F-35A fires 25 mm gun during ground test

IHS Jane's — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 11:10:44 -0400

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

F-35A fires 25 mm gun during ground test - IHS Jane's 360

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

Response by LTC John Shaw made Aug 28 at 2015 11:15 AM

LTC John Shaw — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 11:15:47 -0400

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.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 28 at 2015 11:18 AM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 11:18:28 -0400

Nice

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 28 at 2015 12:37 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 12:37:17 -0400

I think the main point to take from this is GROUND TEST!!!! How does it fare while fired in flight? Heck the bird won't even be operational until the 2020s according to the Dept of the Air Force!

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Aug 29 at 2015 6:30 AM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 06:30:36 -0400

CIWS on a Plane. Got to Love It. I'll bet my Son-in-Law a CIWS FC2 would get a kick out of this.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Aug 31 at 2015 3:34 AM

PO1 John Miller — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 03:34:48 -0400

I agree with LTC John Shaw. Why not just put this gun on an already proven bird, the Warthog?

Response by SGT William Howell made Aug 31 at 2015 6:57 AM

SGT William Howell — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 06:57:25 -0400

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?