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Enthusiast Joined: Aug 12, 2006 Posts: 25 Status: Offline

Does anyone knows about the story about the GPU-5/A gun pod on the F-16 during Desert Storm. I heared that the pod was tested on Greek A-7Hs during the '80s with big success. Why it wasn't adopted? It would be a great anti-tank weapon based on the A-10...

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Talking to the guys from Syracuse, it was a great failure! It was very inaccurate while firing and caused the aircraft to shudder violently. I think it was used for a couple of days in GW1 before it was taken off and never used again.

Enthusiast Joined: Aug 11, 2006 Posts: 25 Status: Offline

Well, I heared that too, but I also read about testing the pod on Greek A-7s with great success. It is widely an unknown side story, don't you think?

Yes i haven't heard or seen anything about that. I have read that the gun pod was also tested on the F-5 and F-20 and that Thailand retains a few pods for their F-5's. As to the effect that these pods would have being carried by an F-5, I could not say. As to using the pod on A-7's; I saw and talked to A-7 maintainers while i was on the Navy and it was a good bombing platform. The only problem i could see is that the A-7 would have to carry the full-up pod on the wing and firing it would could cause serious yaw inputs on that wing due to recoil. But then again this is me talking and not having seen the pod on anything but an F-16 centerline, I can only speculate on the carriage and firing from the A-7H

stamatisg2002 wrote:

Does anyone knows about the story about the GPU-5/A gun pod on the F-16 during Desert Storm. I heared that the pod was tested on Greek A-7Hs during the '80s with big success. Why it wasn't adopted? It would be a great anti-tank weapon based on the A-10...

The first time I saw that gun fired was on an Israeli F-16 back in 1982 at then General Dynamics in Ft Worth. It was a huge sound as it was fired into a bunker thru a wooden door. The pod caused a lot of vibration in flight when fired and because of that it never got support to keep it. All of the ANG gun pods were sent to Davis Monthan, where the US Navy aquired them and put them on their landing assault boats.

Cheers,

ViperDude

Enthusiast Joined: Mar 23, 2007 Posts: 26 Status: Offline

Hi Viperdude

this is the first time i hear about a gun pod tested on Israeli F-16 while it was in the General Dynamics plant.
did israel ever consider to buy such a pod-to be installed on the F-16?
and also,do have any photos of the pod carried under the Israeli F-16?

dingodog wrote:

Hi Viperdude

this is the first time i hear about a gun pod tested on Israeli F-16 while it was in the General Dynamics plant.
did israel ever consider to buy such a pod-to be installed on the F-16?
and also,do have any photos of the pod carried under the Israeli F-16?

It happened sometime between Nov 1981 and Feb 1982. I saw it myself. But no there were no photos taken.

Cheers,

ViperDude

Enthusiast Joined: Aug 11, 2006 Posts: 25 Status: Offline

I also saw a photo of a F-15E prototype with GPU-5/A and the Pave Tack pod.... I'll check my old magazines to see if I can find it. Anyone want me to post the photo?

All gun pods are rubbish because of this

http://www.mindfully.org/Nucs/2003/GAU-8-Avenger1.jpg

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