Can anyone tell me about GAU-12 Equalizer?

Answer 1

The General Electric GAU-12 Equalizer is a six-barrel 25 mm Gatling gun-style rotary cannon [1] while the GAU-12/U is the five barrel version which can fire over 3,600 rounds per minute. The GAU-12 is used by the United States, the UK, and several other NATO nations, which mount the weapon in their fighter jets (e.g., the Harrier), airborne gunships (e.g., the AC-130), and land-based fighting vehicles.

Development
The five-barrel 'Equalizer' cannon was developed in the late 1970s, based on the mechanism of the GAU-8/A Avenger cannon, but firing a new NATO series of 25 mm ammunition. The GAU-12U cannon is operated by a 15 hp (11 kW) electric motor, in external mounts supplied by a bleed air-drive pneumatic system. Its rate of fire is normally 3,600 rounds per minute, with a maximum of 4,200 rounds per minute.

The Equalizer normally uses PGU-20/U armor-piercing incendiary (API) or PGU-22 or PGU-25 high-explosive incendiary (HEI) ammunition. With a harder-hitting projectile and comparable muzzle velocity, it is more lethal than the older M61 Vulcan, and more effective than the older 30 mm ADEN cannon it replaces.


[edit] Current uses
The current principal application for the Equalizer is the AV-8 Harrier IIs of the U.S. Marine Corps, Italian Navy and Spanish Navy. The Harrier II carries the Equalizer system in a pair of pods mounted on the fuselage sides, with the cannon in the port pod and 300 rounds of ammunition in the starboard pod, fed through a bridge at the aft ends of the pods that also contains the drive system for the gun. The complete installation, which includes a double-ended feed system that returns empty cartridges to the magazine, weighs 900 lb (410 kg) empty and 1,230 lb (560 kg) loaded.

RAF and Fleet Air Arm Harriers have not adopted the Equalizer for their Harriers. The British had originally planned a pair of ADEN 25 guns (using the same ammunition as the GAU-12/U, but based on the 30 mm ADEN cannon). That gun was canceled in 1999 after protracted development problems, and British Harriers and Sea Harriers have been forced to rely on the older 30 mm gun.

The Equalizer is also used in the AC-130U 'Spooky' gunship (where one cannon is mounted on the port side) and the U.S. Marine Corps LAV AD air-defense vehicle. Other applications have been planned for the GAU-12/U, including a mounting for the AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter.

The latest application of the GAU-12 is for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. In the CTOL version of the aircraft it will carry the gun internally, while on the STOVL and CV versions an external podded gun will be available. The major difference between the GAU-12 used on the F-35 and previous applications is the use of a 4-barrel system, rather than the 5 barrels on the standard GAU-12. The 4-barrel version is purported to reduce weight and improve accuracy. This system is currently undergoing testing and qualification. The weapon's current contractor is General Dynamics Armament Systems.


[edit] Specifications
Type: Six-barrel rotary cannon
Caliber: 25 mm (0.98 in)
Operation: electric
Length: 83.2 in (2.11 m)
Weight (complete): 270 lb (122 kg)
Rate of fire: 3,600 - 4,200 rounds per minute
Muzzle velocity: (HEI) 3,400 ft/s (1,040 m/s); (API) 3,280 ft/s (1,000 m/s).
Projectile weight: (HEI) 6.5 oz (184 g); (API) 7.6 oz (215 g)

Answer 2

Gau-12 Equalizer

Answer 3

The General Electric GAU-12 Equalizer is a six-barrel 25 mm Gatling gun-style rotary cannon while the GAU-12/U is the five barrel version which can fire over 3,600 rounds per minute. The GAU-12 is used by the United States, the UK, and several other NATO nations, which mount the weapon in their fighter jets (e.g., the Harrier), airborne gunships (e.g., the AC-130), and land-based fighting vehicles

click below for more details

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Can anyone tell me about GAU-12 Equalizer?

Answer 5

The GAU-12 25MM six-barrel gun pod can be mounted on the centerline of the Marine Corp's AV-8 Harrier. It has a 300 round capacity with a lead computing optical sight system (LCOSS) gunsight. The Marines use a 25mm depleted uranium [DU] round in the GAU-12 Gatling gun on AV-8 Harriers.

The Air Force Special Operations Command AC-130U Spectre gunship gunship represents a major-advancement over the two previous generation gunships, the AC-130A and the AC-130H. Changes include enhancement and expansion of its attack sensor suite allowing the aircraft's electro-optic sensors and the All Light Level Television and Infrared Detection System to provide a full 360-degree field of vision; an APG-180 Strike Radar that will allow tracking of both fixed and moving targets through adverse weather; an adjustable GAU-12 25 mm Gatling gun and a Dual Target Attack mode which will allow the AC-130U to strike two targets simultaneously. Alliant Techsystems, Incorporated, Hopkins, Minnesota, manufactures rounds of 25 millimeter high explosive incendiary ammunition applicable to the GAU-12 autogun on the AC-130U aircraft.

In October 1983 the US Army Air Defense Board completed an evaluation of the US Army Armament Research and Development Center (ARDC) air defense gun/missile experiment known as ADGILE. The prototype of the hybrid system consisted of a 25mm GAU-12/U cannon and an engineering ATAS STINGER launcher. The experiment clearly demonstrated the feasibility of an integrated STINGER/gun hybrid system. In February 1985 The USMC evaluated their Light Armored Vehicle-Air Defense System at Eglin Air Force Base (AFB), Florida, using a 25mm GAU-12 cannon and an ATAS launcher.

The LAV-AD light armor vehicle air-defense variant features the Blazer turret, which includes a forward-looking infrared targeting sight, a laser rangefinder, and the option of employing either Stinger missiles or the rapid-fire GAU-12/U 25mm Gatling gun. Its primary mission is to provide low altitude air defense at ranges within the envelope of the Stinger Missiles and the 25mm ammunition. A secondary mission is to provide ground defense against light armored mechanized forces.

Answer 6

For the best answers, search on this site https://shorturl.im/NoAs9

Gun, Aircraft Unit.