GAU-19
| GAU-19/A | |
|---|---|
| Type | Heavy machine gun |
| Place of origin |  United States |
| Service history | |
| Used by | See History |
| Production history | |
| Designer | General Electric |
| Manufacturer | General Dynamics |
| Produced | 1983–present |
| Variants | 3-barrel or 6-barrel |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | With feeder and transfer unit:139 lbs. (63 kg) |
| Length | 53.9 in. (1,369 mm) |
| Barrel length | 36 in. (914 mm) |
| Width | 13.5 in. (343 mm) |
| Height | 15 in. (381 mm) |
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| Cartridge | .50 BMG (12.7×99mm NATO) |
| Barrels | 3 or 6 |
| Action | Electric |
| Rate of fire | 1,000 or 2,000 rounds per minute |
| Muzzle velocity | 2,910 fps (887 m/s) |
| Effective range | 1,800 m |
| Maximum range | 6,000 m |
| Feed system | linkless or M9 linked belt |
The GECAL 50, officially designated by the United States military as the GAU-19/A, is an electrically driven Gatling gun that fires the .50 BMG (12.7×99mm) cartridge. Due to its weight and size, it is not a field-portable weapons system, but it is often installed on helicopters, ground vehicles, and water vessels.
Contents |
[edit] Technical specifications
The GAU-19/A is designed for a linkless feed, but can be fed from a standard M9 linked belt if a delinker feeder is used. The rate of fire is selectable to be either 1,000 or 2,000 rounds per minute. The HMMWV armament kit version fires at 1,300 rounds per minute.[1] The average recoil force when firing is 500 lbs.
[edit] History
The GECAL 50 was first manufactured by General Electric, then by Lockheed Martin, and now by General Dynamics. Early prototypes had six barrels, but a three-barreled configuration is now standard.
The GAU-19/A was originally designed as a larger, more potent version of the M134 Minigun. Due to the loss of nine helicopters in Grenada GE started building prototypes of the weapon in both a three barreled and a six barreled configuration.[2] Soon it was recommended as a potential armament for the V-22 Osprey.[3] The magazine would be located underneath the cabin floor and could be reloaded in-flight. However, plans to mount the gun were later dropped.[4]
In 1999, the United States sent 28 GAU-19s to Colombia.[5] Oman is known to use the GAU-19/A mounted on their HMMWVs. In 2005, the GAU-19/A was approved to be mounted on the OH-58D Kiowa helicopter. It may also be used on the Army's new Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter.[6] The navy of Mexico uses MDH MD-902 series helicopters with the GAU-19/A system mounted for anti-narcotics operations.[7]
[edit] Users
Colombia: Used by Drug Enforcement troops, and the Colombian national police
Japan: Used by Japan Coast Guard, on PC Kagayuki class
Mexico: Used by the Mexican Air Force and the Mexican Navy in Humvee´s, UH-60 Black Hawk´s and the MD Explorer
Oman: Used on Army HMMWV.
United States
[edit] See also
- M61 Vulcan
- Minigun
- XM214 Microgun
- M197 Gatling gun
- Yak-B 12.7mm machine gun—a Soviet designed 12.7 mm aircraft gun.
- Slostin machine gun
- Hua Qing Minigun
- List of multiple barrel firearms
[edit] Notes
- ^ "GAU-19/A Hummer Armament" (PDF). General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products. April 2009. http://www.gdatp.com/files/PDF/A011_GAU-19_Hummer.pdf. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
- ^ "GAU-19/A (GECAL 50) 12.7 mm Gun (United States), Guns - Integral and mounted". Jane's Air-Launched Weapons. Jane's Information Group. 21 January 2008. Archived from the original on 23 March 2009. http://replay.waybackmachine.org/20090323071502/http://www.janes.com/extracts/extract/jalw/jalw2943.html. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
- ^ "General Dynamics Selected to Develop Turreted Gun System for V-22 Aircraft" (Press release). General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products. 7 September 2000. http://www.gdatp.com/media/releases/GDATP-PR0907000000000001.asp. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
- ^ Thompson, Mark (26 September 2007). "V-22 Osprey: A Flying Shame". Time. http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1665835-6,00.html. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
- ^ "Memorandum for Correspondents No. 176-M" (Press release). United States Department of Defense. 10 November 1999. http://www.defense.gov/news/Nov1999/m11101999_m176-99.html. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
- ^ "ARMY AIRCRAFT". Committee Reports - 108th Congress (2003-2004) - Senate Report 108-260. Library of Congress. 11 May 2004. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/?&sid=cp108omsRF&refer=&r_n=sr260.108&db_id=108&item=&sel=TOC_134924. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
- ^ Fricker, John (2002). "Region's Military Seeks to Modernize . . . But Tight Funding Forces Ingenuity". Aviation Week & Space Technology. http://www.aviationweek.com/shownews/02fidae/special.htm. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
[edit] References
- Gander, Terry J. (ed.). Jane's Infantry Weapons 1997–98 (23rd ed.). Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Information Group. p. 298. ISBN 0-7106-1548-5.
- General Dynamics Fact SheetPDF (401 KB)
[edit] External links
- GAU-19/A page, and GAU-19/A1 page on General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products site
- GAU-19 Gatling Gun Video
- List of Military Gatling & Revolver cannons
- Information at Navy weapons
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