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 × 102 mm (0.787 in × 4.016 in) rounds at an extremely high rate (typically 6,000 rounds per minute). The M61 and its derivatives have been the principal cannon armament of United States military fixed-wing aircraft for over sixty years.
| M61 Vulcan | |
|---|---|
An unmounted M61A1 Vulcan with flash suppressor used in the SUU-16/A gun pod | |
| Type | Rotary cannon |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1959–present |
| Used by | United States, some NATO members, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and others |
| Wars | |
| Production history | |
| Designer | General Electric |
| Designed | 1946 |
| Manufacturer | General Dynamics |
| Variants | See below |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | M61A1: 248 lb (112 kg) M61A2: 202 lb (92 kg) (light barrel), 228 lb (103 kg) (heavy barrel) |
| Length | 71.93 in (1.827 m) |
| Barrel length | 59.8 in (1.52 m) |
| Cartridge | 20×102mm Vulcan |
| Caliber | 20 mm (0.787 in) |
| Barrels | 6-barrel (progressive RH parabolic twist, 9 grooves) |
| Action | Hydraulically operated, electrically fired, rotary cannon |
| Rate of fire | 6,000 rounds per minute |
| Muzzle velocity | 3,450 ft/s (1,050 m/s) with PGU-28/B round |
| Effective firing range | About 9,842 ft (3,000 m) |
| Feed system | Belt or linkless feed system |
The M61 was originally produced by General Electric. After several mergers and acquisitions, it is produced by General Dynamics as of 2000.
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