XM301

The XM301 Cannon was an externally powered, three-barrel 20 mm rotary cannon made by General Dynamics for the United States Army.[4] Developed for use with the RAH-66 Comanche stealth helicopter, it is the world's lightest 20 mm rotary cannon.[3] The XM301 was designed to be a versatile and accurate lightweight cannon that could serve both an air-to-air and air-to-ground role.[5] Development and manufacture of the XM301 was cancelled in 2004 along with its parent RAH-66 program.[5]

XM301
TypeThree-barreled Gatling-style rotary cannon
Place of originUnited States
Service history
In serviceNot in active service
Used byUnited States
Production history
Designed1992[1]
ManufacturerGeneral Dynamics
Specifications
Mass80.5 pounds (36.5 kg)
(HEI) 100 grams (3.5 oz) (projectile)
Length72 in (180 cm)
Cartridge20x102mm
Caliber20 millimetres (0.79 in)
Barrels3
ActionHydraulically operated, electrically fired, Gatling
Rate of fire750 or 1500 rounds per minute[2]
Muzzle velocity3,380 feet per second (1,030 m/s) (with PGU-28/B round)[3]
Feed systemBelt or linkless feed system[3]

Description

The XM301 is a lightweight, three-barrel version of the M61 Vulcan. It is externally powered, relying on the same power delivery system as the Vulcan. It fires M50 and PGU-series ammunition found in the Vulcan, as well as newer lightweight X1031/1032 aluminum-cased ammunition at either 750 or 1500 rounds per minute.[2] Designed for use in combat helicopters, the XM301 boasts a dispersion of 2.2 milliradians, making it accurate at long ranges.[3] The XM301 weighs 80.5 pounds, less than a third the weight of the Vulcan. It can hold 500 rounds of ammunition and is able to be field-reloaded in 15 minutes.[4] The turret allows an aiming range of +15° to -45° in elevation and ±120° azimuth. It may be stored at +2° in elevation and 180° azimuth in order to reduce radar cross-section.[4]

Development

Development on the XM301 began in 2001 as part of the RAH-66 Comanche project. Originally developed in the 1980s, the Comanche had been tested with a two-barrel version of the M61 Vulcan, but it was upgraded to a three-barrel unit before General Dynamics took over the program in 2001. In its early stages the XM301 was known as the GE Vulcan II, an improved M197 Gatling gun. General Dynamics worked in tandem with Groupement Industriel des Armements Terrestres (GIAT) to develop the primary armament system for the RAH-66, with GIAT developing the turret and General Dynamics the weapon itself. The RAH-66 first flew in January 1996 with a non-functional version of the XM301, although subsequent flights used a working development model, with development testing beginning in 1997. General Dynamics and GIAT were contracted to deliver a total of 1,217 XM301 weapon systems to the U.S. Army, but funding for the RAH-66 was redistributed to the upgrade of existing helicopters in February 2004.[1]

References
  1. Jane's Air-Launched Weapons, Ewen Southby-Tailyour (2005)
  2. "XM301 20mm cannon". Retrieved 2011-07-06.
  3. "XM301 Spec Sheet" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 22, 2013. Retrieved 2011-07-06.
  4. "XM301 20mm cannon". Retrieved 2011-07-06.
  5. "XM-301/XM301". Retrieved 2011-07-06.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.