M61 Vulcan

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	Vietnam War Iran-Iraq war Gulf War War in Afghanistan Iraq War Iraqi Civil War (2014–2017) Yemeni Civil War (2015–present) Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen Turkish military operation in Idlib Governorate
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[1]
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 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.^[2]

The M61 was originally produced by General Electric. After several mergers and acquisitions, it is produced by General Dynamics as of 2000^[update].^[2]