M61A1 20mm Vulcan Cannon

Just wondering whether anyone's read about an encounter where it's been effective? Whether it be an aerial engagement, ground engagement or even naval engagement?

This thing what spews out 3000/5000 rpm's! (rounds per minute).

How effectice is the cannon in general against shooting ground targets? What about dogfights would the shells rip through the enemy fighter?

Devastating as an anti-infantry weapon?

Discuss!

I always thought it would be effective to make a robot that could withstand RPG attacks and have a mounted 20mm Vulcan Cannon on a turret. For a urban enviroment I think might be a great weapon.

As for a encounter where it's been effective. I think the little birds in the BlackHawk down incident were equiped with them and use them with much success in a anti-personal role. Im sure there are many other times they have come in very handy

Originally posted by Flyboy211
How effectice is the cannon in general against shooting ground targets? What about dogfights would the shells rip through the enemy fighter?

Devastating as an anti-infantry weapon?

Well, what do you think infantry would like about "getting" hundreds of 20mm HEI shells per second?


Originally, C-130As were converted into side-firing gunships during Project Gunship II and the follow-on programs, Projects Plain Jane, Surprise Package and Pave Pronto. The prototype AC-130A (#54-1626), previously designated JC-130A, was tested at Eglin AFB, FL and in Southeast Asia during 1967. A short-nose Hercules, it was a basic C-130A with the addition of four 7.62mm General Electric XMU-470 Miniguns, four 20mm General Electric M61 Vulcan cannons, an analog fire control computer, a Night Observation Device (NOD) or Starlite Scope, a "bread board" computer, and a 20kW searchlight. Project Gunship II was a great success.
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PS. Volcan's firerates are 4000 and 6000.
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Didn't the F-4 have a vulcan cannon that was a post production add on? I think it did and it came in handy for the F-4 the majority of its kills were done by its cannon not by the missiles, they were still not very reliable at that time.

Originally posted by ShadowXIX


As for a encounter where it's been effective. I think the little birds in the BlackHawk down incident were equiped with them and use them with much success in a anti-personal role. Im sure there are many other times they have come in very handy

No the helicopters were equipped with miniguns (6 barrel Gatling, but just 7.62 not 20mm).

It was used in Viet nam I hear.The Phantoms or Thunderchiefs after delivering their bombs, would look for targets of opportunity and strafe trucks for instance.
That practice was NEVER repeated over Hanoi,where veterans reported the skys as black with flak as Berlin and Hamburg.

Well, what do you think infantry would like about "getting" hundreds of 20mm HEI shells per second?

That was not my question

I asked about effectiveness, whether it could be adapted for ground use, perhaps a modified M163 Vulcan type carrier?

What would happen if a F117A Nighthawk stealthfighter happened to be in a close in dog fight with say a MIG 29, would it screwed without a gun?

Although in today's conflicts where most targets are destroyed without guns or cannons, and largely by missiles and 'smart' weaponry, what happens of a new power rises and could match say NATO forces in battle. Would the gun come back to the fore? Will we ever need to rely on a short range weapon such as a gun/cannon?

I saw the vulcans mounted on the backs of deuce and a halfs. I was led to believe that they were originally going to be used for anti-aircraft roles. If that's wrong, blame the History channel.

Originally posted by Der Kapitan
I saw the vulcans mounted on the backs of deuce and a halfs. I was led to believe that they were originally going to be used for anti-aircraft roles. If that's wrong, blame the History channel.

The Army had a 20mm cannon that was tracked called "the Vulcan" It was an AAA piece. The Sargent York DIVAS system AKA Sargent York was canceled and the Vulcan retired. The York was supposed to replace the 20mm gatling system

Originally posted by WestPoint23
Didn't the F-4 have a vulcan cannon that was a post production add on? I think it did and it came in handy for the F-4 the majority of its kills were done by its cannon not by the missiles, they were still not very reliable at that time.

They did indeed, they were later production models after the pod mounted guns were a failure. Known as the "Gun Nosed Phantoms" Its first AA to air victory with the cannon came in May 1972.


Funny the AF did not learn its lessons about pod mounted guns and tried to replace the A-10 with the F-16CJ with pod mounted guns. They did not work well and the A-10 will be with us for some time.




[edit on 18-8-2004 by FredT]

Originally posted by Flyboy211
What would happen if a F117A Nighthawk stealthfighter happened to be in a close in dog fight with say a MIG 29, would it screwed without a gun?

Yes assuming that the Mig29 with its really narrow radar field could get a lock on it or find it visually (they tend to fly at night) then at close range it could down a F-117. However, despite its name, the F-117 is a tactical bomber not a fighter. Much like the B-52 and the B-2, if the Mig was close and had it visually then it could easily down it. The B-1B can go pretty faast and would be a much harder visual target, but easier to spot on radar.

uk.geocities.com...@btinternet.com/Desertstorm.jpg

M163 "Vulcan" as used in Operation Desert Storm