Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-6-23

The Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-6-23 (also known by its Russian service designation, 9-A-768) is a powerful six-barreled electric Gatling gun used by some modern Soviet/Russian military aircraft.

The GSh-6-23 is 1.4 m (4' 7") long and weighs about 73-76 kg (161-167 lb) depending on the installation. It can be fed via linked cartridge belt or a linkless feed system. It uses the Russian AM-23 round, the projectile mass varying depending on the type (commonly armor-piercing incendiary (API), at 176 grams, or high-explosive incendiary (HEI), at 184 grams). The GSh-6-23 has an extremely high rate of fire, with maximum cyclic rates of 9,000 to 10,000 rounds per minute. Muzzle velocity is about 715 m/s (2,345 ft/s).

Compared to the American M61 Vulcan, the GSh-6-23 has a much greater rate of fire (fully 33% higher) and a substantially harder-hitting projectile, but a lower muzzle velocity (715 m/s compared to 1,034 m/s for the Vulcan). A tactical limitation of the GSh-6-23 is that its rate of fire is such that maximum burst length is extremely limited; the MiG-31, with only 260 rounds of ammunition, would exhaust its entire magazine in less than three seconds.

The GSh-6-23 is used by the Sukhoi Su-24 'Fencer' attack aircraft, the MiG-31 'Foxhound' interceptor, and in the SPPU-6 gun pod with traversible barrels (the weapon can be traversed 45° downwards, to the left and the right).