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F-35A fires 25 mm gun during ground test
Key Points
An F-35 test article fired 181 rounds from its Gatling gun during a 14 August ground test
The gun is scheduled to be fully operational in 2017
A Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter test article fired 181 rounds from its GAU-22/A Gatling gun during a 14 August ground test at Edwards Air Force Base, California, the Pentagon's F-25 Joint Program Office (JPO) announced.
"The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Integrated Test Force aims to complete ground testing this month and start airborne gun testing in the fall," JPO officials said in a 20 August press statement.
The four-barrel, 25 mm Gatling gun is embedded in the F-35A's left wing and will provide strafing capability against air-to-ground and air-to-air targets.
The gun is scheduled to be fully operational in 2017. The first phase of testing began 9 June. The test aircraft, AF-2, was equipped with a production version of the gun. Ground tests used software to replicate being in flight, according to the JPO statement. A non-exploding target practice round, PGU-23/U, was used for all tests.
The GAU-22/A will next year be tested from a production-model F-35 when fully integrated with the aircraft's avionics and mission systems. Test pilots will have the opportunity to observe muzzle flash, human factors, and flying qualities during that round of trials.
http://www.janes.com/article/53770/f-35a-fires-25-mm-gun-during-ground-test
Key Points
An F-35 test article fired 181 rounds from its Gatling gun during a 14 August ground test
The gun is scheduled to be fully operational in 2017
A Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter test article fired 181 rounds from its GAU-22/A Gatling gun during a 14 August ground test at Edwards Air Force Base, California, the Pentagon's F-25 Joint Program Office (JPO) announced.
"The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Integrated Test Force aims to complete ground testing this month and start airborne gun testing in the fall," JPO officials said in a 20 August press statement.
The four-barrel, 25 mm Gatling gun is embedded in the F-35A's left wing and will provide strafing capability against air-to-ground and air-to-air targets.
The gun is scheduled to be fully operational in 2017. The first phase of testing began 9 June. The test aircraft, AF-2, was equipped with a production version of the gun. Ground tests used software to replicate being in flight, according to the JPO statement. A non-exploding target practice round, PGU-23/U, was used for all tests.
The GAU-22/A will next year be tested from a production-model F-35 when fully integrated with the aircraft's avionics and mission systems. Test pilots will have the opportunity to observe muzzle flash, human factors, and flying qualities during that round of trials.
http://www.janes.com/article/53770/f-35a-fires-25-mm-gun-during-ground-test
Posted in these groups: 
IHS Jane's
F-35
IHS Jane's F-35
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 6
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IHS Jane's Why does the USAF wants to retire the A-10 with this platform when the gun won't be ready until 2017 and the aircraft is designed for primary Targeting platform and Air-to-Air?
I love the USAF but this does not make sense.
I love the USAF but this does not make sense.
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Is anybody going to have the balls to say enough is enough and scrap this turd before this things gets any more out of control?
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IHS Jane's
I agree with LTC John Shaw. Why not just put this gun on an already proven bird, the Warthog?
I agree with LTC John Shaw. Why not just put this gun on an already proven bird, the Warthog?
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CDR (Join to see)
Because the GAU-8 (7 barrels and 30 mm) already on the A-10 is better. I'm not sayin', I;m just sayin'.
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SGT William Howell
I just can't understand why we NEED to replace the A-10. It is cheap to build, proven air frame, and can carry a ton of ordnance. It don't have to look all stealthy and sexy, it just needs to drop bombs and do gun runs. That is what an A-10 does. Why change it?
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