Editing Machine gun (section)

=== Cold War ===
[[File:Gau 17 7.62mm minigun.jpg|thumb|A U.S. Navy 7.62&nbsp;mm [[Minigun|GAU-17/A]] Minigun]]
Experience with the MG 42 led to the US issuing a requirement to replace the aging Browning Automatic Rifle with a similar weapon, which would also replace the M1919; simply using the MG 42 itself was not possible, as the design brief required a weapon which could be fired from the hip or shoulder like the BAR. The resulting design, the [[M60 machine gun]], was issued to troops during the [[Vietnam War]].

As it became clear that a high-volume-of-fire weapon would be needed for fast-moving jet aircraft to reliably hit their opponents, Gatling's work with electrically powered weapons was recalled and the 20&nbsp;mm [[M61 Vulcan]] was designed; as well as a miniaturized 7.62&nbsp;mm version initially known as the "mini-Vulcan" and quickly shortened to "[[minigun]]" soon in production for use on helicopters, where the volume of fire could compensate for the instability of the helicopter as a firing platform.