AMR-June-July-2013
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N A V A L<br />
ANTI-SURFACE WARFARE<br />
advantages of the gun are faster reaction<br />
times than any missile and greater versatility<br />
because it can also be used in the Naval<br />
Gun Support (NGS) to provide fire support<br />
for troops ashore and it also has an Anti-<br />
Air Warfare role, although this is limited<br />
especially in larger calibre weapons.<br />
The most common larger calibre<br />
weapons are 76mm (3 inch), 100mm,<br />
127mm (5 inch) and 130mm. The Oto<br />
Melara 76mm family is used by a dozen<br />
Asian navies while the Russian single<br />
barrel AK-176 and the twin barrel<br />
AK-276 by India and<br />
Vietnam; the Russian 100mm<br />
AK-100 and the Chinese derivative<br />
the ENG-2 are used by five<br />
navies. The largest calibre<br />
weapons are 127mm by Oto<br />
Melara 127/54 (licencebuilt<br />
in South Korea as KD<br />
127) used by two navies<br />
while the BAE Systems Mk 54<br />
is used by six. The Chinese<br />
Navy uses twin-barrel SM-2 mountings.<br />
With ranges of 8.5 nautical miles (16 kilometres)<br />
for the Oto Melara 76/62 to 15<br />
nautical miles (38 kilometres) these<br />
The MSI Defence Systems' DS Seahawk DS30M<br />
gun system is typical of modern medium to light<br />
calibre gun mountings. It is stabilised, remotely<br />
operated and can take a variety of ordnance<br />
© MSI Defence Systems<br />
weapon mountings tend to be unmanned<br />
with below-deck magazine or magazines<br />
which feed high explosive, semi armourpiercing<br />
and multi-mode ammunition to<br />
the breech through a remotely controlled<br />
handling system. However, they are<br />
relatively short ranged and would not<br />
normally be used in engagements with<br />
major surface combatants. They, too, are<br />
very versatile with an AAW role, and<br />
though their range reduces their effectiveness<br />
they can still protect against<br />
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles<br />
(UAV) and in-coming missiles.<br />
While the 76mm gun is often<br />
used in fast attack craft small<br />
surface combatants of this type<br />
as well as patrol boats have alternative<br />
gun systems for the ASuW<br />
role, as well as for ship self protection<br />
especially in harbours or<br />
restricted waterways against FIAC<br />
or suicide type threats. The most popular<br />
calibre weapons are 30-40mm<br />
because they have high sustained firing
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