Gatling Guns of Today
Ever since the invention of the Gatling Gun, people have continued to innovate the weapon so it meets the modern standards of the battlefield. These innovations have gave berth to new weapons; the M61 Vulcan and the M134.
M61 Vulcan
M61 Vulcan
The M61 Vulcan is the modern predecessor of the Gatling Gun, manufactured by General Electric. Also known as the Gatling Gun or Chaingun, the M61 Vulcan was designed in 1946 and has been used by US and NATO since 1959. Weighing 248 pounds and is 789 inches long, with six rotating barrels, the Vulcan has a rate of fire ranging from 6,000 to 6,600 rounds per minute, making it an absolute killing machine on the battlefield. Because of its large size and fire rate, the Vulcan has been evolved into a weapon for heavy duty combat. These cannons have been affixed to a multitude of different jet fighters for air to air, air to ground, and air to sea combat. Previously, many people have believed that cannons were obsolete in aerial combat compared to guided missiles, but the Vulcan proved to be more effective in many situations compared to guided missiles, where heat seeking systems could malfunction of prove ineffective, in situations such as close quarters dogfights, or places where rouge heat signatures could cause the missile to stray off course. Because Vulcans could be conventionally fired like any regular gun with a devastating rate of fire and a powerful payload, they were quick to become popular. The M61 Vulcan was first put on the F-104 Starfighter and the F-105 Thunderchief, as well as the A-7D and the F-4E Phantom II. Later, it was then installed into the F-106 Delta Dart, the F-111 Aardvark, F-14 Tomcat, F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F/A-18 Hornet and the F-22 Raptor. The Vulcan even grew so popular that it was also affixed to the AC-119 and the AC-130 gunships, as well as the AH-1G Cobra attack helicopter.
M134
M134 Minigun being operated by a soldier
The M134, also known as the Minigun was a much lighter and portable version of the M61 Vulcan that could be used by infantry units and light vehicles. The M134 was originated in the US and has been in service since 1963. The gun weighs a mere 85 pounds and is only 802 millimeters long (31.6 inches), but this gun can fire anywhere between 2,000 and 6,000 20mm rounds per minute. Unlike the Vulcan, which uses a hydraulic powering system, the M134 is electrically powered with an external motor. The M134 made itself a name in the Vietnam war, where it saw lots of action on the American's side of the battles. Because the gun featured a smaller caliber than the Vulcan, its strengths suited infantry battles above all else. Because of this, the M134 was mounted onto the OH-6 Cayuse, OH-58 Kiowa, AH-1 Cobra, UH-1 Iroquois, MH-53 Pave Low, UH,60 Black Hawk, HH-60 Pave Hawk, A-37 Dragonfly, A-1 Skyraider, AC-47 Spooky, AC-119 and AC-130.
In conclusion, the Vulcan was better suited for heavy combat against heavy enemy vehicles, whereas the M134 was made to be used in close quarters combat against foot soldiers of for close combat support.
In conclusion, the Vulcan was better suited for heavy combat against heavy enemy vehicles, whereas the M134 was made to be used in close quarters combat against foot soldiers of for close combat support.