Antiaircraft Gun

antiaircraft gun

[′an·tē′er‚kraft ‚gən] (ordnance) A gun designed for use against aircraft, easily shifted in direction and elevation, having great range, and capable of firing at high angles of elevation.

Antiaircraft Gun

an artillery gun designed to destroy air targets. Antiaircraft guns appeared before World War I in Germany, France, and Italy and were scarce in number.

In Russia the 3-inch (76-mm) 1914 model antiaircraft gun was adopted. In the USSR on the eve of the Great Patriotic War (1941–45), the following were available: 76-mm 1915–28, 1931, and 1938 models of antiaircraft guns, 37-mm and 85-mm 1939 model antiaircraft guns, and 25-mm 1940 model automatic antiaircraft guns. After World War II the 57-mm, 100-mm, and 130-mm antiaircraft guns provided with antiaircraft directors and gunlaying radar were adopted; these constituted antiaircraft artillery complexes. With the appearance of antiaircraft missile complexes in the 1950’s, medium-caliber (60–100 mm) and large-caliber (100 mm and more) antiaircraft guns have gradually been discarded; the small-caliber (20–60 mm) two to four barrel self-propelled automatic antiaircraft guns remain. They have an elevation range up to 90°, an all-around traverse of 360°, muzzle velocity of 800–1,000 m/sec, and a rate of fire of more than 500 rounds a minute. Antiaircraft guns are equipped with computers, automatic sights, and radar sets.

IU. V. CHUEV and K. A. NIKOLAEV

antiaircraft gun

Antiaircraft Gun