- Side
- Ukraine
UNITED24 Media informó del relato de un piloto ucraniano de F-16 sobre el uso de fuego de 20 mm desde el M61 Vulcan de la aeronave contra misiles de crucero rusos durante una misión de defensa aérea en diciembre de 2024.
Role detailsAeronaves y UAV
Cañón M61A1 Vulcan
Also known as
- M61
- M61 Vulcan
- M61A1
- M61A1 Vulcan
- M61A2
- M61A2 Vulcan
- M61A1/M61A2
- 20mm M61 Vulcan
- 20 mm M61 Vulcan
- 20mm M61A1
- M61A1 20mm Vulcan cannon
- General Electric M61A1
- GE M61A1 Vulcan
El cañón M61A1 Vulcan es un arma aeronáutica Gatling de seis cañones y 20 mm, de origen estadounidense, desarrollada a partir de la línea Project Vulcan y asociada originalmente con General Electric. Material oficial de la Fuerza Aérea describe el M61A1 como un cañón rotativo de alta cadencia accionado por sistemas eléctricos, hidráulicos o de aire dinámico; fuentes museísticas y de historia de la Fuerza Aérea alojadas en DVIDS documentan el uso de M61/M61A1 por F-105 Thunderchief durante la guerra de Vietnam, y UNITED24 Media informó de fuego de cañón de F-16 ucranianos contra misiles de crucero rusos en 2024. Material de General Dynamics presenta el M61A2 relacionado como una versión más ligera de la familia M61A1 para instalaciones en aeronaves sensibles al peso.
Role in Conflicts
- Side
- United States and South Vietnam
Fuentes museísticas y de historia de la Fuerza Aérea documentan el uso del M61/M61A1 Vulcan en F-105D durante la guerra de Vietnam, incluidos derribos aire-aire sobre Vietnam del Norte y empleo en ametrallamiento terrestre.
Profile / Specs
Profile
- Origin
- Estados Unidos
- Built in
- United States
- Type
- Cañón aeronáutico de 20 mm
- Service note
- Década de 1950-presente
Specifications
- Cañones
- 6
- Calibre
- 20 mm
- Cadencia de tiro
- 4.000 o 6.000 disparos por minuto en los datos de GD-OTS; la ficha del museo de la Fuerza Aérea describe una capacidad de 6.000 disparos por minuto
- Accionamiento
- Hidráulico, eléctrico, neumático o por aire dinámico, según la instalación y la fuente
- Alimentación
- Alimentación sin eslabones en el M61A1; GD-OTS lista los sistemas M61A1/M61A2 como con eslabones o sin eslabones
- Peso del cañón M61A1
- 248 lb / 112,5 kg
- Peso del cañón M61A2
- 202 lb / 91,6 kg con cañón ligero; 228 lb / 103,4 kg con cañón pesado
- Velocidad inicial
- 3.380 ft/s / aproximadamente 1.030 m/s
Variants
La designación M61 cubre la línea de cañones aeronáuticos Vulcan de 20 mm que surgió del Project Vulcan; el M61A1 es la configuración Vulcan de alimentación sin eslabones ampliamente usada en cazas estadounidenses, mientras que el M61A2 es la versión más ligera de la familia M61A1.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
| M61 | Designación original del cañón aeronáutico Vulcan | FAS rastrea el M61 hasta el cañón T171 de 20 mm estandarizado por el U.S. Army y la U.S. Air Force en 1956. Sources: M61 20mm cannon | FAS |
| M61A1 | Vulcan de 20 mm con alimentación sin eslabones | FAS describe el M61A1 como accionado hidráulicamente o por aire dinámico, controlado eléctricamente y con un sistema de alimentación de munición sin eslabones. Sources: M61 20mm cannon | FAS, M61A1 Vulcan Cannon | National Museum of the United States Air Force |
| M61A2 | Versión ligera de la familia M61A1 | General Dynamics afirma que el M61A2 comparte las características del M61A1 pero es un 20 por ciento más ligero; material de USAF y GD-OTS lo identifica con instalaciones en el F-22A. Sources: M61A1/M61A2 Gatling Gun | General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, F-22 Raptor | U.S. Air Force, F-22A Gatling Gun System | General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems |
Aeronaves e instalaciones de disparo
Fuentes oficiales de la Fuerza Aérea, la Armada, el Ejército, museos y fabricantes documentan el uso del M61A1 Vulcan en cazas estadounidenses e instalaciones terrestres de defensa aérea derivadas de Phalanx.
| Firing weapon | Weapon type | Firing evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Cazabombardero | El pie de foto del F-4E del National Museum identifica la aeronave con un cañón M61A1 Vulcan de 20 mm, y la ficha del M61A1 afirma que el Vulcan se llevaba internamente en el F-4E Phantom II. Sources: McDonnell Douglas F-4E | National Museum of the United States Air Force, M61A1 Vulcan Cannon | National Museum of the United States Air Force |
 | Caza multirrol | General Dynamics describe el sistema de cañón de 20 mm del F-16 como un cañón Gatling M61A1 de seis cañones con un sistema de alimentación de munición sin eslabones, y un pie de foto de Kunsan Air Base documenta un sistema de cañón M61A1 Vulcan conectado a un F-16. Sources: F-16 Gatling Gun System | General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, 200712-F-SQ280-039 | Kunsan Air Base |
 | Familia de aviones de caza | El National Museum of the U.S. Air Force afirma que el M61A1 armó aeronaves F-15 de la USAF, y su exposición del F-15C lista un cañón M61A1 de 20 mm y seis cañones con 940 proyectiles. Sources: M61A1 Vulcan Cannon | National Museum of the United States Air Force, McDonnell Douglas F-15C Historic Double MiG Killer | National Museum of the United States Air Force |
 | Caza de ataque | Un pie de foto de Seymour Johnson Air Force Base afirma que un F-15E Strike Eagle usa un cañón M61A1 y lleva 500 proyectiles de munición de 20 mm. Sources: 191211-F-JN771-1132 | Seymour Johnson Air Force Base |
 | Caza multirrol embarcado | Fichas de la Armada y NAVAIR listan el armamento del F/A-18 Hornet A-D como un cañón M61A1/A2 Vulcan de 20 mm. Sources: F/A-18A-D Hornet and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Strike Fighter | U.S. Navy, F/A-18 A-D Hornet | NAVAIR |
 | Caza de ataque multirrol embarcado | Material de la Armada, NAVAIR y General Dynamics identifica la instalación de cañón del F/A-18E/F Super Hornet como un Vulcan interno M61A1/A2 de 20 mm o un sistema de cañón Gatling ligero M61A2. Sources: F/A-18A-D Hornet and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Strike Fighter | U.S. Navy, F/A-18E/F Super Hornet | NAVAIR, F/A-18 E/F Gatling Gun Systems | General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems |
 | Caza furtivo de superioridad aérea | General Dynamics identifica la instalación de cañón del F-22A como un sistema Gatling ligero M61A2 de 20 mm con alimentación lineal sin eslabones, y DVIDS documenta mantenimiento programado de un M61A2 como parte del sistema de armas del F-22 Raptor. Sources: F-22A Gatling Gun System | General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, 477th Maintenance Armament Flight at Work | DVIDS |
 | Bombardero estratégico | La ficha del M61A1 del National Museum of the U.S. Air Force lista el B-52H entre las aeronaves de la USAF armadas con el Vulcan. Sources: M61A1 Vulcan Cannon | National Museum of the United States Air Force |
 | Caza embarcado | La exposición F-14A Tomcat de Valiant Air Command lista el armamento de cañón de la aeronave como un M61A1 Vulcan. Sources: F-14A Tomcat | Valiant Air Command |
 | Instalación terrestre de defensa aérea | El U.S. Army describe el C-RAM Intercept Land-Based Phalanx Weapon System como adaptado del Phalanx de la Armada e identifica su cañón Gatling M61A1 de 20 mm para interceptar cohetes y morteros entrantes. Sources: BOLC class gets glimpse of defense weapons | U.S. Army |
 | Cañonera de tiro lateral | DVIDS identifica un cañón M61 Vulcan disparando desde una cañonera AC-130U Spooky Gunship durante una misión de fuego real Emerald Warrior 2015, documentando la familia Vulcan en una instalación de cañonera además de aeronaves de caza. |
Timeline
Cañón M61A1 Vulcan Key Events
Contrato de Project Vulcan
General Electric recibió el contrato de Project Vulcan que condujo a la serie M61 de cañones Gatling de seis cañones y 20 mm.
Sources: M61 20mm cannon | FAS
El T171 se estandariza como M61
Tras las pruebas, el cañón T171 de 20 mm fue estandarizado por el U.S. Army y la U.S. Air Force como el cañón aeronáutico M61 Vulcan de 20 mm.
Sources: M61 20mm cannon | FAS
F-22A operativo con armamento M61A2
La ficha de la U.S. Air Force lista diciembre de 2005 como capacidad operativa inicial del F-22 e identifica su armamento como un cañón M61A2 de 20 mm con 480 proyectiles.
Sources: F-22 Raptor | U.S. Air Force
Related Weapon Systems
Sources
M61A1 Vulcan Cannon | National Museum of the United States Air ForcePublisher: National Museum of the United States Air Force | Note: Supports the M61A1 Vulcan cannon's six-barrel 20 mm aircraft-gun role, 6,000-round-per-minute rate, drive options, and aircraft-service context. | Accessed: 2026-07-02McDonnell Douglas F-4E | National Museum of the United States Air ForcePublisher: National Museum of the United States Air Force | Note: Supports the photo caption identifying an F-4E with an M61A1 Vulcan 20 mm cannon. | Accessed: 2026-07-02M61A1 Vulcan side view.jpg | Wikimedia CommonsPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and the original Hill Aerospace Museum caption identifying the M61A1 Vulcan as built by General Electric, with a rotary action and linkless feed system. | Accessed: 2026-07-02M61A1 070611-N-1525H-004.jpg | Wikimedia CommonsPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a public-domain M61A1 Vulcan image. | Accessed: 2026-07-02M61A1 on F-15DJ.jpg | Wikimedia CommonsPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a public-domain M61A1 Vulcan image mounted on an F-15DJ. | Accessed: 2026-07-02M61A1/M61A2 Gatling Gun | General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical SystemsPublisher: General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems | Note: Supports M61A1/M61A2 family identity, six-barrel 20 mm externally powered Gatling-gun type, M61A2 weight reduction, weights, rate of fire, drive systems, feed systems, and muzzle velocity. | Accessed: 2026-07-02M61 20mm cannon | FASPublisher: Federation of American Scientists | Note: Supports Project Vulcan history, T171 standardization as M61 in 1956, M61A1 linkless-feed description, and M61A2 as a lightweight M61A1 version. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Tinker Celebrates 75 Years: Republic F-105 Thunderchief aircraft profile | DVIDSPublisher: DVIDS | Note: Supports direct 1955 Vietnam War use by crediting F-105 pilots with destroying MiGs using the internally mounted M61 Vulcan cannon during the Vietnam War. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Republic F-105D Thunderchief | National Air and Space MuseumPublisher: National Air and Space Museum | Note: Supports direct 1955 Vietnam War use by documenting F-105D operations from Thailand over North Vietnam, M61A1 cannon ammunition in Vietnam mission loads, and M61A1 20 mm cannon effectiveness in air-to-air combat and ground strafing. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Republic F-105D Thunderchief | National Museum of the United States Air ForcePublisher: National Museum of the United States Air Force | Note: Supports direct 1955 Vietnam War use by documenting extensive F-105D Rolling Thunder operations against North Vietnam and listing one M61 Vulcan 20 mm cannon in the aircraft's armament. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Ukrainian Pilot Sets Record, Shoots Down Six Russian Missiles in One Mission | UNITED24 MediaPublisher: UNITED24 Media | Note: Supports direct 2014 Russia-Ukraine War use by reporting a Ukrainian F-16 pilot's account of using 20 mm gunfire from the aircraft's M61 Vulcan against Russian cruise missiles during a December 2024 air-defense mission. | Accessed: 2026-07-06F-16 Gatling Gun System | General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical SystemsPublisher: General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems | Note: Supports F-16 use of the M61A1 six-barrel Gatling gun with a linkless feed system, 511-round capacity, and hydraulic drive. | Accessed: 2026-07-02200712-F-SQ280-039 | Kunsan Air BasePublisher: Kunsan Air Base | Note: Supports F-16 relationship context and image provenance for a public-domain U.S. Air Force photo documenting an M61A1 Vulcan gun system being connected to an F-16 Fighting Falcon. | Accessed: 2026-07-02F-15E Gatling Gun System | General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical SystemsPublisher: General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems | Note: Supports F-15E installation of the M61A1 in the starboard wing root, F-15E feed-system compatibility with M61A2, 500-round capacity, and 4,000/6,000-shot-per-minute rate. | Accessed: 2026-07-02McDonnell Douglas F-15C Historic Double MiG Killer | National Museum of the United States Air ForcePublisher: National Museum of the United States Air Force | Note: Supports the F-15C relationship by listing one M61A1 20 mm six-barrel cannon with 940 rounds in the aircraft armament. | Accessed: 2026-07-02191211-F-JN771-1132 | Seymour Johnson Air Force BasePublisher: Seymour Johnson Air Force Base | Note: Supports the F-15E relationship by stating that an F-15E Strike Eagle uses an M61A1 cannon and carries 500 rounds of 20 mm ammunition. | Accessed: 2026-07-02F/A-18A-D Hornet and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Strike Fighter | U.S. NavyPublisher: U.S. Navy | Note: Supports Navy fact-file armament entries listing one M61A1/A2 Vulcan 20 mm cannon for both F/A-18 Super Hornet and F/A-18 Hornet models. | Accessed: 2026-07-02F/A-18 E/F Gatling Gun Systems | General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical SystemsPublisher: General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems | Note: Supports F/A-18E/F internal 20 mm M61A2 lightweight Gatling-gun installation, closed-loop rotary linkless feed, and 412-round capacity. | Accessed: 2026-07-02F/A-18 A-D Hornet | NAVAIRPublisher: Naval Air Systems Command | Note: Supports F/A-18 A-D Hornet armament listing one M61A1/A2 Vulcan 20 mm cannon. | Accessed: 2026-07-06F/A-18E/F Super Hornet | NAVAIRPublisher: Naval Air Systems Command | Note: Supports F/A-18E/F Super Hornet armament listing one M61A1/A2 Vulcan 20 mm cannon. | Accessed: 2026-07-06F-14A Tomcat | Valiant Air CommandPublisher: Valiant Air Command | Note: Supports the F-14A relationship by listing one M61A1 Vulcan under gun armament; the page states the aircraft is on loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum on behalf of Naval History and Heritage Command. | Accessed: 2026-07-02BOLC class gets glimpse of defense weapons | U.S. ArmyPublisher: U.S. Army | Note: Supports the C-RAM relationship by identifying the LPWS/C-RAM system and the M61A1 20 mm Gatling gun used for intercepting incoming rockets and mortars. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Airman performs armament inspection | DVIDSPublisher: DVIDS | Note: Supports image provenance for a public-domain U.S. Air Force photo identifying an armament technician inspecting an M61A1 Vulcan 20 mm rotary cannon at Shaw Air Force Base. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Universal Ammunition Loading System at Combat Archer | DVIDSPublisher: DVIDS | Note: Supports image provenance for a public-domain U.S. Air National Guard photo documenting PGU-27 ammunition loaded into an F-16's internally mounted M61-A1 six-barrel Vulcan gun system. | Accessed: 2026-07-02477th Maintenance Armament Flight at Work | DVIDSPublisher: DVIDS | Note: Supports F-22 relationship context by identifying the M61A2 20 mm Gatling gun as part of the F-22 Raptor weapon system during scheduled maintenance. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Emerald Warrior 2015 M61 Vulcan on AC-130U | DVIDSPublisher: DVIDS | Note: Supports AC-130 relationship context and public-domain image provenance by identifying an M61 Vulcan cannon firing from an AC-130U Spooky Gunship during Emerald Warrior 2015. | Accessed: 2026-07-06F-22A Gatling Gun System | General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical SystemsPublisher: General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems | Note: Supports F-22A use of the lightweight M61A2 20 mm Gatling gun, linear linkless feed system, 480-round capacity, and 6,000-shot-per-minute rate. | Accessed: 2026-07-02F-22 Raptor | U.S. Air ForcePublisher: U.S. Air Force | Note: Supports F-22 armament as one M61A2 20 mm cannon with 480 rounds and December 2005 initial operational capability. | Accessed: 2026-07-02