M61 Vulcan

In June 1946, the General Electric Company was awarded the contract for "Project Vulcan". In 1956 the T171 20mm gun was standardized by the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force as the M61 20mm Vulcan aircraft gun.

The 20mm M61 Vulcan is an externally powered, six-barrel, rotary-fire 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. The gun fires standard electrically primed 20mm ammunition.

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 M61 20mm cannon is a proven gun, having been the US military's close-in weapon of choice dating back to the 1950s. 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 1990's), B-58, all used the M61, as does 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 has limited usefulness in a ground strafing role.

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

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GE M61 Vulcan Cannon - 20mm

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M167 VADS (Vulcan Air Defence System) - 20mm HE. This is the towed variant; the VADS version mounted on the M113 APC is M163.

• General Electric M61 Vulcan Cannon.
• Caliber: 20mm
• 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

Actor	Character	Title	Note	Date
	USAF pilots	Osombie	Mounted in AC-130	2012
	South Korean pilots	R2B: Return to Base	Mounted in F-15K Eagles	2012
	North Korean soldiers	R2B: Return to Base	M167 VADS	2012
	Starscream	Transformers: Dark of the Moon		2011
	Starscream	Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen		2009
Tyrese Gibson	Joe "Machine Gun" Mason	Death Race	Mounted on 2004 Dodge RAM 4WD	2008
	U.S. Air Force pilots	Transformers	Mounted in F-22 Raptors	2007
	Starscream	Transformers		2007
		Stealth	M167 VADS towed mounting	2005
	U.S. Navy pilots	Behind Enemy Lines	Mounted in F/A-18A Hornets	2003
	Colombian Army soldiers	XXX	Chin-mounted on Bell 212 helicopter	2002
		Behind Enemy Lines	Mounted in F/A-18F Super Hornet	2001
Ben Affleck	A.J. Frost	Armageddon	Mounted on "Armadillo" vehicles	1998
Steve Buscemi	Rockhound	Armageddon	Mounted on "Armadillo" vehicles	1998
	US Air Force pilots	Air Force One	Mounted in F-15 Eagles	1997
Will Smith	Cpt. Steven Hiller	Independence Day	Mounted in F/A-18 Hornet	1996
Bill Pullman	President Thomas J. Whitmore	Independence Day	Mounted in F/A-18 Hornet	1996
	US military pilots	Independence Day	Mounted in F/A-18 Hornets	1996
Mark Humphrey	Capt. Matt "Cobra" Cooper	Iron Eagle II	Mounted in F-16C Fighting Falcons	1988
	Soviet pilots	Iron Eagle II	Mounted in F-4E Phantom IIs	1988
Louis Gossett Jr.	Col. Charles "Chappy" Sinclair	Iron Eagle	Mounted in F-16 Fighting Falcon	1986
Jason Gedrick	Doug Masters	Iron Eagle	Mounted in F-16 Fighting Falcon	1986
Tim Thomerson	Col. Ted Masters	Iron Eagle	Mounted in F-16 Fighting Falcon	1986
Michael Douglas	Jack Colton	The Jewel of the Nile	Mounted in F-16 Fighting Falcon	1985
Roy Scheider	Officer Frank Murphy	Blue Thunder	Mounted in "Blue Thunder" helicopter	1983
		Lone Wolf McQuade	Seen in weapons shed	1983
U.S. Navy pilots	Themselves	The Final Countdown	Mounted in F-14A Tomcats	1980

Television

Actor	Character	Title / Episode	Note	Date
		Ultimate Weapons	on AC-130A Project Gunship II	2009 - 2012

Video Games

Game Title	Appears as	Mods	Notation	Release Date
Enemy Engaged: Apache/Havoc			Mounted in F-16C Fighting Falcon, F/A-18C Hornet, & M163 VADS, non-playable	1998
Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory			Mounted on N. Korean IFV	2005
Metal Gear Solid			Non-playable	1998
Battlefield 2			Mounted in F-15E Strike Eagle and F/A-18A Hornet	2005
Project Reality			Mounted in M167 VADS anti-aircraft turret, F/A-18C Hornet, F-15E Strike Eagle, and F-16C Fighting Falcon	2005
Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies			Mounted in various fighters	2001
Top Gun: Combat Zones			Mounted in various fighters	2001
Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War			Mounted in various fighters	2004
Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War			Mounted in various fighters	2006
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
World in Conflict			Mounted in M167 & M163 VADS	2007
Mercenaries 2: World in Flames			Mounted on various vehicles	2008
Project Reality: Falklands			Mounted on M167 VADS	2012
Project Reality: Vietnam			Mounted on M163 VADS	2012

Anime

Character	Film Title	Note	Date
Multipede Cannon	Appleseed	Two mounted on front of Multipede Cannon	1988
Leona	New Dominion Tank Police	Mounted on Bonaparte mini-tank	1993
FAF forces	Yukikaze	Mounted on APCs	2002 - 2005
JSDA soldiers	Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig	Mounted on Jigabachi attack helicopters	2004 - 2005
	Upotte!!	Mounted on F-22 Raptors	2012 - ????

General Dynamics M197 Vulcan

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General Dynamics M197 Vulcan - 20mm.

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M197 Vulcan 20mm chin-mounted on an AH-1Z "Viper", a newer version of the AH-1 Cobra.

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

Actor	Character	Title	Note	Date
	Enemy soldiers	Iron Eagle	Mounted in AH-1F Cobras	1986
	US Army soldiers	In the Army Now	Mounted in AH-1F Cobra (stock news footage)	1994
	US Army soldiers	Courage Under Fire	Mounted in AH-1 Cobras	1996
		Con Air	Mounted in AH-1 Cobras	1997
	US Marines	War of the Worlds	Mounted on AH-1W Super Cobras	2005
	US Marines	Battle: Los Angeles	Mounted on AH-1W Super Cobras	2011

Video Games

Game Title	Appears as	Mods	Notation	Release Date
Armored Fist 3			Mounted on AH-1W Super Cobra	1999
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
Lost Planet 2	VS Gatling Gun	Can be wielded by infantry using a "chainsaw grip," large ammo drum attached to rear of weapon	Used on "Vital Suit" modular mounts and gun turrets	2010
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
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

General Dynamics / Raytheon Phalanx Close-In Weapon System

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GE M61 Vulcan in a Phalanx mounting - 20x102mm

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Phalanx Block 1B with improved barrels and FLIR - 20x102mm

Land-based Phalanx C-RAM mounting on a mobile trailer

This is a powered mounting 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; the cylinder houses the system's tracking radar, while the dome houses the search radar. More recently a land-based version called Counter-Rocket, Artillery, Mortar [C-RAM] has been developed, and is used to protect point bases against rocket attacks. Rather than using the tungsten armour-piercing discarding sabot rounds of the naval version, the land-based version uses High-Explosive Incendiary Tracer, Self-Destruct [HEIT-SD] ammunition, which was originally designed for the M163 VADS self-propelled anti-air system.

Film

Title	Actor	Character	Note	Date
The Hunt for Red October			Mounted on USS Reuben James	1990
Under Siege			Mounted on USS Missouri	1992
Behind Enemy Lines			Mounted on USS Carl Vinson	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	Date
The Last Ship			Mounted on USS Nathan James	2014

Actor	Character	Title / Episode	Note	Date
		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

Anime

Character	Title	Note	Date
	Memories ("Stink Bomb")	Mounted on JMSDF warship	1995
	Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex	Mounted on aircraft carrier	2002 - 2003
	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
JMSDF sailors	Zipang	Mounted on JDS Mirai	2004
	Hellsing	Mounted on aircraft carrier	2006 - ????
	Mobile Suit Gundam 00	Futuristic design, mounted on buildings	2007 - 2009
JMSDF sailors	Cat Planet Cuties	Mounted on JMSDF warships	2010