Rockets and Guns

TACP 1008

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without the written approval of the originating U.S. agency.

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 Overview

• FW Guns
• RW Guns
• 2.75” and 5” Rockets

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 Learning Objectives

1. Given a list and without the aid of references, identify the

characteristics of 2.75 inch Rockets, in accordance with the
JFIRE.

2. Given a list and without the aid of references, identify the

characteristics of 5.00 inch Rockets, in accordance with the
JFIRE.

3. Given a list and without the aid of references, identify the

characteristics of RW gun systems, in accordance with the
JFIRE.

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 FW Guns

• Appropriate for most unprotected or thin skinned targets and

medium armor (30mm)

• Calibers 20mm, 25mm, 30mm

• Variety of round type (e.g. API, HEI, SAPHEI, HEIT, TP, TPT, etc.)

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 FW Guns

• Advantages
• High accuracy/low collateral damage

• Disadvantages
• Limited effectiveness against armor (20mm/25mm)
• Requires dive delivery

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 FW Gun Employment

• Accuracy relies heavily on

pilot proficiency

• Area vs. Point vs. Linear

target
• FAH selection?

• Beaten zone vs. Bullet

density
• Target sort
considerations?

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 M-61A1/2 Vulcan 20mm

• 2500 – 6000 RPM

• 500 round can
• Expect ~3 passes per TOS
• API, HEI, SAPHEI, HEIT, TP, TPT
• Danger Close – 100m

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 GAU-12 Equalizer 25mm

• AV-8B only

• 1800 RPM / 300 round can

• Expect ~3 passes per TOS

• Pod-mounted (but may require

prior coordination)

• Danger close – 100m

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 GAU-8 Avenger 30mm

• A-10 Warthog designed around GAU-8

• 3,850 RPM, can carry up to 1,174 rounds

• 2-3 sec “combat burst,” ~18 sec of trigger down per TOS

• HEI, API, TP

• High pilot proficiency

• Danger Close – 100m

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 GAU-8 Avenger 30mm

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 Overview

• FW Guns
• RW Guns
• 2.75” and 5” Rockets

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 RW Guns

• AH-1W/Z
• M-197

• UH-1Y
• GAU-21
• GAU-17
• M240

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 M-197 20mm
• 650 RPM • Danger Close
• AH-1W/Z • @1500m – 155m
• TSS/NTSU • @800m – 95m
• Helmet Mounted Sight • @300m – 45m
• Fixed Forward • Round up, pass ACAs if

• UH-60 (Fixed Fwd) req. (e.g. “employ gun

NFT 800m from target”)

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 M-197 20mm

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 GAU-21 .50 Cal

• Provides medium range suppressive fire

• 950 – 1,100 RPM, 600 round can
• Max Effective: 1850m
• Accuracy depends on gunner’s skill
• No published REDs for crew served
• Crew-served MSD = 500m (like 20mm)
• AP, API, API-T, SLAP (Sabot Light Armor
Penetrator)
• Usually employed on left side of A/C

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 GAU-17 Mini Gun

• Multi-barreled, air-cooled electrically

driven 7.62mm
• Provides immediate high-density
suppressive fire
• 3000 RPM (+/- 10%), 4400 round can
• Max effective: 1100m
• Ball, Tracer, SLAP
• Usually employed on right side of A/C

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 M240

• 7.62mm
• 650 – 950 RPM
• 200 round can
• Max Effective: 1200m
• Smallest, lightest crew-served weapon

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 Overview

• FW Guns
• RW Guns
• 2.75” and 5” Rockets

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 Rockets

• 2.75” and 5”
• Area weapon, suppressive effects
• Effective mark for FAC(A)s
• Warhead Variety (HE, WP, RP, Flechette, and Illum)
• Platform: F-18, F-16, AV-8B, A-10, AH-1, UH-1
• Super Hornet Exception due to pod alignment

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 2.75” Rockets

• Utilized by FW/RW
• Either 7 or 19 rockets per pod
• Can fire single rocket at a time or multiple (ripple: 19 rockets
in 1 sec)
• Expect at least 2 rockets per pass

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 2.75” HE Rocket Warheads

• Roughly equivalent to an • AH-1Z

81mm mortar
• Blast-Frag warhead
• 50-75m Lethal Radius
• Soft targets like parked
A/C, personnel carriers,
radar emplacements,
trucks, small crafts
• Employ outside 1.5km
• AH-1W/UH-1Y
• Employ inside 1.5km
• Danger Close
• @1500m – 170m
• @800m – 135m
• @300m – 110m
• Round up, pass ACAs if
req. by GFC, e.g. “make
all rocket shots NFT
800m from target”

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 Flechette Rockets
• The Mk 149 Mod 0 Warhead contains 1,179 60-
grain hardened steel flechettes
• For comparison, a 5.56 round is 55 grains
• Designed for personnel and/or technical
vehicles spread over “large areas”

• Beaten zone
• 20° - 35 X 100M / 1 dart per 4m²
• 30° - 35 x 70M / 1 dart per 3m²
• Beaten zone vs. Penetration
• Danger Close - 235m
• Effectiveness of dart is dependent on
endgame velocity
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 5” (Zuni) Rockets

• Utilized by FW/RW, USMC/USAF but going away

• F-18A-D, AV-8, A-10, AH-1W
• HE roughly equivalent to 120mm
• Increased blast-frag/mark effects
• Reduced pod capacity: 4 Shot Pod
• Danger Close
• FW = 250m
• RW @1500m = 175m
• RW @1000m = 160m

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 RW Rocket & Gun
Accuracy

• AH-1Z vs. AH-1W accuracy w/2.75”

• AH-1Z maintains accuracy from 300-1200m
• AH-1Z accuracy @ 2500m better than AH-1W @1500m

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 ROCKETS = AREA WEAPON

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 Questions?

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 Summary

• FW Guns
• RW Guns
• 2.75” and 5” Rockets

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