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"A ground based SP GAU-8 30mm flakpanzer would not be near as impressive as a Warthog. As a direct fire system, it couldn't hit any targets the 120mm Abrams couldn't hit."

Suddenly surrounded by 600 enemy combatants, an existing M1 crew could fire 1 beehive round, pause, manually reload, swing the turret, fire a 2nd beehive round, pause, manually reload, swing the turret a bit more, fire a 3rd beehive round, etc., until after some great period of time a full circle was completed.

In contrast, a modified M1 with the GAU-8 would swing the turret 360 degrees while firing off 900 or more rounds of 30mm exploding anti-personnel rounds in that same time. No pauses. No manual reloads.

For an infantry support role in such a situation, the GAU-8 is clearly the preferred choice over the 105mm or 120mm beehive round.

We've got about what, some 2,000 mothballed M1's right now in the states?? Why not turn them into a brand new killing machine: an urban assault infantry support weapons platform?!

Heck, move their old 105mm main battle cannons onto Strykers or Bradleys if you want (to free up room to install the GAU-8), but do *something* to get the A-10's GAU-8 gattling cannon on the ground in an infantry support role in Iraq!

5 Legislative Days Left Until The AWB Expires

PGU-13 HEI 13
High Explosive Incendiary

Team: 30mm GAU-8
Height (max): 11.41 in.
Weight: 378g
Number Produced: 15M
Birth Date: 1976
Muzzle Velocity (nominal): 1020 m/s
Chamber Pressure (typical): 360 MPa
Dispersion (typical): 0.6 x 0.6 mr
Projectile Weight: 378g
Fuze: M505

This round's primary role is defeat of light materiel targets. As an added advantage, it incorporates extended-range incendiary capability against fuel targets.

Cannon
30mm, 7-barrel Gatling
4200 or 2100 rounds/minute
Normal burst: 100-2500 rounds
Ammo capacity: 1350 rounds
Loaded weight: 4000 lb
Length: Over 20 ft

This is not something you'd want to get shot at with, but it is not primarily an anti-personnel round. The round is designed to blow things up and set them on fire. Collateral damage in built up areas would be prohibitive. There are cheaper ways to blow the hell out of a town.

Suddenly surrounded by 600 enemy combatants

600 dismounts in the open or 600 dismounts in buildings and under other structures? If the later, we've already had that happen and dealt with it.

Surrounded by 600 screaming Hadjis, 7.62mm coax and loader's gun plus TC's .50 cal will disperse that crowd.

an existing M1 crew could fire 1 beehive round,

We don't have any 120mm BEEHIVE. We have 120mm canister.

For an infantry support role in such a situation, the GAU-8 is clearly the preferred choice over the 105mm or 120mm beehive round.

Clear to you maybe. Highly questionable to many others, including me.

Heck, move their old 105mm main battle cannons onto Strykers or Bradleys if you want

You would mount the M68 on to a 20-ton hull? Such a proposal betrays total ignorance of Newton's Third Law of Motion.