What does Gau gun stand for?

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Can the GAU-8 Avenger destroy a tank?

In fact, the entire aircraft was essentially built around a 30 mm rotary cannon, known as the GAU-8 Avenger, a fearsome name for a gun capable of spitting out depleted uranium shells the size of soda bottles designed to shred heavy Soviet tanks and armored personnel carriers into metal confetti.

How powerful is the GAU-8 Avenger?

The magazine can hold 1,174 rounds, although 1,150 is the typical load-out. Muzzle velocity when firing armor-piercing incendiary rounds is 1,013 m/s, almost the same as the substantially lighter M61 Vulcan’s 20 mm round, giving the gun a muzzle energy of just over 200 kilojoules.

What gun is on the front of the warthog?

Avenger cannon
The Avenger cannon is the Hog primary weapon and is able to fire 3,900 bullets per minute. “It’s a highly-accurate point-and-shoot weapon that grants our pilots superior firepower and flexibility in a close-combat ground fight,” a Warthog pilot once told us.

Can a Warthog take out a tank?

‘As pretty much everyone else answering this question has pointed out… the A-10 can fairly easily destroy a tank. As can anything else slinging either an AGM-65 Maverick or an AGM-114 Hellfire.

What makes the GAU-8/A so special?

An innovation in the design of the GAU-8/A ammunition is the use of aluminum alloy cases in place of the traditional steel or brass. This alone adds 30% to ammunition capacity for a given weight. The projectiles incorporate a plastic driving band to improve barrel life.

Where is the GAU-8 on a plane?

GAU-8 closeup. The gun is mounted slightly to the port side so that the active firing cannon barrel is at the 9 o’clock position and on the aircraft’s center line; the front landing gear positioned to the starboard side.

What kind of gun is a Gau 8?

GAU-8 Avenger. The General Electric GAU-8/A Avenger is a 30 mm hydraulically driven seven-barrel Gatling-style autocannon that is typically mounted in the United States Air Force ‘s Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II. Designed specifically for the anti-tank role, the Avenger delivers very powerful rounds at a high rate of fire.

How does the GAU-8/A ammo feed work?

The GAU-8/A ammunition feed is linkless, reducing weight and avoiding a great deal of potential for jamming. The feed system is double-ended, allowing the spent casings to be returned to the ammunition drum. Additionally, returning empty cases to the drum has less effect on the aircraft’s center of gravity than ejecting them.