M61 Vulcan

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	Weapon: M61 Vulcan Type: Autocannon Country of Origin: United States Year Adopted: 1959 Caliber: 20x102mm Action: Rotary Machine Gun Overall Length (mm): 1828.0 Overall Length (in): 71.97 Weight (kg): 112.00 Weight (pounds): 246.92 Effective Range (m): 1000 m Effective Range (yards): 1093.61

The M61 Vulcan is a six-barrel, electrically (or hydraulically/ram-air) driven 20x102 mm Gatling-style rotary cannon developed in the United States after World War II. Its multi-barrel design allows each barrel to fire in turn, greatly reducing wear and heat buildup and enabling extremely high cyclic rates - the common M61A1/A2 installations are selectable up to roughly 6,000 rounds per minute depending on installation and power source. The weapon originated as General Electric's "Project Vulcan" in the late 1940s and was later produced and supported through subsequent industrial consolidations.

Adopted in the 1950s-1960s era, the Vulcan has equipped a wide variety of U.S. and allied combat aircraft - from early installations in the F-105 and F-106 to the standard internal cannon on fighters such as the F-15, F-16, F/A-18 and the F-22 in modernized forms - and has also been adapted for some land and naval applications. It has been manufactured in large numbers, licensed for production abroad (for example in Japan and South Korea), and remains in service today in updated M61A1/A2 configurations.

The M61's reputation rests on its combination of devastating volume of fire, proven reliability, and longevity - it is one of the most iconic aircraft guns of the jet age. While heavier caliber rotary guns (such as the GAU-8 30 mm) specialize in anti-armor roles, the M61's balance of high rate, controllable recoil, and ammunition effectiveness made it the default close-in, gun-based armament for decades of air combat doctrine and has cemented its notoriety in both aviation history and popular culture.