The Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-6-23 (also known by its Russian service designation, 9-A-768) is a powerful, fast-firing six-barreled Gatling gun used by some modern Soviet/Russian military aircraft.

The GSh-6-23 differs from most American multi-barreled aircraft cannon in that it is gas-operated, rather than externally powered via an electric, hydraulic, or pneumatic system. Although the engineering difficulties involved in producing a gas-operated rotary cannon with such a high rate of fire are considerable, they create less of a drain on the aircraft's power systems, and they accelerate to their maximum rate of fire much more quickly. There is less "spin-up" time for the barrels than with an externally powered rotary cannon, a signficant advantage in aerial combat, where the window of opportunity to place multiple rounds on target can be vanishingly short.

The GSh-6-23 uses the 23x115 Russian AM-23 round, fed via linked cartridge belt or a linkless feed system. Fire control is electrical, using a 27v DC system. The cannon has 10 pyrotechnic cocking charges, similar to those used in European gas-operated revolver cannon such as the DEFA 554 or Mauser BK-27.

The GSh-6-23 has an extremely high rate of fire, with maximum cyclic rates of 9,000 to 10,000 rounds per minute. This is fully a third greater than the American M61 Vulcan, and the GSh-6-23 fires a substantially harder-hitting projectile, although its muzzle velocity is comparably reduced. A tactical limitation of the GSh-6-23's rate of fire is that maximum burst length is extremely limited. The MiG-31, for example, with only 260 rounds of ammunition, would exhaust its entire magazine in less than three seconds.

The GSh-6-23 is used by the Sukhoi Su-24 'Fencer' attack aircraft, the MiG-31 'Foxhound' interceptor, and in the SPPU-6 gun pod with traversable barrels (the weapon can be traversed 45° downwards, to the left and the right).

Specifications

• Type: six-barrel rotary cannon
• Caliber: 23 mm (0.90 in)
• Operation: gas-operated, electrically fired
• Length: 1.4 m (4 ft 7 in)
• Weight (complete): 73-76 kg (161-167 lb)
• Rate of fire: 9,000 - 10,000 rpm
• Muzzle velocity: 715 m/s (2,345 ft/s)
• Projectile weight: API: 176 g (6.2 oz); HEI: 184 g (6.5 oz)

List of Aircraft | Aircraft Manufacturers | Aircraft Engines | Aircraft Engine Manufacturers Airlines | Air Forces | Aircraft Weapons | Missiles | Timeline of aviation

References

Rapid Fire, Anthony G. Williams, Airlife UK, August 2000

External Links

Izhmash (manufacturer's page, in Russian) (http://izhmash.udm.ru/arms/gsh-6-23.html)