Cannons of Layarteb

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This is a consolidated page. It is built for guns and cannons of the Layartebian Military.

Aircraft Cannons

GAU-20 Revolver Cannon

General Description

The GAU-20 Revolver Cannon is a 30-millimeter, single-barrel, gas-operated, revolver cannon for use in fighter and attack aircraft. While variants have been produced for shipborne mountings, the weapon was primarily designed for fighter aircraft. It is identical to the GIAT 30M 791 cannon. The cannon has a maximum rate of fire of 2,500 rounds per minute but the operator is able to select varying rates that include: 300, 600, or 1,500 rounds per minute. The GAU-20's gas operation uses pyrotechnic cocking charges to cock and re-cock the weapon, the former being after the aircraft is airborne and the latter being to clear jams. Six such charges are provided with the weapon. In addition, this provides a faster spin-up time though the weapon does use electrical ignition. The weapon has a seven-chamber revolver and it uses a linkless feed system.

The GIAT 30M 791 was chosen as the GAU-20 after winning the Next-Generation Aircraft Cannon Contest. In this contest, the GIAT 30M 791 was pitted against the Mauser BK-27, the GAU-22/A Equalizer II, the GAU-13, and the Oerlikon KCA. During this competition, the Layartebian Defense Corporation was looking for a new, standardized aircraft round for upcoming aircraft designs. It was determined that the 20x102mm round was no longer sufficient. The designs features offered a variety of 25mm, 27mm, and 30mm rounds. The GAU-22/A was quickly eliminated due to the limitations on capacity for the 25x137mm round and so was the GAU-13 and the KCA due to the same reasons for the 30x173mm round, despite the devastating effect this round had on both air and ground targets. While the BK-27 was an early favorite, testing showed that the 30x150mm B round of the GIAT offered more energy, more mass on target, and identical stowage as the 27x145mm round. Thus, it was the GIAT 30M 791 that won the competition.

Variants

  • GAU-20/A Revolver Cannon: This is the primary variant utilized on aircraft

Specifications

  • Type: Seven-chamber, gas-operated, revolver cannon
  • In-Service: 2002 - Present
  • Mass: 265 lb (120 kg)
  • Overall Length: 94.49 in (240 cm)
  • Barrel Length: 76.77 in (195 cm) [65-caliber]
  • Width: 11.42 in (29 cm)
  • Height: 9.45 in (24 cm)
  • Shell: 30x150mm B
  • Barrels: 1
  • Action: Seven-chamber revolver
  • Rate of Fire: 300, 600, 1,500, or 2,500 rpm
  • Effective Range: 1.25 mi (2 km)
  • Muzzle Velocity: 1,025 m/s (3,363 fps)

GAU-24 Vulcan II

General Description

The GAU-24 Vulcan II is a 30-millimeter, four-barrel, gas-operated, Gatling gun for use in fighter and attack aircraft and anti-aircraft units. It is derived from the GAU-22/A Equalizer II using the same shell as the GAU-20 Revolver Cannon, which is the 30x150mm B shell. The cannon has a selectable rate of fire of 1,600 or 3,200 rounds per minute with an accuracy rating of 1.4 milliradians. It is meant to be used in both internal and external pod mountings using a linkless feed system. As a gas-operated but electrically-driven weapon, the GAU-24 uses pyrotechnic cocking charges to cock and re-cock the weapon, the former being after the aircraft is airborne and the latter being to clear jams. Ten such charges are provided with the weapon.

Development of the GAU-24 began alongside development of the GAU-20. Though the GAU-22 was eliminated from the Next-Generation Aircraft Cannon Contest, the idea of a Gatling gun was not. In aerial combat, revolver cannons offer better advantages due to the reduced spin-up time and better accuracy, allowing more mass on target in a shorter amount of time, precisely what is needed in dogfighting. However, against ground targets, firing windows are longer and dispersion of rounds is not necessarily a bad thing when considering the effect one might want on a soft target. For that reason, it was decided that attack aircraft would be fitted not with the revolver-based GAU-20 but rather a Gatling gun. The GAU-22/A was chosen to be scaled up due to its accuracy over its predecessor, the GAU-12 Equalizer and its lighter weight.

For podded versions, the GAU-24 is available in two variants, the GPU-6/A and the GPU-7/A. The GPU-6/A is a two-pod system designed for the AV-8 Harrier. Like the mounting of the GAU-12/U in the Harrier, the weapon is placed in the port-side pod and the ammunition in the starboard-side pod. The GPU-6/A holds 325 rounds of ammunition. The complete system weighs slightly more than the GAU-12/U system at 925 lb (420 kg) empty but 1,350 lb (612 kg) loaded. The ammunition load is 75 lb (34 kg) heavier than the GAU-12/U system.

The GPU-7/A is a self-contained, single-podded system based on the GPU-5/A pod. The pod has the same overall dimensions at 169.3 in (430 cm) in length. The empty weight of the pod is 1,275 lb (578 kg) but loaded with 525 rounds of ammunition it is 2,000 lb (907 kg). Based on volume alone, the GPU-5/A pod with 353 rounds of 30x173mm ammunition should be able to fit 680 rounds of 30x150mm B ammunition; however, this is significantly heavier. With 525 rounds, the ammunition load of the GPU-7/A is only 110 lb (50 kg) more than the GPU-5/A.

The GAU-24/B is a scaled down, light-weight version of the GAU-24/A for use on helicopters. It features three versus four barrels and is overall lighter, weighing just 135 lb (61 kg). Because of the reduced barrels and the lighter weight, the rate of fire is reduced to 1,600 rounds per minute maximum with the ability to fire at 800 rounds per minute. Range and accuracy remain the same.

Variants

  • GAU-24/A Vulcan II: This is the primary variant utilized on aircraft
  • GAU-24/B Vulcan II: Three-barrel derivative for helicopters
  • GAU-24/C Vulcan II: Electrically-powered derviate of the GAU-24/A for the AC-42 Atlas Hammer gunship
  • GPU-6/A Vulcan II: Podded GAU-24/A with 325 rounds for the AV-8 Harrier
  • GPU-7/A Vulcan II: Podded GAU-24/A with 525 rounds for aircraft mounting
  • M450A1: Electrically-powered variant for self-propelled, anti-aircraft units

Specifications

  • Type: Four-barrel, gas-operated, Gatling gun
  • In-Service: 2002 - Present
  • Mass: 275 lb (125 kg)
  • Overall Length: 94.49 in (240 cm)
  • Barrel Length: 76.77 in (195 cm) [65-caliber]
  • Width: 13.78 in (35 cm)
  • Height: 10.83 in (27.5 cm)
  • Shell: 30x150mm B
  • Barrels: 4
  • Action: Four-barrel Gatling gun
  • Rate of Fire: 1,600 or 3,200 rpm
  • Effective Range: 1.25 mi (2 km)
  • Muzzle Velocity: 1,025 m/s (3,363 fps)
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