[Southack]

"If you look at an A-10, you need to realize that the GAU-8 is so big it actually extends underneath and behind the cockpit. If you attempted to mount something like that on an armored vehicle the size of the M1 you would have to remove the turrent entirely..."

I'm not following you. The full-sized GAU-8 is about 20 feet long, including the whole barrel. The M1 is about 32 feet long including its barrel. The center of the M1 is the center of the M1's turrent, which is about 16 feet from the muzzle of the barrel.

The GAU-8 can be downsized to 18 feet on a ground unit simply because the ground platform is more stable and slower moving. So extending the GAU-8's barrel 1 foot past the 105mm's position would put the entire GAU-8 and ammo inside the first half of the M1 (plus 1 additional foot past the centerline of the turret).

That's precisely where you want it located so as to allow for elevation changes.

5 Legislative Days Left Until The AWB Expires

[endthematrix]

Some GAU scale..damn! Don't point that thing in my direction! I's like to see that gun on a chassis! But from what I hear the thrust is a KICKER! Could you imagine the dust it would stir up?!