While emphasizing that Sky Viper is a FARA-focused effort (with DEVCOM funding), Canole acknowledges that Northrop Grumman is looking beyond the platform to where it might offer a solution “with a lot more firepower than a. Northrop GrummanĪs with General Dynamics’ offering, specialty munitions for use against troops, unmanned aerial vehicles, ground vehicles and other helicopters, can be integrated with Sky Viper, flexibility which naturally suggests other applications. combination for FARA Northrop Grumman contends. The Sky Viper's light weight, low recoil, single barrel-reliability and accuracy are an attractive. The reduced recoil of the Sky Viper - which Northrop Grumman says is “ground-up” redesign of the M230 - diminishes airframe fatigue and gimble/mounting structure stress, rendering lighter system weight as a whole. The company says its configuration is more reliable and easier to maintain than a Gatling-style gun with multiple rotating barrels. Northrop Grumman declined to offer Sky Viper’s rate-of-fire or weight details but Canole says it will match the XM301’s weight while offering a greater firing rate than the current M230. ![]() General Dynamics puts the XM301’s maximum rate of fire at 1500 rounds per minute and its weight at approximately 81 pounds. “Our view,” Canole says, “is that, at the the end of the day, a significantly more accurate weapon pays greater dividends than one that fires more rounds at a higher dispersion.” With significant advances in the accuracy of the weapon and fire control system, they’ve reduced to just a few hundred rounds.” “The M230 on the Apache started out with a 1200-round magazine initially. That all plays back into the that the more accurate the weapon, the fewer rounds you need to push down-range to effect your target.”įewer rounds potentially equal lighter overall aircraft weight, freeing up payload for additional sensors or fuel Canole points out. When you start talking about the future of FARA as a possible AH-64 replacement, then an articulating nose cannon becomes much more viable. “The Kiowa Warrior was a light attack/scout helicopter and the guns were really for suppression. “We’re taking that into consideration,” Canole affirms. The first-day striker scenario that Rugen outlined for FARA would likely put greater emphasis on precision strike than mass fire, potentially making Sky Viper more interesting than FARA’s original light scout design intent would suggest. The company says it’s more of a precision weapon than the XM301 which it sees as more of an area-suppression weapon. Over the summer, the company will deliver the prototype for evaluation.Īmong the advantages Northrop Grumman claims for Sky Viper is accuracy. Northrop is assembling a fully functioning prototype set to be tested “in the next few months” Canole says. ![]() Sky Viper has completed initial design review, modeling and functional (non-firing) testing with DEVCOM. Northrop Grumman's M230 Bushmaster chain gun on an AH-64 Apache.
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