Table of Contents
How much does it cost to fire a Vulcan cannon?
The M61 Vulcan, which is commonly found on F16, F18, and F22 fighter jets, is a six-barrel rotary cannon that could burn a $180,000 per minute. How? Each round of the 20mm ammunition costs $27, so continuous firing for one second would cost $2,970.
What does Gau stand for in Gau-8?
Gatling AUtocannon
GAU is an acronym for “Gatling AUtocannon”, “Gun, AUtomatic”, or “Gun Aircraft Unit”?
Who invented the Gau-8?
General Electric
GAU-8 Avenger/Inventors
What gun shoots a 20mm round?
M61 Vulcan
The M61 Vulcan is a hydraulically, electrically or pneumatically driven, six-barrel, air-cooled, electrically fired Gatling-style rotary cannon which fires 20 mm (0.787 in) rounds at an extremely high rate (typically 6,000 rounds per minute).
What is the difference between the GAU-8/A Avenger and M61 Vulcan?
The GAU-8/A Avenger 30 mm, also used by the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft, was selected for the system. The 30x173mm cartridge has a greater projectile mass than the 20x102mm cartridge fired by the Phalanx CIWS M61 Vulcan, so it provides much greater destructive power and significantly increased range with similar muzzle velocity.
What is the GAU-8 used for in the Navy?
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.
What is the muzzle velocity of the GAU-8 Avenger?
GAU-8/A Avenger: 30 mm caliber Muzzle velocity 1,070 m/s (3,500 ft/s) Projectile weight: 425 grams (15.0 oz).
How do you remove a GAU-8 from an A-10?
The GAU-8/A Avenger Gatling gun next to a Volkswagen Beetle. Removing an installed GAU-8 from an A-10 requires first installing a jack under the aircraft’s tail to prevent it from tipping, as the cannon makes up most of the aircraft’s forward weight.