. Crews flew undercover missions from Honduras and attacked guerrilla camps and concentrations.[citation needed]
AC-130s also had a primary role during the United States invasion of Panama (named Operation Just Cause) in 1989, when they destroyed Panama Defense Force headquarters and numerous command-and-control facilities, and provided close air support for US ground troops. Aircrews earned the Mackay Trophy for the most meritorious flight of the year, and the Tunner Award.
Gulf War and the 1990s
During the Gulf War of 1990–91 (Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm), Regular Air Force and Air Force Reserve AC-130s provided close air support and force protection (air base defense) for ground forces, and battlefield interdiction. The primary interdiction targets were early warning/ground control intercept (EW/GCI) sites along the southern border of Iraq. At its standard altitude of 12,000 feet, the aircraft had a proven ability to engage moving ground targets.[54] The first gunship to enter the Battle of Khafji helped stop a southbound Iraqi armored column on 29 January 1991. One day later, three more gunships provided further aid to Marines participating in the operation. The gunships attacked Iraqi positions and columns moving south to reinforce their positions north of the city.
Despite the threat of surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and increasing visibility during the early morning hours of 31 January 1991, one AC-130H, AF Serial No. 69-6567, call-sign Spirit 03, opted to stay to continue to protect the Marines. A lone Iraqi with a Strela-2 MANPADS shot Spirit 03 down, and all 14 crew members died.[55]
The military has used AC-130 gunships during the humanitarian operations in Somalia (Operation Restore Hope and Operation United Shield) in 1992–93, Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti in 1994. AC-130s took part in Operation Assured Response in Liberia in 1996 and in Operation Silver Wake in 1997, the evacuation of American non-combatants from Albania.
AC-130s took part in the NATO missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo during the 1990s.
The AC-130U gunship set a new record for the longest sustained flight by any C-130 on 22 and 23 October 1997, when two AC-130U gunships flew 36 hours nonstop from Hurlburt Field, Florida to Taegu Air Base (Daegu), South Korea, being refueled seven times in the air by KC-135 tankers. The two gunships took on 410,000 lb (186,000 kg) of fuel. Gunships also were part of the buildup of U.S. forces in 1998 to compel Iraq to allow UNSCOM weapons inspections.
War on Terror
The U.S. has used gunships with deployments to the War in Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan) (2001–2014), and Iraq War (Operation Iraqi Freedom) (2003–11). AC-130 strikes were directed by special forces on known Taliban locations during the early days of the war in Afghanistan. U.S. Special Operations Forces are using the AC-130 to support its operations. The day after arriving in Afghanistan, the AC-130s attacked Taliban and Al-Qaeda forces near the city of Konduz and were directly responsible for the city’s surrender the next day. On 26 November 2001, Spectres were called in to put down a rebellion at the prison fort of Qala-I-Janghi. The 16 SOS flew missions over Mazar-i-Sharif, Kunduz, Kandahar, Shkin, Asadabad, Bagram, Baghran, Tora Bora, and virtually every other part of Afghanistan. The Spectre participated in countless operations within Afghanistan, performing on-call close air support and armed reconnaissance. In March 2002, three AC-130 Spectres provided 39 crucial combat missions in support of Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan. During the intense fighting, the planes fired more than 1,300 40 mm and 1,200 105 mm rounds.
Close air support was the main mission of the AC-130 in Iraq. Night after night, at least one AC-130 was in the air to fulfill one or more air support requests (ASRs). A typical mission had the AC–130 supporting a single brigade’s ASRs followed by aerial refueling and another two hours with another brigade or SOF team. The use of AC-130s in places like Fallujah, urban settings where insurgents were among crowded populations of non-combatants, was criticized by human rights groups. AC-130s were also used for intelligence gathering with their sophisticated long-range video, infrared and radar sensors. In 2007, US Special Operations forces also used the AC-130 in attacks on suspected Al-Qaeda militants in Somalia.[56][57]
There were eight AC-130H and seventeen AC-130U aircraft in active-duty service as of July 2010.[6] In March 2011, the U.S. Air Force deployed two AC-130U gunships to take part in Operation Odyssey Dawn, the U.S. military intervention in Libya,[58] which eventually came under NATO as Operation Unified Protector.[59]
AC-130 Whiskey on YouTube from Deadliest Tech |
By September 2013, 14 MC-130W Dragon Spear aircraft have been converted to AC-130W Stinger II gunships. The Stinger gunships have been deployed to Afghanistan to replace the aging AC-130H aircraft and provide an example for the new AC-130J Ghostrider. Modifications began with crews cutting holes in the plane to make room for weapons, and adding kits and bomb bases for laser-guided munitions. Crews added a 105 mm cannon, 20-inch infrared and electro-optical sensors, and the ability to carry 250-pound bombs on the wings.[60]
On 15 November 2015, two days after the attacks in Paris by ISIL, AC-130s and A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft destroyed a convoy of over 100 ISIL-operated oil tanker trucks in Syria. The attacks were part of an intensification of the U.S.-led Military intervention against ISIL called Operation Tidal Wave II (named after the original Operation Tidal Wave during World War II, a failed attempt to raid German oil fields that resulted in heavy aircraft and aircrew loss) in an attempt to cut off oil smuggling as a source of funding for the group.[61]
The U.S. has continued to use the aircraft in the War in Afghanistan (2015–present).[62][63] On 3 October 2015, five attacks on a Doctors Without Borders hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan were carried out by an AC-130.[64][65]
Variants
AC-130A Spectre (Project Gunship II, Surprise Package, Pave Pronto)
Conversions of C-130As; 19 completed; transferred to Air Force Reserve in 1975, retired in 1995.[12][66]
AC-130E Spectre (Pave Spectre, Pave Aegis)
Conversions of C-130Es; 11 completed; 10 upgraded to AC-130H configuration.[67]
AC-130H Spectre
Upgraded AC-130E aircraft; eight completed; last aircraft retired in 2015.[1]
AC-130U Spooky
Operational aircraft (active duty USAF); 17 in service.[68]
AC-130J Ghostrider[27]
Based on MC-130J; 32 aircraft to be procured to replace AC-130H.[69]
AC-130W Stinger II (former MC-130W Dragon Spear)
Conversions of MC-130Ws (active duty USAF).[70]
Operators
United States Air Force[71][72][73]
- Detachment 2, 14th Air Commando Wing – Nha Trang Air Base, South Vietnam 1967-68
- 8th Tactical Fighter Wing – Ubon/Korat Royal Thai Air Base, Thailand 1968-75
16th Special Operations Squadron
- 1st Special Operations Wing – Hurlburt Field, Florida 1975-93, 2006-
4th Special Operations Squadron 2006 -
8th Special Operations Squadron 1975
16th Special Operations Squadron 1975 – 93, 2006-07
18th Flight Test Squadron 1991-93, 2006-
19th Special Operations Squadron 2006-
- 16th Special Operations Wing – Hurlburt Field, Florida 1993 – 2006
4th Special Operations Squadron 1995 – 2006
16th Special Operations Squadron
19th Special Operations Squadron 1996 – 2006
- 27th Special Operations Wing – Cannon AFB, New Mexico 2007 –
16th Special Operations Squadron
73d Special Operations Squadron
551st Special Operations Squadron
- 46th Test Wing – Eglin AFB, Florida 2014 –
- 412th Test Wing – Edwards AFB, California 1990 – 95
- 919th Special Operations Wing – Duke Field, Florida 1975 – 95
711th Special Operations Squadron
Aircraft on display
One of the first seven AC-130A aircraft deployed to Vietnam was AF serial no. 53-3129, named First Lady in November 1970. This aircraft was a conversion of the first production C-130. On 25 March 1971, it took an anti-aircraft artillery hit in the belly just aft of the nose gear wheel well over the Ho Chi Minh trail in Laos. The 37 mm shell destroyed everything below the crew deck and barely missed striking two crew members. The pilot was able to crash land the aircraft safely.[74] In 1975, after the conclusion of US involvement in the Vietnam war, it was transferred to the Air Force Reserve, where it served with the 711th Special Operations Squadron of the 919th Special Operations Wing. In 1980, the aircraft was upgraded from the original three-bladed propellers to the quieter four-bladed propellers and was eventually retired in late 1995. The retirement also marked an end to the Air Force Reserve Command flying the AC-130A. The aircraft now sits on display in the final Air Force Reserve Command configuration with grey paint, black markings, and the four-bladed Hamilton Sunstrand 54H60-91 props at the Air Force Armament Museum at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, USA.[75][76]
A second AC-130A, AF serial no. 56-0509, named the Ultimate End, was accepted by the Air Force on 28 February 1957, and modified to the AC-130A configuration on 27 July 1970. The aircraft participated in the Vietnam War and the rescue of the SS Mayaguez. Ultimate End demonstrated the durability of the C-130 after surviving hits in five places by 37 mm anti-aircraft artillery on 12 December 1970, extensive left wing leading edge damage on 12 April 1971 and a 57 mm round damaging the belly and injuring one crewman on 4 March 1972. “Ultimate End” was reassigned to the Air Force Reserve‘s 919th Special Operations Wing at Eglin AFB Auxiliary Field No.3 / Duke Field on 17 June 1975, where it continued in service until retired in the fall 1994 and transferred to Air Force Special Operations Command‘s Heritage Air Park at Hurlburt Field, Florida. While assigned to the 711th Special Operations Squadron, Ultimate End served in Operations JUST CAUSE in Panama, DESERT STORM in Kuwait and Iraq, and UPHOLD DEMOCRACY in Haiti. After 36 years and seven months of service, 24 years as a gunship, Ultimate End retired from active service on 1 October 1994. It made its last flight from Duke Field to Hurlburt Field on 20 October 1994. The Spectre Association dedicated “Ultimate End” (which served with the 16 SOS in Vietnam) on 4 May 1995. Lt Col Michael Byers, then 16 SOS commander, represented the active-duty gunship force and Clyde Gowdy of the Spectre Association represented all Spectre personnel past and present for the unveiling of a monument at the aircraft and the dedication as a whole.[77]
A third AC-130A, AF serial no. 54-1630, is on display in the Cold War Gallery at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. Named Azrael for the angel of death in Islam who severs the soul from the body, this aircraft figured prominently in the closing hours of Operation Desert Storm. On 26 February 1991, Coalition ground forces were driving the Iraqi Army out of Kuwait. With an Air Force Reserve crew called to active duty, Azrael was sent to the Al Jahra highway (Highway 80) between Kuwait City and Basra, Iraq, to intercept the convoys of tanks, trucks, buses, and cars fleeing the battle. Facing SA-6 and SA-8 surface-to-air missiles and 37 mm and 57 mm radar-guided anti-aircraft artillery the crew attacked and destroyed or disabled most of the convoys. Azrael was also assigned to the 919th Special Operations Wing and retired to the museum in October 1995.[78]
Another AC-130A, AF serial no. 54-1626, the original prototype AC-130 named “Gunship II” is on display at the outdoor Air Park at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.[79] This aircraft served in Southeast Asia from 1967 to 1972, then served in JC-130A test configuration. It was transferred to the National Museum of the United States Air Force in 1976, and converted back to AC-130A configuration in the late 1990s.
AC-130A serial no. 54-1623, c/n 3010, named “Ghost Rider” served in Southeast Asia and later conflicts until being retired in 1997 to Dobbins AFB, Georgia. Ghost Rider eventually was transferred and displayed at the Lockheed Museum at Marietta, Georgia.
Specifications
Data from USAF Fact Sheet[6]
General characteristics
- Crew: 13
- Officers: 5 (pilot, copilot, navigator, fire control officer, electronic warfare officer)
- Enlisted: 8 (flight engineer, TV operator, infrared detection set operator, loadmaster, four aerial gunners)
- Length: 97 ft 9 in (29.8 m)
- Wingspan: 132 ft 7 in (40.4 m)
- Height: 38 ft 6 in (11.7 m)
- Wing area: 1745.5 ft² (162.2 m²)
- Loaded weight: 122,400 lb (55,520 kg)
- Max. takeoff weight: 155,000 lb (69,750 kg)
- Powerplant: 4 × Allison T56-A-15 turboprops, 4,910 shp (3,700 kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 260 knots (300 mph, 480 km/h)
- Range: 2,200 nm (2,530 mi, 4,070 km)
- Service ceiling: 30,000 ft (9,100 m)
Armament
AC-130A Project Gunship II
- 4 × 7.62 mm GAU-2/A miniguns
- 4 × 20 mm (0.787 in) M61 Vulcan 6-barrel Gatling cannon
AC-130A Surprise Package, Pave Pronto, AC-130E Pave Spectre
- 2× 7.62 mm GAU-2/A miniguns
- 2× 20 mm M61 Vulcan cannon
- 2× 40 mm (1.58 in) L/60 Bofors cannon
AC-130E Pave Aegis
- 2× 20 mm M61 Vulcan cannon
- 1× 40 mm (1.58 in) L/60 Bofors cannon
- 1× 105 mm (4.13 in) M102 howitzer
AC-130H Spectre[80]
(Prior to c. 2000)
- 2× 20 mm M61 Vulcan cannon
- 1× 40 mm (1.58 in) L/60 Bofors cannon
- 1× 105 mm (4.13 in) M102 howitzer
(Current Armament)
- 1× General Dynamics 25 mm (0.984 in) GAU-12/U Equalizer 5-barreled Gatling cannon
- 1× 40 mm (1.58 in) L/60 Bofors cannon
- 1× 105 mm (4.13 in) M102 howitzer
AC-130U Spooky II
- 1× General Dynamics 25 mm (0.984 in) GAU-12/U Equalizer 5-barreled Gatling cannon
- 1× 40 mm (1.58 in) L/60 Bofors cannon
- 1× 105 mm (4.13 in) M102 howitzer
AC-130W Stinger II / AC-130J Ghostrider[27]
- 1× 30 mm ATK GAU-23/A autocannon[81]
- 1× 105 mm M102 howitzer (AC-130J Ghostrider only)[82][83]
- ‘Gunslinger’ weapons system with launch tube for AGM-176 Griffin missiles and/or GBU-44/B Viper Strike munitions (10 round magazines)[4]
- Wing mounted, AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs (SDBs) and/or GBU-53/B SDB IIs[4] (4 per hardpoint on BRU-61/A rack)[84][85]
Avionics
AC-130H Spectre
- Mission systems:
- Northrop Grumman AN/APN-241 multimode navigation radar – derived version of AN/APG-66 radar (formerly used on F-16A Fighting Falcon) consisting of precised navigation and air-to-ground modes including Monopulse Ground Mapping (MGM), Doppler Beam Sharpening (DBS), high resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), Terrain Avoidance/Terrain Following (TA/TF), skin paint (for Station KEeping; SKE), maritime detection, weather/turbulence detection, wind shear alert, and ballistic wind measurement (for precision airdrop)[86]
- Motorola (now General Dynamics) AN/APQ-150 Beacon Tracking Radar (BTR) – side-looking radar designed to search, acquire, and track ground beacon signal (X-band transponder) located at a friendly position from 10 nautical miles, beacon coordinate is used as a reference point for ground troop to give the gunship a bearing and range from the beacon to the desired target (mounted between 40 mm cannon and 105 mm howitzer)[87][88]
- Cubic Corporation AN/ARS-6 Personnel Locator System (PLS) – radio navigation set[88]
- Raytheon AN/AAQ-26 Infrared Detecting Set (IDS) – long-wave infrared (LWIR) band Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) (mounted forward of the nose landing gear door)[88][89]
- General Electric (now Lockheed Martin) AN/ASQ-145 Low Light Level Television (LLLTV) – EO fire control system consists of television camera (CCD-TV), AN/AVQ-19 Laser Target Designator/Ranger (LTD/R – 1064 nm laser emitter with permanently preset PRF code) with eyesafe mode (1570 nm laser emitter), AN/AAT-3 Ambient Temperature Illuminator (ATI – wide beam 860 nm laser illuminator), and Infrared Zoom Laser Illuminator Designator (IZLID – airborne version of 860 nm narrow beam laser pointer/marker and illuminator AN/PEQ-18) (mounted in the crew entrance door)[87][88]
- Navigation systems:
- Teledyne Ryan (now Northrop Grumman) AN/APN-218 radar – doppler navigation radar[88]
- Previously installed systems:
- AN/APN-59 radar – search and weather radar[88]
AC-130U Spooky II
- Mission systems:
- Raytheon AN/APQ-180 multimode attack radar – enhanced version of AN/APG-70 radar (used on F-15E Strike Eagle) incorporating several enhanced air-to-ground modes such as fixed target track, ground moving target indication and track, projectile impact point position, beacon track, and a weather detection[88][90][91]
- Raytheon AN/AAQ-26 IDS – LWIR FLIR (mounted on port side of the nose landing gear door)[88][89]
- Lockheed Martin AN/AAQ-39 Gunship Multispectral Sensor System (GMS2) – EO/IR fire control system consists of mid-wave infrared (MWIR) FLIR, two Image-Intensified Television (I2TV) cameras (CCD-TV), laser target designator/rangefinder with eyesafe mode (1064 and 1570 nm dual mode laser emitter), and near-infrared (NIR) laser pointer/marker (860 nm laser emitter) (mounted under the nose of port landing gear sponson)[92]
- Previously installed systems:
- GEC-Marconi All Light Level Television (ALLTV) – EO fire control systems consists of CCD-TV, Laser Target Designator/Range Finder (LTD/RF – 1064 nm laser emitter with in-flight programmable PRF code) with eyesafe mode (1570 nm laser emitter), and Laser Illuminator Assembly (LIA – 860 nm laser emitter)[88]
- Countermeasures:
- Raytheon AN/ALR-69 – digital Radar warning receiver (RWR)[90][93]
- L-3 Communications AN/AAR-44 – UV-based Missile Approach Warning System (MAWS)[94]
- ITT Exelis AN/ALQ-172 – Digital radio frequency memory (DRFM) jammer-based Electronic countermeasure (ECM) incorporating integrated Electronic Warfare (EW) self-protection function of detection, processing, warning, prioritization, jamming, and threat display[90][95]
- BAE Systems AN/ALQ-196 Low-Band Jammer (LBJ) – low frequency DRFM jammer-based ECM[96]
- Northrop Grumman AN/AAQ-24 Nemesis – laser-based Directional Infrared Counter Measures (DIRCM) (mounted on the port and starboard rear fuselage)[97]
- BAE Systems AN/ALE-47 Countermeasure Dispensing System (CMDS) – chaff/flare dispenser[98]
Notable appearances in media
See also
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
Related lists
- List of accidents and incidents involving the Lockheed C-130 Hercules
- List of active United States military aircraft
- List of Lockheed aircraft
References
- Air Commandos retire final AC-130H Spectre gunship – Cannon.AF.mil, 26 May 2015
- Gibbons-Neff, Thomas (5 October 2015). “Afghan forces requested airstrike on hospital”. The Washington Post. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
- AC-130U Gunship page. Boeing.
- “MC-130W Dragon Spear”. Air Force Special Operations. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
- Fact sheet, AF
- “AC-130H/U Gunship” (fact sheet). Air Force. 30 July 2010. Archived from the original on 10 June 2009. (article was originally based on this.)
- “AC-130W Stinger II”. USAF, December 2013.
- AC-130A (fact sheet), National Museum of the United States Air Force, archived from the original on 11 October 2014
- Douglas AC-47D (fact sheet), National Museum of the United States Air Force, archived from the original on 11 October 2014
- Lockheed AC-130A “Plain Jane”, National Museum of the United States Air Force, retrieved 5 April 2009
- Lockheed AC-130A “Surprise Package” Archived 14 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine.. National Museum of the United States Air Force. Accessed on 5 April 2009.
- Lockheed AC-130A “PAVE Pronto” Archived 5 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine.. National Museum of the United States Air Force. Accessed on 5 April 2009.
- Lockheed AC-130E “PAVE Spectre” Archived 14 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine.. National Museum of the United States Air Force. Accessed on 5 April 2009.
- Lockheed AC-130E “PAVE Aegis” Archived 14 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine.. National Museum of the United States Air Force. Accessed on 5 April 2009.
- Dunnigan, James (1 October 2006). “30 mm Everywhere”. strategypage.com.
- “A Spookier Spooky, 30 mm at a Time? Nope”. Defense Industry Daily. 1 March 2012.
- Michael Sirak with Marc Schanz, “Spooky Gun Swap Canceled”. Air Force Magazine, October 2008, Volume 91, Number 10, p. 24.
- “Future AC-130 Gunship Integrated Weapons Systems” (PDF). US DoD. March 2006.
- DoD “Contracts” Archived 5 October 2010 at the Wayback Machine.. U.S. Department of Defense, 21 September 2010.
- Sirak, Micael. “The SOF Makeover” Air Force Magazine, Vol. 93, No. 6 June 2010.
- Wallace, Ashley. “News: Stinger II”. Air International, Vol. 82 No. 5, May 2012, p. 19. ISSN 0306-5634.
- AFSOC AC-130 Gunships – Defensemedianetwork.com, 1 June 2015
- Special Operations Gunships to Be Equipped With Improved Sensors – Nationaldefensemagazine.org, May 2016
- Sirak, Micael (April 2010). “Air Force World”. Air Force Magazine. 93 (4).
- “Schwartz: AFSOC will likely convert more C-130s into ‘gunship-lites’”. Inside the Air Force. 22 May 2009.
- Duncan, Capt. Kristen D. “Benchmark ‘Dragon Spear’ program earns William J. Perry Award” Archived 4 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine.. Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs
- “The most fearsome weapon is evolving”. USAF. 9 January 2013. Archived from the original on 1 August 2013.
- “US Air Force Special Operations Command Takes Delivery of First AC-130J Ghostrider”, Deagel.com, Air Force News Service, 31 July 2015
- “Ghostrider Comes Together”. Strategy page. 9 October 2013.
- Mike Hoffman, “AFSOC Wants to Research Adding Laser Weapons to AC-130″, Defensetech.org, 29 January 2015.
- James Drew, “AFSOC developing tactics for ’2020′ AC-130 gunship laser weapon”, FlightGlobal, 17 September 2015
- Brendan McGarry, “Air Force Wants a Laser Weapon on AC-130J Gunship”, Defensetech.org, 16 September 2015
- Lara Seligman, “AFSOC Leveraging Lessons from Navy for AC-130J Laser”, Defensenews.com, 3 December 2015
- Sydney J. Freedberg, Jr., “AC-130 To Get Laser Guns & Air-Launched Drones: Heithold”, Breakingdefense.com, 3 December 2015
- AFSOC favours side-mounted laser for gunship – Flightglobal.com, 1 July 2016
- Brian Everstine, “AFSOC envisions its gunship armed with lasers, other high-tech weapons”, Air Force Times, 19 March 2015
- James Drew, “US special forces seek tube-launched glide bombs”, FlightGlobal, 23 November 2015
- Dynetics unveils new glide bomb with 16kg warhead – Flightglobal.com, 14 June 2016
- Dynetics Looks to Fit Niche With Small Glide Munition – Defensenews.com, 22 August 2016
- Dynetics Awarded USSOCOM Small Glide Munition Contract – Airforcemag.com, 14 June 2016
- Sandra I. Erwin, “Air Force Commandos Will Have Fewer Aircraft, More Firepower” National Defense Magazine, 15 May 2013
- Naylor, Sean. Not a Good Day to Die: The Untold Story of Operation Anaconda, pp. 425. Berkley Books, 2005. ISBN 0-425-19609-7. Retrieved 6 April 2009.
- “PGU-38/U 25mm Ammunition”, August 1993, Alliant Techsystems, Public Release, Case No. 93-S3040, E10630 8/93.
- Hobson, Chris (2001), Vietnam Air Losses: United States Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps Fixed-Wing Aircraft Losses in Southeast Asia, 1961–1973, Hinckley, ENG, UK: Midland, p. 268, ISBN 1-85780-115-6
- Hobson p. 182.
- Hobson p. 202.
- Hobson p. 219.
- Hobson p. 220.
- Hobson pp. 228, 229.
- Hobson p. 244.
- Lockheed records.
- Lawrence, Pilot Lt Col Jim (June 1995), “??”, Night Flyer (magazine) (article), AFSOC
- Cooper, Tom. “El Salvador, 1980–1992″. ACIG. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
- “Why the AC-130 Fears Daylight”. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
- “Spirit 03 and the Battle for Khafji”, Special operations (memorial), archived from the original on 25 October 2008
- “Pentagon official: US attacks al Qaeda suspects in Somalia”. CNN. 8 January 2007.[dead link]
- “US plane ‘bombed Somalia targets’”. Africa News. BBC.
- McGarry, Brendan (28 March 2011), Coalition Isn’t Coordinating Strikes With Rebels, US Says, Bloomberg
- Schmitt, Eric (29 March 2011). “US Gives Its Air Power Expansive Role in Libya”. The New York Times. p. A13. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
- “AFSOC’s new weapon: Portable unmanned aircraft bases”, The Military Times, 17 September 2013
- US A-10 Attack Planes Hit ISIS Oil Convoy to Crimp Terror Funding – Military.com, 16 November 2015
- “Congressman questions if Army Special Forces denied rescue force, fire support”. the Washington post. 7 January 2016.
- “CENTCOM: AC-130 ‘absolutely did fire’ in Marjah battle against Taliban”. Stars and Stripes. 8 January 2016.
- “Death Toll in Airstrike on Doctors Without Borders Hospital May Rise, Group Says”.
- “U.S. Role in Afghanistan Turns to Combat Again, With a Tragic Error”. the new York times. 8 May 2016.
- “AC-130A Spectre” GlobalSecurity.org
- Lockheed AC-130H fact sheet Archived 13 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine.. National Museum of the United States Air Force
- “AC-130U”. Air Force. January 2016.
- King Jr., Samuel (7 February 2014). “New AC-130J completes first test flight”. af.mil. Team Eglin Public Affairs. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
- John Pike. “MC-130W Combat Spear / AC-130W Stinger II”. Globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 2013-11-16.
- “Spec Ops Profile: 1st Special Operations Wing”. Military.com. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
- “Units”. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
- “New AC-130J completes first test flight”. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
- Noecker, Jeff. Callsign: Spectre[specify]
- “List of AC-130 Gunships.” Gunships. Retrieved 6 June 2011.[dead link]
- “First Lady retires, era ends.” Gunships. Retrieved 6 June 2011.[dead link]
- AC-130A Spectre Archived 23 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine.. USAF Hurlburt Field
- Lockheed AC-130A Spectre Archived 25 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine., image. National Museum of the United States Air Force. Retrieved 17 July 2010. “Archived copy”. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 2009-04-07.
- Lockheed AC-130A Archived 11 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine., image. National Museum of the United States Air Force. Retrieved 17 July 2010. “Archived copy”. Archived from the original on 11 October 2014. Retrieved 2007-08-20.
- AC-130H/U Gunship (fact sheet), US: Air Force, December 2015 (20 mm guns were removed).
- “ATK’s GAU-23 30mm Automatic Cannon Receives Type Classification for Use on U.S. Air Force AC-130W Gunships”. PR NewsWire. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
- “Ghostrider’s Big Gun: AC-130J Gets 105 ASAP; Laser Later”. Breaking Defense. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
- Tyler Rogoway. “The AC-130J Ghostrider Will Get A Big Ass Gun Afterall”. Foxtrot Alpha. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
- “BRU-61/A Bomb Rack”. Armed Forces International. Retrieved 22 March 2011.
- “Daytime Gunships Galore”, Strategy page, 29 November 2012
- “Aircraft Procurement, vol 2 part 2, FY05″ (PDF). USAF. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
- Boyne, Walter J. Encyclopedia of Modern U.S. Military Weapons, pp. 10–12. Barkley Books, 1995. ISBN 0-425-16437-3. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- U.S. Air Force Career Field Education and Training Plan: Communication/Navigation/Mission Systems, pp. 257–291. U.S. Air Force, 2006. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
- “AN/AAQ-26 Infrared Detecting Set”. Raytheon. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
- Pushies, Fred J. United States Air Force Special Ops, pp. 42–26. Zenith Press, 2007. ISBN 0-760-32947-8. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
- “AN/APQ-180 Radar”. Raytheon. Archived from the original on 3 June 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
- “AN/AAQ-39″. Lockheed Martin. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
- “AN/ALR-69A(V) Radar Warning Receiver”. Raytheon. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
- “AN/AAR-44 – Infrared Warning Receiver”. American Special Ops. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
- “ALQ-172 (EW Integrated Self Protection System)”. ITT Exelis. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
- “BAe Systems Jammer for Special Hercs”. Aero News Network. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
- Parsch, Andreas. “AN/AAQ – Airborne Infrared Multipurpose/Special Equipment”. Designation systems. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
- Pike, John. “AC-130 Project Gunship II”. Global security. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
Further reading
- Ballard, Jack S. (1982). Development and Employment of Fixed-Wing Gunships 1962–1972. Office of Air Force History, US Air Force. p. 326. ISBN 1-4289-9364-9. Retrieved 6 April 2009. (AC-130 refs loaded throughout book)
- Bonds, Ray; Miller, David (2002). The Illustrated Directory of Special Forces. Zenith Imprint. pp. 426ff, esp. 480. ISBN 0-7603-1419-5. Retrieved 6 April 2009.
- Couvillon, Michael (2011). Grenada Grinder. Marietta, GA: Deeds Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9826180-8-0.
- Head, William P. (2007). Shadow and Stinger. Texas A&M University Press. pp. 28ff, esp. 340. ISBN 1-58544-577-0. Retrieved 6 April 2009.
- Momyer, William W., General (U.S. Air Force, Retired) (1983). Air Power in Three Wars. US Government Printing Office. pp. 211ff, esp. 358. ISBN 1-4289-8210-8. Retrieved 6 April 2009..
- Mrozek, Donald J. (2002). Air Power and the Ground War in Vietnam. The Minerva Group. pp. 128ff, esp. 216. ISBN 0-89875-981-1. Retrieved 6 April 2009.
- Pirnie, Bruce (2005). Beyond Close Air Support: Forging a New Air-Ground Partnership. Rand Corp. pp. 58ff, esp. 188. ISBN 0-8330-3741-2. Retrieved 6 April 2009.
- Veronico, Nick (2004). 21st Century U.S. Air Power. Zenith Imprint. pp. 75ff, esp. 176. ISBN 0-7603-2014-4. Retrieved 6 April 2009.
- “Contemporary Historical Evaluation of Combat Operations: Fixed Wing Gunships in Southeast Asia”, Project CHECO, ScribD, retrieved 22 November 2012.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to AC-130 Spectre. |
- “Gunship History”, Spectre Association.
- AC-130, Global Security.
- “Powerful Gunships Prowl Iraq, and Limits Show” on NPR from All Things Considered.
- U.S. Air Force (2002). AC-130 Attack video with explicit kills (thermal imagery from targeting camera) (160 MB). Internet Archive. Event occurs at 9 minutes. Retrieved 3 April 2009.
- “Gunship Worries”, Air Force magazine, July 2009.
- (1977) T.O. 1C-130(A)A-1 Flight Manual USAF Series AC-130A Airplane (Part 1), (Part 2)
- Lockheed aircraft
- Lockheed Martin aircraft
- United States attack aircraft 1960–1969
- Four-engined tractor aircraft
- High-wing aircraft
- Turboprop aircraft
- Aircraft artillery
- Gunships
- Lockheed C-130 Hercules
- Military equipment of the Vietnam War
- Military history of the United States during the Vietnam War
- Aircraft first flown in 1966
Counter Rocket Artillery & Mortar
system (C-RAM) FIRING! US Army
land based PHALANX test day/night!
Phalanx CIWS
Phalanx CIWS | |
---|---|
Phalanx (Block 1A) live fire test aboard USS Monterey in November 2008.
|
|
Type | Close-in weapon system |
Place of origin | United States |
Service history | |
In service | 1980–present |
Used by | See operators |
Wars | Persian Gulf War |
Production history | |
Designer | General Dynamics (now Raytheon) |
Manufacturer | General Dynamics (now Raytheon) |
Unit cost |
5X Block 1B 8.56M pound to UK (price may vary for different amounts of ammo, technical protocols, and personnel training)[1] |
Produced | 1978[2] |
Specifications | |
Weight | 12,500 lb (5,700 kg), later models 13,600 lb (6,200 kg)[2] |
Barrel length | • Block 0 & 1 (L76 gun barrel): 60 in (1,500 mm) • Block 1B (L99 gun barrel): 78 in (2,000 mm)[3] |
Height | 15.5 ft (4.7 m) |
Crew | Automated, with human oversight |
|
|
Shell | • Naval: Armor-piercing tungsten penetrator rounds with discarding sabots. • Land: High-Explosive Incendiary Tracer, Self-Destruct. |
Caliber | 20×102 mm |
Barrels | 6-barrel (progressive RH parabolic twist, 9 grooves) |
Elevation | • Block 0: -10°/+80° • Block 1: -20°/+80° (Rate of elevation: 86°/sec for Block 0/1) • Block 1B: -25°/+85° (Rate of elevation: 115°/sec)[3] |
Traverse | • 150° from either side of centerline (Rate of traverse: 100°/sec for Block 0 & 1, 116°/sec for Block 1B)[3] |
Rate of fire | 4,500 rounds/minute (75 rounds/second). |
Muzzle velocity | 3,600 ft/s (1,100 m/s)[3] |
Effective firing range | Classified[2][4] |
Maximum firing range | 2.2 mi (3.5 km)[3] |
|
|
Main
armament |
1×20 mm M61 Vulcan 6-barreled Gatling cannon[5] |
Guidance
system |
Ku-band radar and FLIR[6] |
The Phalanx CIWS (pronounced “sea-whiz”) is a close-in weapon system for defense against anti-ship missiles. It was designed and manufactured by the General Dynamics Corporation, Pomona Division[5] (now a part of Raytheon). Consisting of a radar-guided 20 mm Vulcan cannon mounted on a swiveling base, the Phalanx has been used by multiple navies around the world, notably the United States Navy on every class of surface combat ship with the exception of the San Antonio class LPD,[7] by the British Royal Navy in its older escorts (where weight limits the use of the heavier Dutch Goalkeeper 30 mm CIWS), by the United States Coast Guard aboard its Hamilton-class and Legend-class cutters, and the navies of 16 allied nations.
A land based variant, known as C-RAM, has recently been deployed in a short range missile defense role, to counter incoming rockets and artillery fire.[8]
Because of their distinctive barrel-shaped radome and their automated nature of operation, Phalanx CIWS units are sometimes nicknamed “R2-D2” after the famous droid character from the Star Wars films.[9][10]
Contents
History
The Phalanx Close-In Weapons System (CIWS) was developed as the last line of automated weapons defense (terminal defense or point defense) against anti-ship missiles (AShMs or ASMs) and attacking aircraft, including high-g and maneuvering sea-skimmers.
The first prototype system was offered to the U.S. Navy for evaluation on the destroyer leader USS King in 1973 and it was determined that additional improvements were required to improve performance and reliability. Subsequently, the Phalanx Operational Suitability Model successfully completed its Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) on board the destroyer USS Bigelow in 1977. The model exceeded operational maintenance, reliability, and availability specifications. Another evaluation successfully followed, and the weapon system was approved for production in 1978. Phalanx production started with orders for 23 USN and 14 foreign military systems. The first ship fully fitted out was the aircraft carrier USS Coral Sea in 1980. The Navy began placing CIWS systems on non-combatant vessels in 1984.
Design
The basis of the system is the 20 mm M61 Vulcan Gatling gun autocannon, used since 1959 by the United States military on various tactical aircraft, linked to a Ku-band radar system for acquiring and tracking targets. This proven system was combined with a purpose-made mounting, capable of fast elevation and traverse speeds, to track incoming targets. An entirely self-contained unit, the mounting houses the gun, an automated fire-control system and all other major components, enabling it to automatically search for, detect, track, engage, and confirm kills using its computer-controlled radar system. Due to this self-contained nature, Phalanx is ideal for support ships, which lack integrated targeting systems and generally have limited sensors. The entire unit has a mass between 12,400 to 13,500 lb (5,600 to 6,100 kg).
Upgrades
Due to the continuing evolution of both threats and computer technology, the Phalanx system has, like most military systems, been developed through a number of different configurations. The basic (original) style is the Block 0, equipped with first-generation, solid-state electronics and with marginal capability against surface targets. The Block 1 (1988) upgrade offered various improvements in radar, ammunition, computing power, rate of fire, and an increase in maximum engagement elevation to +70 degrees. These improvements were intended to increase the system’s capability against emerging Russian supersonic anti-ship missiles. Block 1A introduced a new computer system to counter more maneuverable targets. The Block 1B PSuM (Phalanx Surface Mode, 1999) adds a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) sensor to make the weapon effective against surface targets.[11] This addition was developed to provide ship defense against small vessel threats and other “floaters” in littoral waters and to improve the weapon’s performance against slower low-flying aircraft. The FLIR’s capability is also of use against low-observability missiles and can be linked with the RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) system to increase RAM engagement range and accuracy. The Block 1B also allows for an operator to visually identify and target threats.[11]
As the system model manager, the U.S. Navy is in the process of upgrading all their Phalanx systems to the Block 1B configuration. All U.S Navy Phalanx systems are scheduled for upgrade to Block 1B by the end of FY 2015. In addition to the FLIR sensor, the Block 1B incorporates an automatic acquisition video tracker, optimized gun barrels (OGB), and Enhanced Lethality Cartridges (ELC) for additional capabilities against asymmetric threats such as small maneuvering surface craft, slow-flying fixed and rotary-winged aircraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles. The FLIR sensor improves performance against anti-ship cruise missiles, while the OGB and ELC provide tighter dispersion and increased “first-hit” range; the Mk 244 ELC is specifically designed to penetrate anti-ship missiles with a 44-percent-heavier tungsten penetrator round and an aluminum nose piece. Another system upgrade is the Phalanx 1B Baseline 2 radar to improve detection performance, increase reliability, and reduce maintenance. It also has a surface mode to track, detect, and destroy threats closer to the water’s surface, increasing the ability to defend against fast-attack boats and low-flying missiles; the Baseline 2 radar upgrade is to be installed on all U.S. Navy Phalanx system-equipped vessels by FY 2019.[12] The Block 1B is also used by other navies, such as Canada, Portugal, Japan, Egypt, Bahrain, and the UK.[13]
In April 2017, Raytheon tested a new electric gun for the Phalanx allowing the system to fire at varying rates to conserve ammunition. The new design replaces the pneumatic motor, compressor, and storage tanks, reducing system weight by 180 lb (82 kg) while increasing reliability and reducing operating costs.[14]
Operation
The CIWS is designed to be the last line of defense against anti-ship missiles. Due to its design criteria, its effective range is very short relative to the range of modern ASMs, from 1 to 5 nautical miles (9 km). The gun mount moves at a very high speed and with great precision. The system takes minimal inputs from the ship, making it capable of functioning despite potential damage to the ship. The only inputs required for operation are 440 V AC Three-phase electric power at 60 Hz and water (for electronics cooling). For full operation, including some non-essential functions, it also has inputs for true compass ship’s heading and 115 V AC for the PASS subsystem.
Radar subsystems
The CIWS has two antennas that work together to engage targets. The first antenna, for searching, is located inside the radome on the weapon control group (top of the white-painted portion). The search subsystem provides bearing, range, velocity, heading, and altitude information of potential targets to the CIWS computer. This information is analyzed to determine whether the detected object should be engaged by the CIWS system. Once the computer identifies a valid target (see details below), the mount moves to face the target and then hands the target over to the tracking antenna. The track antenna is extremely precise, but views a much smaller area. The tracking subsystem observes the target until the computer determines that the probability of a successful hit is maximized and then, depending on the operator conditions, the system either fires automatically or recommends fire to the operator. While firing, the system tracks outgoing rounds and ‘walks’ them onto the target.
Gun and ammunition handling system
The Block 0 CIWS mounts (hydraulic driven) fired at a rate of 3,000 rounds per minute and held 989 rounds in the magazine drum.[5] The Block 1 CIWS mounts (hydraulic) also fired at 3,000 rounds per minute with an extended magazine drum holding 1,550 rounds. The Block 1A and newer (pneumatic driven) CIWS mounts fire at a rate of 4,500 rounds per minute with a 1,550-round magazine. The velocity of the rounds fired is approximately 3,600 feet per second (1,100 m/s). The rounds are armor-piercing tungsten penetrator rounds or depleted uranium with discarding sabots. The Phalanx CIWS 20 mm rounds are designed to destroy a missile’s airframe and make it unaerodynamic, thus keeping shrapnel from the exploding projectile to a minimum, effectively keeping collateral damage to a minimum. The ammunition handling system has two conveyor belt systems. The first takes the rounds out of the magazine drum to the gun; the second takes empty shells or non-fired rounds to the opposite end of the drum.
CIWS contact target identification
The CIWS does not recognize identification friend or foe, also known as IFF. The CIWS only has the data it collects in real time from the radars to decide if the target is a threat and to engage it. A contact must meet multiple criteria for the CIWS to consider it a target. These criteria include:
- Is the range of the target increasing or decreasing in relation to the ship? The CIWS search radar sees contacts that are out-bound and discards them. The CIWS engages a target only if it is approaching the ship.
- Is the contact capable of maneuvering to hit the ship? If a contact is not heading directly at the ship, the CIWS looks at its heading in relation to the ship and its velocity. It then decides if the contact can still perform a maneuver to hit the ship.
- Is the contact traveling between the minimum and maximum velocities? The CIWS has the ability to engage targets that travel in a wide range of speeds; however, it is not an infinitely wide range. The system has a target maximum-velocity limit. If a target exceeds this velocity, the CIWS does not engage it. It also has a target minimum-velocity limit, and does not engage any contact below that velocity. The operator can adjust the minimum and maximum limits within the limits of the system.
There are many other subsystems that together ensure proper operation, such as environmental control, transmitter, mount movement control, power control and distribution, and so on. It takes six to eight months to train a technician to maintain, operate, and repair the CIWS.
Incidents
Drone exercise catastrophic accidents
On 10 February 1983, USS Antrim was conducting a live-fire exercise off the East Coast of the United States using the Phalanx against a target drone. Although the drone was successfully engaged at close range, the target debris bounced off the sea surface and struck the ship. This caused significant damage and fire from the drone’s residual fuel, which also killed a civilian instructor aboard this ship.[15][16]
On 11 October 1989, USS El Paso was conducting a live-fire exercise off the East Coast of the United States using the Phalanx against a target drone. The drone was successfully engaged, but as the drone fell to the sea, the CIWS re-engaged it as a continued threat to El Paso. Rounds from the Phalanx struck the bridge of USS Iwo Jima, killing one officer and injuring a petty officer.[17]
Iraqi missile attack in 1991 Gulf War
On 25 February 1991, during the first Gulf War, the Phalanx-equipped frigate USS Jarrett was a few miles from the US battleship USS Missouri and the British destroyer HMS Exeter. The ships were thought to be under attack by an Iraqi Silkworm missile (often referred to as the Seersucker), at which time Missouri fired its SRBOC chaff. The Phalanx system on Jarrett, operating in the automatic target-acquisition mode, fixed on Missouri‘s chaff, releasing a burst of rounds. From this burst, four rounds hit Missouri, which was 2–3 miles (3.2–4.8 km) from Jarrett at the time. There were no injuries.[18] No missile had in fact been fired, the chaff firing was in response to an erroneous ‘missile firing alert’ that was actually an oil well head going up. The Iraqis had been setting the oil wells alight in Kuwait for some days. Exeter had relieved HMS Gloucester in the Northern Gulf a few days before and, in the weeks before that, Gloucester had taken out a Silkworm aimed at Missouri.
Accidental downing of US aircraft by the Japanese destroyer Yūgiri
On 4 June 1996, a Japanese Phalanx accidentally shot down a US A-6 Intruder from the aircraft carrier USS Independence that was towing a radar target during gunnery exercises about 1,500 miles west of the main Hawaiian island of Oahu. A Phalanx aboard the Asagiri-class destroyer JDS Yūgiri locked onto the Intruder instead of the target. Both the pilot and bombardier/navigator ejected safely.[19] A post-accident investigation concluded that Yūgiri‘s gunnery officer gave the order to fire before the A-6 was out of the CIWS engagement envelope.[20][21]
Centurion C-RAM
Seeking a solution to constant rocket and mortar attacks on bases in Iraq, the United States Army requested a quick-to-field anti-projectile system in May 2004, as part of its Counter-Rocket, Artillery, Mortar initiative.[22] The end result of this program was ‘Centurion’. For all intents and purposes, a terrestrial version of the Navy’s CIWS, the Centurion was rapidly developed,[23] with a proof-of-concept test in November that same year. It began deployment to Iraq in 2005,[22][24] where it was set up to protect forward operating bases and other high-value sites in and around the capital, Baghdad.[25] Israel has purchased a single system for testing purposes, and was reported[26] to have considered buying the system to counter rocket attacks and defend point military installations. However, the swift and effective development and performance of Israel’s indigenous Iron dome system has ruled out any purchase or deployment of Centurion.
Each system consists of a modified Phalanx 1B CIWS, powered by an attached generator and mounted on a trailer for mobility. Including the same 20 mm M61A1 Gatling gun, the unit is likewise capable of firing 4,500 20 mm rounds per minute.[8][27] In 2008, there were more than 20 CIWS systems protecting bases in the U.S. Central Command area of operations. A Raytheon spokesman told Navy Times that 105 attacks were defeated by the systems, most of those involved mortars. Based on the success of Centurion, 23 additional systems were ordered in September 2008.[28]
Like the naval (1B) version, Centurion uses Ku-band radar and FLIR[29] to detect and track incoming projectiles, and is also capable of engaging surface targets, with the system able to reach a minus-25-degree elevation.[29] The Centurion is reportedly capable of defending a 0.5 mi square area.[30] One major difference between the land- and sea-based variants is the choice of ammunition. Whereas naval Phalanx systems fire tungsten armor-piercing rounds, the C-RAM uses the 20 mm HEIT-SD (High-Explosive Incendiary Tracer, Self-Destruct) ammunition, originally developed for the M163 Vulcan Air Defense System.[23][31] These rounds explode on impact with the target, or on tracer burnout, thereby greatly reducing the risk of collateral damage should any rounds fail to hit their target.[23][31]
Operators
Specifications (Block 1A/B)
- Gun: 1× 20 mm M61 Vulcan 6-barreled Gatling cannon[5]
- Height: 15.5 ft (4.7 m)
- Weight: 12,500 lb (5,700 kg), later models 13,600 lb (6,200 kg)[2]
- Elevation −25° to +85°
- Muzzle velocity: 3,600 ft/s (1,100 m/s)
- Rate of fire: 4,500 rounds/minute
- Maximum burst size: 1000 rounds
- Ammunition capacity: 1,550 rounds
- Radar: Ku band
- 100% Kill distance: Classified
- Cost: $3.8 Million[39]
- Target Mach 2.[40]
Similar systems
- AK-630, Russian CIWS
- Kashtan CIWS, Russian Gun-Missile CIWS
- Goalkeeper CIWS, Dutch CIWS
- Meroka CIWS, Spanish navy
- Barak 1, Israel. missile-based
- RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile, U.S. missile-based
- Type 730 CIWS, Chinese CIWS
References
Notes
- http://www.storm.mg/article/186205
- “The US Navy – Fact File”. Navy.mil. 2009-11-09. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
- Tony DiGiulian (2010-06-16). “USA 20 mm Phalanx Close-in Weapon System (CIWS)”. NavWeaps.com. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
- John Pike (2005-04-27). “MK 15 Phalanx Close-In Weapons System (CIWS)”. Globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
- Thomas, Vincent C. The Almanac of Seapower 1987 Navy League of the United States (1987) ISBN 0-9610724-8-2 p.191
- [1] Archived October 7, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
- http://www.public.navy.mil/surfor/Pages/LPD.aspx#.WIBMG1UrLIU
- “Murdoc online March 20, 2006 CIWS now does surface targets, too”. Murdoconline.net. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
- “Spacewar.com”. Spacewar.com. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
- “TELUS, news, headlines, stories, breaking, canada, canadian, national”. Home.mytelus.com. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
- “Raytheon Company: Phalanx”. Raytheon.com. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
- Navy Overhauls Phalanx Ship Defense Weapon – Defensetech.org, 21 August 2013
- “Raytheon Awarded Phalanx 1B Upgrade Order for Royal Navy”. Prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
- New electric gun for Phalanx® Close-In Weapon System passes first test – PRNewswire.com, 4 April 2017
- “USS Antrim (FFG 20)”. Navysite.de. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
- “USS Antrim FFG-20″. Historycentral.com. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
- Plunkett, A.J. (October 12, 1989). “Iwo Jima Officer Killed In Firing Exercise”. Daily Press. Retrieved 2013-08-16.
- “Tab-H Friendly-fire Incidents”. Gulflink.osd.mil. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
- Cable News Network. Japan apologizes for gunning down U.S. plane. June 4, 1996.
- The Virginian-Pilot. Human Error Cited In Downing Of Navy Plane By Japanese. October 24, 1996.
- Transcript of the DoD investigation of the incident
- “Army C-RAM Intercepts 100th Mortar Bomb in Iraq”. Defense-update.com. 2007-06-07. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
- “Navy News, news from Iraq”. Navy Times. 2005-06-27. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
- “First C-RAM joint intercept battery organizes for combat. – Free Online Library”. Thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
- http://www.timripley.co.uk/articles/jdw_uk_deploys_c_ram.pdf
- “BMD Focus: Barak dithered on Phalanx”. Spacewar.com. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
- “Israel may buy rapid-fire cannon” Jerusalem Post Dec 20, 2007 Archived July 13, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
- Analyst: DDGs without CIWS vulnerable. Navy Times. September 16, 2008
- [2][dead link]
- 23-Apr-2009 13:20 EDT (2009-04-23). “A Laser Phalanx?”. Defenseindustrydaily.com. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
- “Counter-RAM Systems Target Rockets”. Aviation Week. 2009-08-27. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
- “Mk 15 Phalanx Block 0 / CIWS, Close-In Weapon System”. Deagel.com. 2010-03-07. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
- “World Navies Today: india”. Hazegray.org. 2002-03-24. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
- “Mk 15 Phalanx Block 1B / CIWS, Close-In Weapon System”. Deagel.com. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
- “INS Jalashwa”. bharat-rakshak.com. Retrieved 2015-04-16.
- “Mexico Missile Boats”. HAARETZ.com. 2003-12-23. Retrieved 2013-04-10.
- “Raytheon to deliver 9 Phalanx CIWS to Republic of Korea Navy”. February 25, 2014.
- “World Navies Today: Thailand”. Hazegray.org. 2002-03-25. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
- “FY97 Annual Report – PHALANX CLOSE-IN WEAPON SYSTEM (CIWS)”. Globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 2016-01-05.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Phalanx CIWS. |
- Official United States Navy Warfighters Encyclopedia CIWS page
- GlobalSecurity.org fact file
- Raytheon Company Phalanx CIWS product page
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