<article><hdr>Underwater Mines, Rockets, and Miscellaneous Stores</hdr><body>
<p>Mines have three interactive designations: The Mark (<hi format=bold>Mk</hi>) designation is applied to the basic mine case, or case/anchor combination. The Modification (<hi format=bold>Mod</hi>) applies to internal differences, such as the type of influence firing mechanism used. The Operational Assembly (<hi format=bold>OA</hi>), which is unique to mines, applies to external differences, such as the type of flight gear installed. There are two categories of air-delivered mines. <hi format=bold>Service</hi> mines are the operational devices with live warheads.
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<display id=\weapons\photos\mk400001.bmp>
<p>The two modern classes of underwater mines are bottom and moored. The former are normally used in shallow water, but can also be used against submarines in very deep water. The latter are deep-water mines and are effective against both surface vessels and submarines. The two major considerations for moored mines are position stability and mooring depth. The first is satisfied by an anchor to fix the mine to a known position on the seabed, while the second uses techniques that depend on the mine.
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<p>Various safety devices and accessories are also used with mines. <hi format=bold>Ship counters</hi> prevent a mine from detonating until several ships have passed nearby, thus making it more difficult to sweep. <hi format=bold>Hydrostatic arming devices</hi> prevent arming until the mine reaches the desired depth. <hi format=bold>Clock delay mechanisms</hi> delay arming until a preset time has elapsed, while a <hi format=bold>sterilizer</hi> deactivates or detonates the mine at a preset time.
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<p>Modern mine sweeping operations generally have three phases. First the tethers of moored mines are cut by a long blade dragged through the water by a helicopter. As the mines float to the surface they are destroyed by gunfire. Next, the helicopters drag a sled with acoustic and magnetic characteristics similar to a passing ship through the water to activate bottom mines. Finally, the remaining mines are hunted by mine sweepers using sonar.
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<p><hi format=bold>Exercise and Training</hi> (<hi format=bold>ET</hi>) mines are used for training and fleet exercises. They are identified by letters suffixed to their OA designations. Non-flight qualified ET mines include the FSN 35109 blue <hi format=bold>Shop</hi> mines (OA designations suffixed by the letter <hi format=bold>N</hi>) used in component assembly training, and the bronze-painted <hi format=bold>Handling</hi> mines (OA designations suffixed by the letter <hi format=bold>J</hi>) used for load training.
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<p><hi format=bold>Actuation</hi> mines (flight-qualified OA designations suffixed by the letter <hi format=bold>B</hi>) are functionally identical to actual mines, but have inert warheads. They are delivered like an actual mine and are primarily used for realistic training exercises. In addition to the normal electronics package, which enables them to mimic their live Mk/Mod counterparts, these mines are equipped with smoke/flare buoy-signals which are set off to indicate when a service mine would have detonated. A Mk 117 'drill shield' is attached to the rear of each mine, containing a Mk 64 delay switch to set off sonar transmitters at the end of the exercise to aid in mine recovery for reuse. The Mk 117 also contains a recording device to log the time of each mine activation to aid in exercise evaluation. These mines are painted FSN 32246 orange and FSN 37875 white.
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<p><hi format=bold>Laying</hi> mines (OA designations suffixed by the letter <hi format=bold>K</hi>) are used to conduct aircrew training of delivery techniques. While all flight-required equipment functions like an actual mine, the only active electronic component is a sonar transmitter to aid in recovery for reuse (not required for obsolete mines). These mines are painted FSN 32246 orange with two 6-in (15-cm) wide FSN 37875 white bands to enhance their visibility underwater.
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<hi style=hdr1>Mk 52 and Mk 55 Bottom Mines</hi>
<p>First deployed in the late 1950s, these bottom mines introduced modular assembly, allowing its firing assembly to be stored separately from the mine case that contained the warhead. Although designed primarily for anti-submarine use, these mines were also effective against surface targets.
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<p>The 1,200-lb class <hi format=bold>Mk 52</hi> had a 595-lb warhead, while the 2,200-lb class <hi format=bold>Mk 55</hi>s<hi format=bold></hi> weighed 1,270 lb. Their unique flight hardware included nose fairings and box fins for stability, and parapaks to ease water entry. However, the Mk 52 and 55 shared common firing mechanisms, and their Mod designations were assigned with reference to the actuation methods used: pressure (0), acoustic (1), magnetic (2 and 12), magnetic and pressure (3 and 13), pressure and acoustic (4), acoustic and magnetic (5), and pressure, acoustic, and magnetic (6).
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<p>Declared obsolete in late 1993, inert 'Laying' versions of these mines continue to be used for training because of their similarity in size and delivery technique to the Mk 56 and Mk 60. They can be carried both internally and externally by HSAB-equipped B-52D/G/Hs.
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<p>Service Mk 55s were painted FSN 34087 olive drab, with white stenciling. Four 3-in (7.6-cm) diameter FSN 33538 yellow dots were spaced 90 degrees apart around the mine circumference, starting 45 degrees off the vertical centerline, just behind the nose fairing. 'HBX-1' was stenciled in yellow between (and aligned with) the two dots on the left side of the mine. Two 0.5-in (1.3-cm) diameter yellow dots were located on the arming device, and a single 2-in (5-cm) diameter yellow dot was stenciled on the back of the parachute pack, adjacent to the control unit well.
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<hi style=hdr1>Mk 56 Moored Mine</hi>
<p>The <hi format=bold>Mk 56</hi> is a 2,200-lb class air-laid moored mine designed specifically for use against deep-diving, high-speed submarines. A 360-lb warhead is contained in a non-magnetic, stainless-steel case along with the detection mechanism. An optional nose fairing is fitted over the cast steel anchor at the front of the mine, with additional flight gear for aircraft launch attaches to the tail, completing the mine. Once planted, the Mk 56 deploys hydrostatically, which means that the entire mine sinks to the seabed where the buoyant mine deploys from the anchor. If the mine sinks into mud before separating from the anchor, a slow-burning propellant (called a mud agitator) is used to free it. The mine then rises until reaching the desired depth. Eight can be carried internally and 12 externally by HSAB-equipped B-52D/G/Hs.
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<p>The Mk 56 mine case is painted with copperpac, a dull, brick red (no FSN), anti-fouling paint, while the anchor is FSN 37038 black. The nose fairing, parachute pack, and tail fins are FSN 34087 olive drab. Four 3-in (7.6-cm) diameter FSN 33538 yellow dots are spaced 90 degrees apart around the mine circumference, starting 45 degrees off the vertical centerline, in line with the arming device at the rear of the mine, where two 0.5-in (1.3-cm) diameter yellow dots are located. Most stenciling is in 0.5-in high FSN 37875 white letters. 'HBX-3' is stenciled in 3-in high yellow letters on the left side of the mine, just behind the dot above the arming device. A single 2-in (5-cm) diameter yellow dot is stenciled on the back of the parachute pack, adjacent to the control unit well.
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<hi style=hdr1>Mk 60 Captor Moored Mine</hi>
<p>The 2,350-lb class Goodyear/Loral <hi format=bold>Mk 60 CAPTOR</hi> (for enCAPsulated TORpedo) is a moored mine which contains a Mk 46 torpedo. The original requirement for this weapon was first stated in 1962, with the specific operation requirement being laid out in May 1964, when the name CAPTOR was first used. It was hoped at that time that this weapon could reduce mine barrier costs by a factor of 100, and mine quantities by a factor of 400. Production of CAPTOR began in 1977, but it did not become operational until early 1980. As CAPTOR enters the water, its anchor deploys from the main part of the mine on a precut cable to the seabed or until it is completely extended. If the water is shallow, the mine will remain just above the seabed. However, if the water is deep, the anchor will continue to deploy while the mine remains at a constant depth. When the anchor eventually reaches the seabed it will lock to keep the mine at the desired depth.
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<p>The Aerojet <hi format=bold>Mk 46</hi> Torpedo is a deep-diving, high-speed, lightweight torpedo which features active/passive acoustic homing and a 100-lb warhead. It began development in 1960, entered service in 1965, and began replacing the earlier Mk 44 in 1967. The <hi format=bold>Mod 4</hi> used with the CAPTOR mine has a speed of about 40 kt (74 km/h), uses a helical search pattern for target acquisition, and is capable of multiple reattacks if it misses the target.
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<p>Deployed by ships, submarines, and aircraft as an anti-submarine weapon, CAPTOR's detection and control unit (<hi format=bold>DCU</hi>) is capable of discriminating between surface ships and submarines. It initially operates in a passive mode, listening for submarines. Once a target is detected and judged to be within range, it shifts to an active mode, determining the optimum time to release the torpedo.
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<p>Eight CAPTORs can be carried internally and 10 externally by HSAB-equipped B-52G/Hs.
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<hi style=hdr1>Mk 65 Quickstrike Bottom Mine</hi>
<p>Instead of using a Mk 80 series bomb body, the 2,300-lb <hi format=bold>Mk 65</hi> <hi format=bold>Quickstrike</hi> bottom mine introduced a completely new, thin-walled mine casing. It resembles earlier purpose-built mines more than the other Quickstrikes. The <hi format=bold>Mk 65 Mod 0</hi> uses the same Mk 57 TDD as other Quickstrikes, while the <hi format=bold>Mk 65 Mod 1</hi> uses the Mk 58. Both use the Mk 45 Safe and Arming device. The only difference between the <hi format=bold>OA 01</hi> and <hi format=bold>OA 02</hi> is the internal battery each uses.
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<p>The Mk 65 is painted FSN 36087 olive drab with 0.5-in (1.3-cm) high FSN 37875 white stenciling. Four 3-in (7.6-cm) diameter FSN 33538 yellow dots are spaced 90 degrees apart around the mine circumference, starting 45 degrees off the vertical centerline, just behind the nose where the mine becomes cylindrical. 'PBXN-103' is stenciled in 3-in high yellow letters between (and perpendicular to) the two dots on the left side of the mine. A single 2-in diameter yellow dot is stenciled on the back of the parachute pack.
<p>Underwater mines are designed to detonate near ships with sufficient explosive force to cause the ship to abort its mission. US mines during and since World War II have relied on <hi format=bold>Influence</hi> detonation, which detects the magnetic, acoustic, and pressure fields of passing vessels. Most Mk 55 mines use a combination of influence fuzing mechanisms to reduce their susceptibility to mine countermeasures.
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<p><hi format=bold>Magnetic</hi> influence uses two basic techniques. Bottom mines normally use a magnetic induction system, which senses magnetic field changes caused by a ship's passage, using the ship's own magnetic field to generate the electrical current to detonate the mine. Mk 56 moored mines use the Mk 25 or Mk 26 total field magnetometers, more sophisticated, three-dimensional device that analyze the magnitude and rate of magnetic field change before initiating detonation.
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<p><hi format=bold>Acoustic</hi> influence mechanisms use hydrophones, transducers, and other devices to detect underwater sounds, then analyze them to reject non-ship sounds. If ship sounds became loud enough, the mine is detonated.
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<p><hi format=bold>Pressure</hi> influence mechanisms sense reduction in water pressure to determine if a ship is passing nearby. If the ship is traveling at sufficient speed to create the required pressure change, the mine is detonated. This technique is always used in conjunction with acoustic and magnetic sensors, and is particularly valuable, since it makes the mine highly resistant to mine sweeping efforts.
<row><c>Mk 56<c>0<c>Mk 25 & 26<c>total field magnetometer
<row><c>Mk 60<c>0 & 1<c>Mk 17<c>detector control unit
<row><c>Mk 65<c>0<c>Mk 57<c>magnetic/seismic TDD
<row><c><c>1<c>Mk 58<c>magnetic/seismic TDD
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<hi style=hdr1>Destructor and Quickstrike Bottom Mines</hi>
<p>Developed to alleviate the need to build large stockpiles of specialized, expensive, but rarely used mines, the <hi format=bold>Mk 36</hi>, <hi format=bold>Mk 40</hi> and (now obsolete) <hi format=bold>Mk 41</hi> <hi format=bold>Destructors</hi> (<hi format=bold>DST</hi>s) are Mk 80 series GP bombs fitted with mine components.
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<p>Destructors are primarily designed for use in rivers, canals, channels, and harbors for use against ships, freighters, coastal ships, and small craft. They are also the first mines capable of use as land mines, burying themselves in the ground to be actuated by passing vehicles or personnel. Mk 36 OAs with conical fins were mixed in with loads of GP bombs and dropped by B-52D/F/Gs during Vietnam Arc Light missions to disrupt operations in recently bombed areas.
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<p>The <hi format=bold>Mk 62</hi> and <hi format=bold>Mk 63 Quickstrike</hi> (<hi format=bold>QS</hi>) bottom mines are the eventual successors to the Destructors. Their name comes from the short amount of time required to modify Mk 80 series GP bombs for use as bottom mines against both submarines and ships. The <hi format=bold>Mk 64</hi> designation was assigned as the Mk 84-based QS, but it was never deployed operationally.
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<p>Because of their similarity to GP bombs, QS and DSTs can be delivered by any aircraft that can drop the basic bomb/fin combination. Except for the B-52G/H, which can carry the Mk 40, USAF aircraft are only cleared to use the Mk 36 and M117D.
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<p>The nose-mounted <hi format=bold>Mk 32</hi> mechanical arming device arms these mines after sensing both release from the aircraft and surface impact. Target type and detonation time is determined by Destructor's <hi format=bold>Mk 42</hi> Firing Mechanism (<hi format=bold>FM</hi>), which is fitted in the warhead tail fuze cavity. The combination of the Mk 32 and Mk 42, along with other minor components which form the basis for the Destructor, are known as the <hi format=bold>Mk 75</hi>. The USAF's <hi format=bold>M117D</hi> (sometimes called the <hi format=bold>Mk 59</hi>) also uses the Mk 75. In the Quickstrike, the FM has been replaced with the <hi format=bold>Mk 57</hi> Target Detector Device (<hi format=bold>TDD</hi>), the only difference between the two mine families. It features arming-delay, sterilization, and self-destruct capabilities.
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<p>Differences between the various Destructor Mods are defined by the internal batteries used, while the OAs define external configurations. Currently, the Mk 75 Mod 12 kit is used to form either Mod 7 or 15 DSTs, depending on the battery being used. Mines with retard fins designed to be carried internally use a 'cable and strap' assembly which unwraps from around the bomb body, serving as a lanyard spacer to delay fin opening until the weapon is clear of the weapon bay. (On the B-52G/H, mine fins are set in a '+' configuration for internal, and 'x' for eternal carriage.)
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<p>While most DSTs and QSs use fins developed for GP bombs, both the Mk 11 and Mk 12 'Paratails' were purpose-built for mining operations. The Mk 16 Paratail is externally similar to the USAF's BSU-49 AIR, replacing the former's 'ballute' with a parachute.
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<p>During the late 1970s and early 1980s, two new TDDs were developed for use with QS mines. The abortive Mk 70 would have equipped Mod 2 QSs and is believed to have incorporated magnetic, seismic, and pressure fuzing. The Mk 71 was developed to equip Mod 3 QSs and added a ship counter to the Mk 70s capabilities. However, funding dried up with the end of the cold war, and the Mod 3 never became operational.
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<hi style=hdr1>Operational Destructor and Quickstrike Mines</hi>
<p>There is no difference in the markings of Destructor and Mk 80 series Quickstrike mines. The unpainted nose-mounted Mk 32 arming device has a gold tinge, while the rest of the mine has standard markings of its associated bomb body (overall FSN 34087 olive drab with 3-in/7.6-cm wide FSN 33538 yellow bands around the nose). While the older conical, MAU-91, and Mk 15 Snakeye fins are FSN 34087 olive drab, the newer BSU-86 and Mk 11, 12, and 16 fins are FSN 36375 gray. On the latter fins, four 2-in (5-cm) diameter FSN 33538 yellow dots are aligned with, and about 4 in (10 cm) in front of, the tail fins. Two more 2-in diameter yellow dots are stenciled on the back of the parachute pack.
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<p>In addition to the standard bomb body markings, 1-in (2.5-cm) wide white reflective tape is applied to make the mines distinctive. One stripe girdles the bomb between the suspension lugs, and four stripes are applied between the aft lug and the rear of the bomb body, spaced 90 degrees apart around the bomb circumference, starting 45 degrees off the vertical centerline (although not specified, these stripes appear to be about 6-in/15 cm long). During Vietnam, experience showed that Destructors marked with these stripes were often defused and salvaged by enemy forces; therefore the stripes are often not applied, making the half-buried body appear the same as a GP bomb. Finally, the mine control number is stenciled on the left side of the nose, just behind the yellow band in 0.5-in high white letters.
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<hi style=hdr1>2.75-in Rockets</hi>
<p>Developed under the '<hi format=bold>Mighty Mouse</hi>' program after World War II, 2.75-in (7-cm) rockets were initially designed as air-to-air weapons. Entering service in 1956, they served as the primary armament of numerous early jet interceptors. With the advent of radar guided air-to-air missiles, rockets were relegated to the air-to-ground role and were widely used during the Vietnam War by all services. By the end of the war their use with the USAF for other than target marking duties ceased. Although they claim all of the following, it is believed that the only rockets actually still being used by the USAF are the M427 fuze, M156 smoke warhead, and Mk 66 motor combination in the LAU-131 launcher (along with the WTU-1/B for training).
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<hi style=hdr1>2.75-in Rocket Fuzes</hi>
<p>Most 2.75-in rocket fuzes are armed by being subjected to 20g acceleration for about one second. Others arm when the motor actually burns out. Various fuzes of the same class differ from one another by evolutionary internal improvements. They are generally about 2 in (5 cm) long and unpainted with black markings.
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<p><hi format=bold>Impact</hi> fuzes function after striking a surface and are called 'point detonating' (<hi format=bold>PD</hi>) because they are nose-mounted. The <hi format=underline>Mk 176</hi> features a slight functioning delay to increase target penetration before detonation. The <hi format=underline>Mk 178</hi> is a Mk 176 which detonates instantaneously. Both are used exclusively with the Mk 1 warhead. The <hi format=underline>Mk 181</hi> is used exclusively with the Mk 5 HEAT warhead and functions instantaneously, but requires steep impact angles to be effective against armor. The <hi format=underline>M423</hi> is a Mk 178 primarily used by helicopters. It arms more quickly and has an improved capability against soft and water targets. The <hi format=underline>M427</hi> is a M423 that arms more slowly, making it more suited to aircraft use. The 3-in (7.6-cm) long M423 and M427 are the most widely used USAF fuzes.
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<p><hi format=bold>Acceleration/deceleration</hi> fuzes sense deceleration as the motor burns out, causing the warhead to function. The <hi format=underline>Model 113A</hi> arms after being subjected to 25g, then functions as the rocket decelerates through 11g. It is an integral part of and used exclusively with WDU-4A/A flechette warheads.
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<p><hi format=bold>Inert</hi> <hi format=underline>M435,</hi> <hi format=underline>Mk 178</hi>, and <hi format=underline>Mk 181</hi> fuzes lack any explosive content and are used with inert training warheads.
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<hi style=hdr1>2.75-in Rocket Warheads</hi>
<p><hi format=bold>Explosive</hi> warheads only use nose fuzing and are olive drab with yellow letters (and sometimes nose bands). The 8-in (20-cm) long <hi format=underline>Mk 1</hi> high-explosive (HE) warheads have a relatively thin soft steel case filled with 1.4 lb of high explosive. Service versions Mk 1 Mods 1, 3, 4, and 5 all look the same, while the Mod 7 is more rounded. The Mod 2 trainer is inert-loaded. HE warheads are included as part of the HE-Frag classification, considered effective against relatively soft targets such as parked aircraft, personnel carriers, radar emplacements, trucks, etc. The 6.5-in (16.5-cm) long <hi format=underline>Mk 5</hi> high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead features a shaped-charge which uses less than 1 lb of explosive to create a high-energy jet capable of piercing armor. HEAT rounds are effective against tanks, trains, heavy vehicles, and bunkers. The Mk 1 and Mk 5 are both restricted to use with the older Mk 4 and Mk 40 motors. The 10.5-in (27-cm) long <hi format=underline>M151</hi> HE-Frag warhead contains 2.3 lb of explosive and is constructed of either soft steel or cast iron, sometimes called pearlite malleable iron (PMI). It differs from the Mk 1 in that it creates higher velocity fragments and can be used with the Mk 66 motor.
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<p>The 10.5-in (27-cm) long <hi format=underline>M156</hi> <hi format=bold>smoke</hi> warhead is used for daylight, overland, target marking. It is green with red letters and has a soft steel case similar to the M151, only filled with white phosphorus (WP). When exposed to the atmosphere it creates about two minutes of white smoke and a minor incendiary effect.
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<p>The 15.5-in (39-cm) long <hi format=underline>WDU-4A/A</hi> <hi format=bold>Flechette</hi> warhead has a black, light metal casing with white letters and plastic nose assemblies of various colors. It expels hundreds of anti-personnel darts in a shotgun-like cloud after motor burnout. Considered effective against personnel and lightly armored vehicles, it is restricted to LAU-61/-68 length launchers.
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<p><hi format=bold>Dummy</hi> heads are single-piece castings used to simulate given warhead/fuze combinations. Blue with white lettering, they include the 10-in (25-cm) long <hi format=underline>Mk 61</hi> (Mk 1 with a Mk 176/178 fuze), and 13.5-in (34-cm) long <hi format=underline>WTU-1/B</hi> (M151 with a M423/427 fuze).
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<hi style=hdr1>2.75-in Rocket Motors</hi>
<p>The 39-in (99-cm) long <hi format=bold>Mk 4</hi> folding-fin aircraft rocket (FFAR) motors are white with black markings and a brown band. Initial deliveries of the Mk 4 occurred in 1954, with most being built in 1967 during the Vietnam War. The <hi format=bold>Mk 40</hi> low-speed FFAR (LSFFAR) was introduced during Vietnam, featuring a 'scarfed' nozzle to spin-stabilize it when launched from helicopters and propeller-driven aircraft. With the advent of the Mk 66, the Mk 4/40 series motors were relegated to training duties, virtually all having been expended or condemned by the mid-1990s.
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<p>Design of the 42-in (107-cm) long <hi format=bold>Mk 66</hi> was completed in 1967, but production of the wrap-around-fin aircraft rocket (WAFAR) did not begin until 1976, forming the basis of the US Army's <hi format=bold>Hydra 70</hi> family. WAFARs create less smoke and have about 40 per cent more range than FFARs because of design improvements and the fact that the new fin configuration allows carriage of more propellant in the same overall motor length. The Navy's <hi format=underline>Mod 0</hi> never entered production. The Army's <hi format=underline>Mod 1</hi> was developed for the M151 and M261 warheads in 1982. The Navy/Air Force <hi format=underline>Mod 2</hi> features safeguards against hazards of electromagnetic radiation to ordnance (HERO) and entered service in 1988. The <hi format=underline>Mod 3</hi> is a HERO modification to the Mod 1. Mk 66 motors are white with black markings and a brown band.
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<hi style=hdr1>Air Force 2.75-in Fuze, Warhead, and Motor Combinations</hi>
<p>All rocket pods are made of treated paper with a thin aluminum outer skin. They were shipped with rockets already loaded, but warheads are attached in the field. They vary little in external appearance, although later pods are longer so they can accept longer warheads. All use 14-in suspension lug spacing. Although fuzes can be mixed within a pod, warheads and motors can not. While FFAR rockets reach virtually to the back of the tube (about 1.5 in from the rear edge of the pod), WAFAR pods have stops in the tubes that keep them another 1.75 in forward.
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<p>The long ogive paper fairings of early pods has given way to progressively blunter shapes. Nose fairings shatter on rocket impact. Expendable pods (with paper rocket tubes) also have paper aft fairings which shatter to form a funnel that protects the aircraft from rocket debris. Reusable pods (with metal rocket tubes) replace the aft fairings with metal funnels to perform this function. Expendable pods can be jettisoned after use.
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<p>The pods can ripple-fire their rockets at a rate determined by the pod's intervalometer. Air Force seven-tube pods are reusable and can be fired singly or fired out in about three seconds, while the expendable 19-tube pods fire out in only about a second. Mk 4/40 pods are FSN 17875 gloss white while the Mk 66 LAU-131 is FSN 34087 olive drab. A Mk 66 rocket is inserted 55.1 in (140 cm) into its 59.9-in (152-cm) long launcher.
<row><c>LAU-5003/A<c>19 × Mk 66<c>78 lb<c>15.6 in<c>18.4 in<c>49.8 in<c>9.0 in
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<hi style=hdr1>CRV7 System</hi>
<p>The Bristol Aerospace, Ltd, Canadian rocket vehicle <hi format=bold>CRV7</hi> system as tested by the USAF is very similar to the LAU-3 launcher and Mk 66 rocket motor. The RLU-5002/B (developed as C15) was primarily designed for use by helicopters and could also be surface launched. These motors could only be fired from Canadian launchers because their firing contacts were on the aft face of the nozzle. The Air Force evaluated the CRV7 on the A-7D and A-10A in May 1987, probably using the <hi format=underline>CM151</hi> rocket; a WTU-1/B dummy head mounted to the C15 motor.
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<p>The RLU-5003/B (developed as C16) was designed to be compatible with the US Hydra 70 (Mk 66) launchers and evaluated with M151, M156, WDU-4A/A, and WTU-1/B warheads. However, it produced more smoke and had higher dispersion than the Mk 66 during US ground tests in October 1989. The motors are white with black markings; the fins were unpainted.
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<hi style=hdr1>Miscellaneous Stores</hi>
<hi style=hdr1>Sub-Scale Training Bombs</hi>
<p>Both of the most commonly carried training bombs were developed by the Navy and adopted by the Air Force. The <hi format=bold>Mk 76</hi> '<hi format=bold>blue bomb</hi>' is a streamlined 25-lb bomb, called <hi format=bold>BDU-33</hi> by the Air Force, that simulates the ballistics of a Mk 82 SE. The <hi format=bold>Mk 106</hi> '<hi format=bold>Beer cans</hi>' are painted orange, weigh 5 lb, and are shaped like a beer can with fins. Called by their naval designation of for years, beginning about 1990 the Air Force gave a 10-lb version the designation of <hi format=bold>BDU-48</hi>. The ballistics of these bombs most closely resemble a retarded nuclear weapon. Both can be fitted with several types of spotting charges to aid in scoring delivery accuracy and are mounted on modified multiple and triple ejector racks (MER and TER), or in SUU-20 and SUU-21 dispensers.
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<hi style=hdr1>Training Bomb Dispensers</hi>
<p>The <hi format=bold>SUU-20</hi> dispenser holds six practice bombs and four 2.75-in rockets (the latter option is rarely used). The explosively ejected bombs are exposed on the bottom of the dispenser and a mix of Mk 106s and BDU-33s is common. The <hi format=bold>SUU-21</hi> was developed because aircraft based in Europe overfly populated areas more frequently than those based elsewhere. Its bombs are contained within enclosed bomb bays and ejected by springs. No rocket capability exists with the SUU-21.
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<hi style=hdr1>Air-to-Air Gunnery Targets</hi>
<p>The 'aeronautical system/non-mission expendable, electromechanical, miscellaneous model 15', or <hi format=bold>A/A37U-15</hi> tow target system (<hi format=bold>TTS</hi>) is used by the F-100 and F-4 (from the left outboard pylon). It is comprised of the 482-lb <hi format=bold>RMU-10</hi> tow reel pod and 195-lb <hi format=bold>TDU-10 </hi>'<hi format=bold>Dart</hi>' gunnery target. The 16-ft (4.8-m) long Dart was reeled out 2,300 ft (700 m) behind the towing aircraft. Scoring was accomplished by counting bullet holes in the recovered dart, with different aircraft using bullets dyed various colors.
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<p>The <hi format=bold>A/A37U-33</hi> aerial gunnery target system (<hi format=bold>AGTS</hi>) replaced the TTS and is also used by USAF F-4s. It is comprised of the 357-lb <hi format=bold>RMK-33</hi> tow set and 107-lb <hi format=bold>TDK-36</hi> target set, which is towed 1,640 ft (500 m) behind the aircraft and deploys a Dart-sized tetraplane target. Real-time acoustic scoring is used.
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<p>The 900-lb <hi format=bold>A/A37U-36</hi> AGTS is designed for carriage on the F-4's left outboard station, the F-15's centerline station, and the F-16's center wing stations. It consisted of the <hi format=bold>RMK-35</hi> reeling machine and <hi format=bold>TDK-39</hi> target group, which is towed about 2,000 ft (610 m) behind the aircraft. A real-time RF scoring system is used.
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<hi style=hdr1>Cargo Pods and Delivery Containers</hi>
<p>The miscellaneous unit (<hi format=bold>MXU</hi>)<hi format=bold>-648</hi> was a baggage pod converted from old BLU-1/27 firebomb shells. While a few had removable tailcones, most had a small door on the left side of the pod. Virtually all USAF fighter and attack aircraft (as well as the AV-8B) carried these on flights away from their home base, except for non-Pave Tack F-111s, which used their large weapons bay instead.
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<hi style=hdr1>Instrumentation Pods</hi>
<p>The aircraft instrumentation sub-system (<hi format=bold>AIS</hi>) pods are used as part of the air combat maneuvering instrumentation (<hi format=bold>ACMI</hi>) and related systems to allow real-time and post-mission evaluation of training exercises. Use of this system was illustrated by the movie 'Top Gun'. AIS pods resemble unfinned Sidewinder missiles with pitot tubes, and are mounted to AIM-9 launchers. Each pod contains an air data sensor, weapons bus monitor, transponder, and an inertial unit to aid in the simulation of weapons employment by sensing actual aircraft flight performance. Information sensed by the pod, including aircraft velocities, angular rates, and accelerations, is datalinked to ground stations for use in recreating the mission for analysis and debriefing purposes. These systems allow the battle to be viewed from any angle, even from the 'cockpits' of opposing aircraft.
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<p>There are several versions of AIS pods, all 141 in (358 cm) long and 5 in (12.7 cm) in diameter. Except for the T-11, which has a ram air scoop on its side, all ASQ pod differences are internal. Beginning in the early 1990s, the Red Flag mission debriefing system (<hi format=bold>RFMDS</hi>) permitted evaluation of surface-to-air and air-to-air engagements as well as bombing accuracy, the latter capability being called no-drop bomb scoring (<hi format=bold>NDBS</hi>). Some of these pods allow interface with aircraft electronic warfare systems (<hi format=bold>EWS</hi>) or have a radar altimeter tied to a UHF uplink that permits the ACMI operator to transmit one of 12 prerecorded messages to the aircrew at the touch of a button. Other pods are compatible with the high-accuracy multiple-object tracking system (<hi format=bold>HAMOTS</hi>) and the HAMOTS upgrade system (<hi format=bold>HUS</hi>). Most of those compatible with AMRAAM launcher rails can be tied into the aircraft's Mil Std 1760 databus for access to additional aircraft information. To this end, they are fitted with a digital interface processing unit (<hi format=bold>DIPU</hi>). Other systems include an inertial sensor assembly (<hi format=bold>ISA</hi>), a radar altimeter, a laser detector assembly (<hi format=bold>LDA</hi>), or, in the case of pods used with the gulf range drone control upgrade system (<hi format=bold>GRDCUS</hi>), a flight termination transponder (<hi format=bold>FTT</hi>).
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<p>In the early 1990s, work began on the global positioning system range applications program (<hi format=bold>GPS/RAP</hi>). This resulted in several new AIS-type pods, including the extended-area test system (<hi format=bold>EATS</hi>) and advanced range data system (<hi format=bold>ARDS</hi>) pods, which were combined as the high dynamics instrumentation set (<hi format=bold>HDIS</hi>) and became known as HDIS/ARDS and HDIS/EATS pods. These will be compatible with selected USAF aircraft.
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<p>The <hi format=bold>AKQ-T1</hi> pod is mounted to the right-front Sparrow station of pre-MSIP F-15A/Bs and F-4s. It accesses information about Sparrow launching and guidance information and transmits it to a modified AERO-3B launcher rail, called a <hi format=bold>R2393</hi>. The TACTS pod, mounted to the R2393 then down links this information to the ACMI.
<p>Several biological and chemical agent spray tanks have been developed, but none is ever known to have been used operationally. Their basic designation grouping is 'aeronautical system/mission expendable, biological dissemination model', or A/B45Y, with associated designations of external dispensing device (PAU) and miscellaneous tank unit (TMU). Kept on hand as a hedge to ensure such a capability is maintained is the <hi format=bold>A/B45Y-3</hi>. It weighs 570 lb and is used to dispense 1,340 lb of defoliant. When used as a pesticide disseminator it is redesignated as <hi format=bold>PAU-7</hi>, and for dispensing the lethal nerve agent VX it is called a <hi format=bold>TMU-28</hi>. It is worth noting that the warning given to Iraq during the Gulf War was that use of chemical weapons would be met with nuclear, not chemical retaliation.
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<hi style=hdr1>Flare and Sonobuoy Dispensers</hi>
<p>The <hi format=bold>SUU-25C/A</hi> and<hi format=bold>E/A</hi> are LAU-10 5-in rocket pods modified to dispense 30-lb class flares. They are 96 in (244 cm) long, 14 in (36 cm) in diameter and hold four rearward ejection tubes that hold eight flares or target markers. Weight of the dispensers is 260 lb empty and 500 lb when loaded. The two dispensers have very minor internal differences.
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<p>Flares are 36 in (91 cm) long, 4.9 in (12 cm) in diameter and weigh 29 lb. The <hi format=bold>LUU-2/B</hi>, <hi format=bold>LUU-2A/B</hi>, and <hi format=bold>LUU-2B/B</hi> all burn at about 2 million candlepower for 5 minutes. They feature a timer to determine how many feet below the aircraft the flare ignites. The differences between the flares are minor.
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<p>Target markers are the same size as flares and weigh 29 lb. They are fitted with two timers. The first can be set to delay opening of the cruciform parachute from 5 to 30 seconds after release, while the second delays ignition of the marker another 10 to 30 seconds. The <hi format=bold>LUU-1/B</hi> burns with a red flame, while the <hi format=bold>LUU-5/B</hi> burns green, and the <hi format=bold>LUU-6/B</hi> fuchsia.
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<hi style=hdr1>Countermeasures Pods</hi>
<p>Electronic countermeasures (<hi format=bold>ECM</hi>) pods were introduced during the Vietnam War to counter surface-to-air missiles (<hi format=bold>SAM</hi>). Over the years they have been refined and updated to cope with new threats. Although some new pods look very similar to earlier ones, many have completely new electronics. While noise jamming was used initially, newer pods use deception techniques to make radars think an aircraft is in a slightly different location than where it actually is. This makes radar-guided SAMs detonate just far enough away to allow the aircraft to escape.
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<p>Most Air Force pods began as quick reaction capability (<hi format=bold>QRC</hi>) programs before being assigned airborne, countermeasures, special purpose (<hi format=bold>ALQ</hi>) designations. All use 30-in (76-cm) suspension lug spacing.
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<p>The Westinghouse <hi format=bold>ALQ-119</hi> was developed under the <hi format=bold>QRC-522</hi> program and has been deployed in three basic configurations. All are 10 in (25 cm) wide and 15 in (38 cm) deep, except for the front gondola, which is 21 in (53 cm) deep. <hi format=bold>Long</hi> pods are 143 in (363 cm) long, weigh 575 lb and cover low, medium and high bands. They are the most common variant and have been upgraded over the years through the AN/ALQ-119(V)-1, -4, -7, -10, -12, and -15 versions. The <hi format=bold>QRC 80-01(V)-3</hi> is a related pod with the same external configuration. <hi format=bold>Medium</hi> pods cover medium and high bands, and have been upgraded through the AN/ALQ-119(V)-3, -6, -9, -11, -14, and -17. They are 115 in (292 cm) long and weigh 400 lb. The <hi format=bold>QRC 80-01(V)-4</hi> is a related pod with the same external configuration. <hi format=bold>Short</hi> pods cover only the low band, are 105 in (267 cm) long and weigh 319 lb. They have been upgraded through the AN/ALQ-119(V)-2, -5, -8, -13, and -16.
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<p>The Westinghouse <hi format=bold>ALQ-131</hi> was developed under the <hi format=bold>QRC-559</hi> program and has been deployed in two basic configurations, both 111 in (282 cm) long. <hi format=bold>Deep</hi> pods are 24.5 in (62 cm) high and cover bands 3, 4, and 5. The Block I AN/ALQ-131(V)-4, 5, and 6 weigh 675 lb, while the Block II AN/ALQ-131(V)-12 weighs 640 lb and the -14 680 lb. <hi format=bold>Shallow</hi> pods cover only bands 4 and 5, are 20 in (51 cm) tall, and weigh about 475 lb. The Block I AN/ALQ-131(V)-9 and 10 weigh 600 lb, while the Block II AN/ALQ-131(V)-13 weighs 540 lb and the -15 580 lb. The Block I pods required manual mode selection, while the Block IIs are more highly automated. At the beginning of Desert Storm, there were 130 of the former and 260 of the latter available.
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<p>The Raytheon <hi format=bold>ALQ-184</hi> has been deployed in two basic configurations, first entering service with F-4Gs in February 1987. Only 40 were available at the beginning of Desert Storm, with orders for a further 590 pending, with options for a further 400. Because of its lower drag profile, it is favored for use by drag-sensitive aircraft like the F-16. Like the related ALQ-119, both configurations of this pod are 10 in (25 cm) wide and 15 in (38 cm) deep, except for the front gondola, which is 22 in (56 cm) deep. <hi format=bold>Long</hi> pods are 156 in (396 cm) long, weigh 640 lb and cover bands 3, 4, and 5. They are the most common variant and exist in the AN/ALQ-184(V)-1, 3, and 5 versions. <hi format=bold>Short</hi> pods cover only bands 4 and 5, are 116 in (295 cm) long and weigh about 475 lb. They exist in the AN/ALQ-184(V)-2, 4, and 6. They can be most easily distinguished from the ALQ-119s by their much longer gondola.
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<p>Adversary aircraft use a small number of threat simulator pods, all of which have a 10-in (25-cm) diameter. The <hi format=bold>ALQ-176</hi> exists in two versions, both based on the Vietnam era ALQ-71. The Band 3 AN/ALQ-176(V)-1 is 78 in (198 cm) long, weighs 260 lb and is based on the AN/ALQ-71(V)-2. The Band 5 AN/ALQ-176(V)-2 is 102 in (259 cm) long, weighs 320 lb and is based on the AN/ALQ-71(V)-3. The <hi format=bold>ALQ-188</hi> is a derivative of the Navy's ALQ-167(V)-4 and is 109 in (277 cm) long, weighing 291 lb.
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<p>Infra-red countermeasures (<hi format=bold>IRCM</hi>) pods employ sophisticated techniques to defeat infra-red missiles. Although still used with large aircraft, fighters now rely on a combination of expendable flares and maneuverability. Neither of the pods described here are believed to have reached operational status. The 250-lb Northrop <hi format=bold>AN/AAQ-8</hi> is based on the shell of the ALQ-71 and attached to the fuel tanks of Combat Talon MC-130Es.
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<hi style=hdr1>Guns</hi>
<p>The <hi format=bold>M2A1 Bofors</hi> is a recoil-operated, clip-fed, air-cooled 40-mm cannon originally designed as a AAA weapon. The $200,000 crew-served weapon weighs 1,050 lb and fires at a rate of 120 shots per minute (<hi format=bold>spm</hi>) with a dispersion of 0.6 mils. It fired PGU-9 HEI ammunition and two are used by the AC-130A, one by the AC-130H and U.
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<p>The US Army designed <hi format=bold>M60</hi> 7.62-mm machine gun uses a disintegrating link feed system and is gas-operated. It fires 600 rpm with a muzzle velocity of 2,800 fps and an maximum range of 3,500 ft (1,067 m). Four of the 25-lb M60s are used in the OV-10, while two are used with the HH-60H. The H-3 also uses this gun.
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<p>The 265-lb General Electric <hi format=bold>M61A1 Vulcan</hi> 20-mm, six-barrel Gatling gun was developed in the 1950s to fire M53 API, M56 HEI and M242 HEIT ammunition. The $128,000 weapon used a linkless feed system and is externally powered from the aircraft hydraulic or electrical system. The self-powered aircraft gun unit (<hi format=bold>GAU</hi>) <hi format=bold>-4</hi>, used in the <hi format=bold>SUU-23</hi> gun pod, was virtually identical except for being driven by gun gas. The 1,739-lb SUU-23 and earlier 1,702-lb <hi format=bold>SUU-16</hi> (which used the M61) could be distinguished by the former's air inlet just above and behind the muzzle, while the latter deployed a ram air turbine (<hi format=bold>RAT</hi>) from a large hatch located towards the middle of the pod prior to being fired. This restricted its use to a maximum of 350 kt IAS. Both pods had a capacity of 1,200 rounds, of which about 60 were unusable. The SUU-16 was originally called the M12, while the SUU-23 was the XM25. Both the M61 and GAU-4 fire at up to 6,000 rpm with a muzzle velocity of 3,400 fps and a dispersion of 5 mils. At maximum rate of fire, prolonged bursts can generate nearly 4,000 lb of reverse thrust. Active aircraft equipped with internal with M61s include the A-7D/E, B-52H, AC-130A/H (two), F-4E, F-14, F-15, F-16 and FA-18 (<hi format=bold>GAU-11</hi>). In all probability, the F-22 will also be equipped with it. F-111s can carry the M61 in their weapons bay, but have not since the 1970s. The F-4C/D/E were the only users of the SUU-16, while the SUU-23 was also used by the F-4K/M.
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<p>One <hi format=bold>M102</hi> 105-mm howitzer was used by the AC-130H and U. The 1,450-lb, crew-served weapon could fire three to five HE, WP or TP shots per minute with a dispersion of only 0.3 mils.
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<p>The General Electric <hi format=bold>GAU-2</hi> 7.62-mm six-barrel Gatling gun is a scaled-down version of the M61 which weighs 67 lb. It uses either linkless or belted feed systems and is externally powered from the aircraft electrical system. It fires up to 6,000 rpm with a muzzle velocity of 2,850 fps. Aircraft equipped with the GAU-2 have included the A-37 and HH-53. The AC-130A uses it as part of MXU-470 gun module. The GAU-2 forms the basis for the 325-lb <hi format=bold>SUU-11</hi> gunpod (sometimes identified by its Army designation <hi format=bold>M18</hi>). The SUU-11A/A was dc powered, while the SUU-11B/A could use either ac or dc. Both pods had a capacity of 1,500 rounds which could be fired at 3,000 or 6,000 rpm. The SUU-11 was used by the A-37, AH-1J/T/W, AT-38B, and OV-10.
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<p>The General Electric $336,000 <hi format=bold>GAU-12 </hi>'<hi format=bold>Equalizer</hi>' 25-mm, five-barrel Gatling gun was developed from the M61 for use with the AV-8B and AC-130U (one). It uses a linkless feed system from the 300-round magazine in the Harrier's right fuselage pod to the 275-lb gun in the left pod, which is powered from engine bleed air. It fires up to 4,200 rpm, but normally at 3,600 rpm of PGU-20 API and PGU-22 HEIT ammunition with a muzzle velocity of 3,600 fps and a dispersion of 3.6 mils.
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<p>The <hi format=bold>GAU-13 </hi>'<hi format=bold>Pave Claw</hi>' 30-mm four-barrel Gatling gun is the basis of the $544,000 gun pod unit (<hi format=bold>GPU</hi>)<hi format=bold>-5</hi> anti-tank cannon pod. It uses a closed loop feed and storage system and is pneumatically driven. It fires at 2,400 rpm with a muzzle velocity of 3,200 fps and a dispersion of 4.5 mils. When loaded with 353 rounds of PGU-13 HEI and PGU-14 API ammunition, the gun pod weighs 1,865 lb. Several aircraft, including the F-4D/E and A-7D, have been evaluated with the GPU-5, and F-16As of the 174th TFW (NY ANG) used it during Desert Storm.
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<hi style=hdr1>BQM-34 FIREBEE</hi>
<p>The Teledyne Ryan BQM-34 Firebee family included
