Forum: F-16 Armament & Stores

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.

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

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

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

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...

Pod was used one night. One of the birds took a hit and was loosing fuel. Because the pod was not jettesinable on the 16 install the plane almost did not make it back. It was then decided not to use them again.

ViperDude wrote:

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

I ran the A7 test in greece. It was a sucess. The pod caused little to no vibration on the F16 I've got HUD film with pilot comments on how benign it was. These guys had flown and fired A10s and they compare it to that firing. Leathality tests done a Nellis showed the Pod equal to the a10 in hit ratios (flown from F4 & A7). This pod was very accurate!

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?

I have those photoes and will post. That was an early version of the pod prior to FSD and production. Thialand has 10 pods that they originall flew on F5s. They have since switched over to F16s and continue to fly the pods on centerliner station.