General Electric M134 Minigun

History of the General Electric M134 Minigun

The vehicle-mounted GE M134 "Minigun" was born as a derivative of the 20mm GE M61 aircraft cannon and retains the same six-barrel Gatling design concept while being retrofitted to the 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge. This ferocious weapon has a long service life and was used in combat with the US military during the Vietnam War (1955-1975) and subsequent global wars.

Although the M134 originated in the 1960s, it is still operated by a large number of operators today (2015).

With the introduction of the M134, the concept of rotating the barrel (to cool the barrel and achieve a high rate of fire) is far from a new approach. Method developed by Dr. Developed by Richard Gatling in an initial attempt in the 18th century, it has been further developed through various designs, although all adhere to the core concept - multiple rotating barrels with an external rotating mechanism.

Early forms included hand cranks, while more modern ones rely on electric drive assist.

The modern U.S. military, based on their early experience in the Vietnam War, began the search for a new "suppression" weapon, and their lightly armored, highly vulnerable transport helicopters were fodder for well-hidden enemy ground forces. GE was furious to develop the weapon and began researching its existing 20mm M61 Vulcan gun as a possible solution, albeit in a much more compact body.

The resulting weapon is essentially a smaller product that accommodates the ubiquitous 7.62x51mm NATO rifle cartridge. The "XM134" developed eventually became the "M134" in service with the U.S. Army, while the U.S. Air Force designated it GAU-2/A and GAU-17/A (the U.S. Navy used the designation "Mk 25 Mod 0").

The original version had a rate of fire of 6,000 rounds per minute, but this rate of fire has been scaled down to 4,000 rpm (now between 2,000 rpm and 6,000 rpm) for greater accuracy and ammo control. Due to the propulsion required by the weapon, an external power pack is a standard component of the weapon system, which limits the weapon to on-board use, such as on aircraft, ground vehicles, or mounted on ships. Hollywood's perception of guns has led many to believe that these are handheld battlefield weapons that don't require external/fixed power sources(!)

After the war, the number of guns began to decline. Dillon Aero (USA) began overhauling some used systems and simplifying the overall design, greatly improving the product over time, earning the "M134D" designation. The titanium alloy airframe was introduced as a weight reduction measure, giving rise to the "M134D-T" designation and the hybrid "M134D-H". The modernized form eventually rekindled the U.S. military's interest in weapons and services and began equipping various vehicles with the weapon.

Garwood Industries also developed an improved M134 (with inherent optical support), resulting in the "M134G".

Ammunition for the M134 is provided as a belt in the ammo box. Ammunition is held in a chain strap, and the firing action strips the cartridge from the strap and fires the cartridge through the available barrel, ejecting the case and chain strap assembly in turn. Completion of the cycle aligns the next barrel with the chamber to repeat the process. Each barrel is fed sequentially in this fashion, helping to produce the impressively high fire rates this weapon system recognizes. "Cook off" (i.e. accidental discharge of the cartridge due to heat) is controlled by design: once the trigger is pulled, the bolt and barrel assembly automatically shuts off the feed - preventing new ammunition from taking effect during rotation. rest.

The action uses an electric twist-lock system. The muzzle velocity reaches 2,800 feet per second and the maximum range is 3,280 feet.

The M134 lacks standard fixed sights, although optical support addresses this inherent limitation.

The XM214 "Microgun" has been around for a short time and may be widely procured. Introduced in 1966, the weapon was further downsized by General Electric and was fitted with a 5.56x45mm cartridge - the same cartridge used in the M16 assault rifle. The XM124 does not have a long lifespan.

The M134 has been used outside the US military and has been adopted by countries including Australia, Brazil, France, Israel, Mexico, Poland, Spain, Turkey, Pakistan and the United Kingdom. The USSR/Russia relied on the 1970 launch of a four-barreled pneumatic air-cooled weapon called the "GShG-7.62" - the American equivalent of the M134.

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