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M61 Vulcan: Difference between revisions
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| [[Ironsight]] || || || Mounted on Hellbird drone || 2018 | |||
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Revision as of 00:02, 2 July 2018
In June 1946, the General Electric Company was awarded the contract for "Project Vulcan." Rather than focusing on hitting power as European designers were doing with their slow-firing 30mm aircraft cannons, the project focused on a pre-war .60 caliber (15mm) anti-tank rifle cartridge, aiming for a rate of fire no less than 6,000 rounds per minute. The early T45 model using the .60 caliber round had issues with insufficient damage, and alternatives in 20mm and 27mm were tested, the T171 and T150 guns. In 1956 the T171 20mm gun was standardized by the US Army and US Air Force as the M61 20mm Vulcan aircraft gun.
The M61 Vulcan is an externally powered six-barrel rotary gun having a rate of fire of up to 7,200 rounds per minute. The firing rate is selectable at 4,000 or 6,000 rounds per minute. Each of the gun's six barrels fires only once during each revolution of the barrel cluster. The six rotating barrels contribute to long weapon life by minimizing barrel erosion and heat generation. The gun's rate of fire, essentially 100 rounds per second, gives the pilot a shot density that will enable a "kill" when fired in one-second bursts. The gun fires electrically primed 20x102mm ammunition and usually uses a hydraulic motor for power, though there is a self-powered version, the GAU-4 (M130 in Army service) which was used in the SUU-23/A / M25 gunpod. This variant uses an electric motor to spin up the barrel cluster, then sustains itself via gas operation.
While the initial M61 was troubled by issues with misfeeds and FOD damage to aircraft mounting it due to using linked ammunition, the linkless M61A1 Vulcan cannon is a proven gun, having been the US military's close-in weapon of choice dating back to 1959 when it was first fielded on the F-104C. The F-104, F-105, X-32, F-14, later models of the F-106, F-111, F-4, B-47, B-52 (until the 1990s) and B-58 all used the M61, as do the Air Force's F-15, F-16 and F-22, and the Navy's F/A-18. The primary use of the cannon is in the extremely short range (less than 2,000 feet) air-to-air environment, where more sophisticated air-to-air missiles are ineffective. Alternately, the cannon allows the carrying aircraft to engage in strafing runs in support of ground troops, though the 20mm round is not particularly effective against heavily armored vehicles.
While originally manufactured by General Electric, it is no longer produced by them; GE Armament Systems was sold to Martin Marietta; after their merger with Lockheed, it was produced by Lockheed Martin Armament Systems, which was bought by General Dynamics in 1997.
The M61 Vulcan Cannons used in the film industry have been converted to percussion primer cases using a sub caliber cartridge adapter.
M61 Vulcan
Specifications
- General Electric M61 Vulcan Cannon.
- Caliber: 20x102mm
- Length: 73.80 inches
- Barrel Length:
- Weight:
- Gun: 248 pounds
- Muzzle Velocity: 3,380 feet per second
- Cyclic rate of fire: 4,000-6,000 rounds per minute
Film
| Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Osombie | USAF pilots | Mounted in AC-130 | 2012 | |
| R2B: Return to Base | South Korean pilots | Mounted in F-15K Eagles | 2012 | |
| Transformers: Dark of the Moon | Starscream | 2011 | ||
| Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen | Starscream | 2009 | ||
| Death Race | Tyrese Gibson | Joe "Machine Gun" Mason | Mounted on 2004 Dodge RAM 4WD | 2008 |
| Transformers | U.S. Air Force pilots | Mounted in F-22 Raptors | 2007 | |
| Transformers | Starscream | 2007 | ||
| Tears of the Sun | U.S. Navy pilots | Mounted in F/A-18A Hornets | 2003 | |
| Detention | Mounted on F-15 Eagle | 2003 | ||
| XXX | Colombian Army soldiers | Chin-mounted on Bell 212 helicopter | 2002 | |
| Behind Enemy Lines | Mounted in F/A-18F Super Hornet | 2001 | ||
| Armageddon | Ben Affleck | A.J. Frost | Mounted on "Armadillo" vehicles | 1998 |
| Armageddon | Steve Buscemi | Rockhound | Mounted on "Armadillo" vehicles | 1998 |
| Air Force One | US Air Force pilots | Mounted in F-15 Eagles | 1997 | |
| Independence Day | Will Smith | Cpt. Steven Hiller | Mounted in F/A-18 Hornet | 1996 |
| Independence Day | Bill Pullman | President Thomas J. Whitmore | Mounted in F/A-18 Hornet | 1996 |
| Independence Day | US military pilots | Mounted in F/A-18 Hornets | 1996 | |
| Gamera 2: Attack of Legion | Mounted on JASDF F-1 | 1996 | ||
| Gamera: Guardian of the Universe | Mounted on JASDF F-4 and F-15 | 1995 | ||
| Iron Eagle II | Mark Humphrey | Capt. Matt "Cobra" Cooper | Mounted in F-16C Fighting Falcons | 1988 |
| Iron Eagle II | Soviet pilots | Mounted in F-4E Phantom IIs | 1988 | |
| Top Gun | Mounted in F-14A Tomcats | 1986 | ||
| Iron Eagle | Louis Gossett Jr. | Col. Charles "Chappy" Sinclair | Mounted in F-16 Fighting Falcon | 1986 |
| Iron Eagle | Jason Gedrick | Doug Masters | Mounted in F-16 Fighting Falcon | 1986 |
| Iron Eagle | Tim Thomerson | Col. Ted Masters | Mounted in F-16 Fighting Falcon | 1986 |
| The Jewel of the Nile | Michael Douglas | Jack Colton | Mounted in F-16 Fighting Falcon | 1985 |
| Blue Thunder | Roy Scheider | Officer Frank Murphy | Mounted in "Blue Thunder" helicopter | 1983 |
| Lone Wolf McQuade | Seen in weapons shed | 1983 | ||
| The Final Countdown | U.S. Navy pilots | Mounted in F-14A Tomcats | 1980 |
Television
| Actor | Character | Title / Episode | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ultimate Weapons | on AC-130A Project Gunship II | 2009 - 2012 | ||
| US Navy pilots | The Blacklist | Mounted on F-14 Tomcat | 2013 - 2015 | |
| US Air Force Pilots | The Blacklist | Mounted on F-22A Raptors | 2013 - 2015 |
Video Games
| Game Title | Appears as | Mods | Notation | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enemy Engaged: Apache/Havoc | Mounted in F-16C Fighting Falcon & F/A-18C Hornet, non-playable | 1998 | ||
| Metal Gear Solid | Handheld with ammo drum backpack | Non-playable, used by Vulcan Raven | 1998 | |
| Battlefield 2 | Mounted in F-15E Strike Eagle and F/A-18A Hornet | 2005 | ||
| Project Reality | Mounted in F/A-18C Hornet, F-15E Strike Eagle, and F-16C Fighting Falcon | 2005 | ||
| Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies | Mounted in various fighters | 2001 | ||
| Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War | Mounted in various fighters | 2004 | ||
| Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation | Mounted in various fighters | 2007 | ||
| Ace Combat: Assault Horizon | Mounted in various fighters | 2011 | ||
| Homefront | Sentry tower | Untapered, short barrel cluster | 2011 | |
| Battlefield 3 | Mounted in F/A-18E & F/A-18F Super Hornet | 2011 | ||
| Mercenaries 2: World in Flames | Mounted on various vehicles | 2008 | ||
| Ironsight | Mounted on Hellbird drone | 2018 |
Anime
| Title | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appleseed | Multipede Cannon | Two mounted on front of Multipede Cannon | 1988 |
| New Dominion Tank Police | Leona | Mounted on Bonaparte mini-tank | 1993 |
| 801 T.T.S. Airbats | Arisa Mitaka | Mounted on F-15J Eagle | 1993 |
| Macross Zero | Mounted on F-14s | 2002-2004 | |
| Yukikaze | FAF forces | Mounted on APCs | 2002 - 2005 |
| Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig | JSDA soldiers | Mounted on Jigabachi attack helicopters | 2004 - 2005 |
| Upotte!! | Mounted on F-22 Raptors | 2012 - ???? | |
| Case Closed: The Darkest Nightmare | Mounted on a helicopter | 2016 |
General Dynamics M197 Vulcan
This is a three barreled version of the M61 Vulcan and most commonly seen mounted in the chin turret of the AH-1 Cobra series of attack helicopters.
Specifications
- General Dynamics M197 Gatling Cannon
- Caliber: 20mm
- Length: 73.80 inches
- Barrel Length:
- Weight: 146.3 pounds
- Muzzle Velocity: 3,380 feet per second
- Cyclic rate of fire: 750 to 1,500 rounds per minute
Film
| Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Eagle | Mounted in AH-1F Cobras | 1986 | ||
| In the Army Now | Mounted in AH-1F Cobra (stock news footage) | 1994 | ||
| Courage Under Fire | Mounted in AH-1 Cobras (Mockup) | 1996 | ||
| Gamera 2: Attack of Legion | Mounted on JGSDF AH-1S Cobras | 1996 | ||
| Con Air | Mounted in AH-1 Cobras (Mockup) | 1997 | ||
| War of the Worlds | Mounted on AH-1W Super Cobras | 2005 | ||
| Battle: Los Angeles | Mounted on AH-1W Super Cobras | 2011 | ||
| American Sniper | Mounted on AH-1W Super Cobra | 2014 | ||
| Godzilla Resurgence | Mounted on Fuji AH-1 Cobras | 2016 |
Television
| Title | Actor | Character | Note/Episode | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JAG - Season 3 | Mounted on AH-1W Super Cobra; "The Court-Martial of Sandra Gilbert" (S3E02) | 1997 | ||
| JAG - Season 9 | mockup mounted on AH-1 Cobra; "Posse Comitatus" (S9E08) | 2004 | ||
| NCIS - Season 2 | mockup mounted on AH-1 Cobra; "Vanished" (S2E03) | 2004 |
Video Games
| Game Title | Appears as | Mods | Notation | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Project Reality | Mounted in AH-1Z Viper | 2005 | ||
| Battlefield 2 | Mounted in AH-1Z Viper | 2005 | ||
| Close Combat: First to Fight | Mounted on AH-1W Super Cobra | 2005 | ||
| Black | Stock footage: mounted on AH-1 Super Cobra | 2006 | ||
| Crysis | Mounted on N. Korean helicopters and U.S. VTOL craft | 2007 | ||
| World in Conflict | Mounted on AH-1W Super Cobras and Agusta A129 Mangustas | 2007 | ||
| Mercenaries 2: World in Flames | mounted on vehicles | part of a RWS | 2008 | |
| Operation Flashpoint 2: Dragon Rising | Mounted on AH-1Z Viper | 2009 | ||
| Marines: Modern Urban Combat | Mounted on AH-1Z Viper | 2010 | ||
| Homefront | Seen only in stock footage of AH-1 Supercobra | 2011 | ||
| Battlefield 3 | Mounted in AH-1Z Viper | 2011 | ||
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 | Mounted in AH-1W Super Cobra | 2011 | ||
| Battlefield 4 | Mounted in AH-1Z Viper | 2013 |
Anime
| Character | Film Title | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| JGSDF soldiers | Memories | Mounted on AH-1S Cobra | 1995 |
| Mobsters | Cowboy Bebop | Mounted on casino ship | 1998 - 1999 |
| US Marines | Geobreeders | Mounted on AH-1W Super Cobra | 1999 - 2000 |
| Rebel | Excel Saga | Mounted on AH-1 Cobra | 1999 - 2000 |
| RAH-66 Comanche helicopter | Najica Blitz Tactics | "Mission: 011 - The Sad Parting Mission with Girl's Sincerity" | 2001 |
| JGSDF soldiers | Digimon Tamers | Mounted on AH-1 Cobra | 2001 - 2002 |
| Sweat Punch ("Beyond") | Mounted of futuristic helicopter | 2001 - 2007 | |
| JMSDF soldiers | Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex | Mounted on Oniyama assault helicopters | 2002 - 2003 |
| JMSDF pilots | Zipang | Mounted on MVSA-32J Umidori tilt-rotor aircraft | 2004 |
Vulcan Air Defense System
The Vulcan Air Defense System (VADS) was a ground-based anti-aircraft version of the M61A1 developed to replace the obsolete WW2-era M45 Quadmount in the 1960s after the cancellation of the overly ambitious MIM-46 Mauler SAM system in 1965, with the towed M167 VADS entering service in 1967. The M113-mounted self-propelled version, the M163 VADS, entered service in 1969, replacing the M42 Duster. The two systems used a round developed specifically for them, the M246 High-Explosive Incendiary Tracer, Self-Destruct (HEIT-SD). As a point of trivia, the cancellation of Mauler and its naval variant also led to the adoption of the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow by the US Navy (which had been anticipating the navalized Sea Mauler and had already designed the Knox-class frigates around it) and the development of the British Rapier SAM system.
The VADS is a powered mounting which is manually aimed by the gunner with the radar only a rangefinder, and has an effective range of about three quarters of a mile against airborne targets and 1.25 miles against ground targets. The gun is electrically operated, using the vehicle's power supply for the M163 and either a generator or its own integral APU for the M167.
VADS (and its missile companion, the AIM-9 Sidewinder-based MIM-72 Chaparral) was always intended to be a stop-gap system, and was considered obsolete by the late 70s since Soviet attack helicopters were carrying the AT-6 Spiral with a range almost five times greater than it. However, due to the failure of the DIVADS program (which created the infamous M247 Sergeant York using the completely unsuited-for-task radar suite of an F-16, directing ancient and poorly-maintained Bofors 40mm cannon barrels left over from retired M42 Dusters in a 20-ton turret on a not-at-all-happy-about-this M48A5 Patton chassis) it was not directly replaced until 1994 when the AN/TWQ-1 Avenger entered service, though by this point the man-portable FIM-92 Stinger had largely replaced it operationally. The PIVADS (Product Improved Vulcan Air Defense System) program in 1984 upgraded stocks of M163s to the M163A2 standard and M167s to the M167A2 standard (it is not clear what A1 did for either system) with improvements to the fire control system and an extra wheel added on either side of the M167 to prevent rollovers while being towed.
Specifications
(1967-1994 (M167), 1969-1994 (M163))
- Type: Towed / self-propelled anti-aircraft gun
- Caliber(s): 20x102mm
- Weight: 2 tons (M167), 14 tons (M163, complete vehicle)
- Capacity: 500 rounds (M167), 2,100 rounds (M163)
- Rate of fire: 1,000 or 3,000 rpm (selectable)
Film
| Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R2B: Return to Base | North Korean soldiers | M167 VADS | 2012 | |
| Stealth | M167 VADS | 2005 |
Video Games
| Game Title | Appears as | Mods | Notation | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enemy Engaged: Apache/Havoc | M163 VADS | 1998 | ||
| Boiling Point: Road to Hell | M167 VADS | 2005 | ||
| Project Reality | M167 VADS | 2005 | ||
| World in Conflict | M163 VADS | 2007 | ||
| Battlefield: Bad Company | Ground pedestal mount and mounted on Mark V Special Operations Craft | M167 VADS | 2008 | |
| Homefront | M167 VADS, seen only in stock footage | 2011 | ||
| Project Reality: Falklands | Anachronistic M167A2 VADS | 2012 | ||
| Project Reality: Vietnam | M163 VADS | 2012 | ||
| Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes | Fictional cruciform base | M167 VADS | 2014 | |
| Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain | M276 AA Gatling Gun | Fictional cruciform base | M167 VADS | 2014 |
General Dynamics / Raytheon Phalanx Close-In Weapon System
This is a self-contained powered mounting developed in the 1970s and first mounted to a combat vessel, the aircraft carrier USS Coral Sea, in 1980. It is used mostly by naval vessels to engage incoming missiles, aircraft, and sea-based close-range targets. It features a distinctive white-painted cylindrical weapon control group with a domed radome at the top which results in the nickname "R2-D2" being applied to the mounting (sometimes with a crude addition related to the position of the gun: some early reliability issues with Phalanx also led to sailors muttering that CIWS meant "Captain, It Won't Shoot!"); the cylinder houses the system's tracking radar, while the dome houses the search radar.
The original Phalanx Block 0 has been through a number of upgrades over the years. The Block 1 upgrade in 1988 was a general improvement to the installation's systems to deal with shortcomings of the Block 0 installation and the threat of new Russian supersonic anti-ship missiles: it included replacements for both radars, corrosion-resistant barrels, a higher maximum elevation and a larger magazine. The weapon also switched to using preloaded magazines and altered the magazine mounting to reduce reloading time from 20-30 minutes to less than 5. Two sub-upgrades, Block 1 baselines 1 (1989) and 2 (1995), respectively switched the gun from a hydraulic to a pneumatic drive system (increasing the rate of fire from 3,000 to 4,500 rpm and decreasing the half-second spin-up to almost zero) and added a barrel restraint to improve accuracy. Block 1A (1997) was primarily a systems update, adding a new high-order language computing system better able to engage manoeuvring targets, and allowing for integration with the US Navy's Ship Self Defense System, allowing the Phalanx's radar to be used to target the RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile. Block 1B was tested in 1999 and first mounted on the frigate USS Taylor (FFG-50) in 2000. This broad upgrade increases the system's traversing speed, adds a FLIR (forward-looking infrared) and video tracker on the left side of the weapon control group to increase the Phalanx's previously mediocre effectiveness against surface targets, alters the barrel restraint, and features lengthened (L/99 instead of L/76) Optimized Gun Barrels (OGB) for improved performance. The Block 1B mounting was also the basis of the later SEA RAM system, which replaces the Vulcan with an 11-tube RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile launcher.
A land-based derivative of Phalanx Block 1B called the Centurion Counter-Rocket, Artillery and Mortar (C-RAM) was first deployed in 2005 following a request from the US Army in 2004, and is used to protect point bases against rocket and mortar attacks. Rather than using the tungsten armour-piercing discarding sabot rounds of the naval version (aside from the original Mark 149 projectile, which was depleted uranium), the land-based version uses High-Explosive Incendiary Tracer, Self-Destruct (HEIT-SD) ammunition, which was originally designed for the VADS. More recently the C-RAM has been adapted to mount on a HEMMT truck meaning that it is fully mobile and self sufficient as opposed to the original C-RAM which was on a demountable towed trailer.
As a terminology note, Phalanx is an installation, not a turret, since it is mounted on the outside of a vehicle's hull rather than crossing it.
Film
| Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Detached Mission (Odinochnoye plavanye) | Mounted on USS Nimitz; seen in documentary footage | 1985 | ||
| The Hunt for Red October | Mounted on USS Reuben James | 1990 | ||
| Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah | Mounted on JMSDF DDH-142 Hiei | 1991 | ||
| Under Siege | Mounted on USS Missouri | 1992 | ||
| Gamera: Guardian of the Universe | Mounted on JMSDF destroyers | 1995 | ||
| Behind Enemy Lines | Mounted on USS Carl Vinson | 2001 | ||
| Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah | Mounted on Kongo-class JMSDF destroyer | 2001 | ||
| The Sum of All Fears | Mounted on USS John C. Stennis | 2002 | ||
| Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla | Mounted on JMSDF destroyers | 2002 | ||
| Stealth | Mounted on USS Abraham Lincoln | 2005 | ||
| Assault Girls | Hinako Saeki | Colonel | Fictional 3-barreled variant, mounted on mecha | 2009 |
| Battleship | Mounted on US Navy warships | 2012 | ||
| Battleship | Mounted on JDS Myoko | 2012 |
Television
| Title | Actor | Character | Note/Episode | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCIS - Season 11 | Mounted on USS Benjamin Franklin; "Under the Radar" (S11E03), footage from The Sum of All Fears | 2013 | ||
| The Last Ship | Mounted on USS Nathan James | 2014 |
Video Games
| Game Title | Appears as | Mods | Notation | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crysis | Mounted on USS Constitution, main weapon for the multiplayer auto-turrets | 2007 | ||
| Resident Evil 4 | Mounted on a Ganados held ship | 2005 | ||
| Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots | Mounted on USS Missouri | 2008 | ||
| Battlefield 2 | Mounted on USS Essex | 2005 | ||
| Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory | Mounted on USS Walsh | 2005 | ||
| Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War | Mounted on various warships, non-playable | 2004 | ||
| Battlefield 3 | Mounted on various warships, playable in multiplayer only | 2011 | ||
| Battlefield 3 | C-RAM | Multiplayer mode only | 2011 | |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 | Seen in a screenshot mounted on an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer | 2011 | ||
| Project Reality: Falklands | Anachronistically mounted on HMS Invincible | 2012 | ||
| Battlefield 4 | Both Phalanx and C-RAM are seen, the C-RAM is usable in multiplayer only | 2013 |
Anime
| Title | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memories | Mounted on JMSDF warship | 1995 | |
| Najica Blitz Tactics | 2001 | ||
| Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex | Mounted on aircraft carrier | 2002 - 2003 | |
| Macross Zero | Mounted on UN Navy ships | 2002-2004 | |
| Yukikaze | Mounted on battleships | 2002 - 2005 | |
| Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence | 2004 | ||
| Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig | Mounted on helicopter carrier | 2004 - 2005 | |
| The Place Promised in Our Early Days | Mounted on battleship | 2004 | |
| Zipang | JMSDF sailors | Mounted on JDS Mirai | 2004 |
| Hellsing | [Mounted on aircraft carrier | 2006 - ???? | |
| Mobile Suit Gundam 00 | Futuristic design, mounted on buildings | 2007 - 2009 | |
| Cat Planet Cuties | JMSDF sailors | Mounted on JMSDF warships | 2010 |