Editing M2 Browning (section)

==Aircraft guns==<!--"Bell OH-58 Kiowa" links here.-->
{{More citations needed section|date=November 2021}}
=== .50 Browning AN/M2 ===
[[File:12,7 mm automatkanon m45.jpg|thumb|.50 AN/M2 aircraft machine gun]]
[[File:P-47 040315-F-9999G-029.jpg|right|thumb|A P-47 Thunderbolt firing its eight AN/M2 machine guns]]

The M2 heavy machine gun was widely used during World War II, and in later postwar conflicts, as a remote or flexible aircraft gun. For fixed (offensive) or flexible (defensive) guns used in aircraft, a dedicated M2 version was developed called the ".50 Browning AN/M2" or the "12.7 mm AN/M2".<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |title=Beskrivning över 12,7 & 13,2 mm akan m/39 & m/45 |trans-title=Description of 12.7 & 13.2 mm akan m/39 & m/45 |language=sv |publisher=Svenska flygvapnet [Swedish Air Force] |year=1949 |location=Krigsarkivet [Swedish Military Archive]}} (The 12.7 mm akan m/45 was the Swedish designation for the 12.7 mm AN/M2, as its described in the book.)</ref> The "AN" stands for "Army/Navy", since the gun was developed jointly for use by both services. The [[AN/M2 (disambiguation)|AN/M2]]<!--intentional link to DAB page--> designation was also used for other aircraft guns and therefore it is important to write the caliber before the designation.

The 12.7&nbsp;mm AN/M2 had a cyclic rate of 600–800 rounds per minute, with the ability to be fired from an electrically operated remote-mount solenoid trigger when installed as a fixed gun.<ref name=":0" /> Cooled by the aircraft's slip-stream, the air-cooled 12.7&nbsp;mm AN/M2 was fitted with a substantially lighter {{convert|36|in|cm|adj=on}} length barrel, reducing the weight of the complete unit to {{convert|61|lb|kg}},<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://browningmgs.com/AirGunnery/01_50cal.htm |title=Aircraft Gunnery .50 Cal. |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |website=BrowningMGs.com |access-date=9 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130110100127/http://browningmgs.com/AirGunnery/01_50cal.htm |archive-date=10 January 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> which also had the effect of increasing the rate of fire. The full official designation for this weapon was "Browning Machine Gun, Aircraft, Cal. .50, AN/M2" (Fixed) or (Flexible).

The 12.7&nbsp;mm AN/M2 was used on many aircraft during [[WWII]], as it served as the main aircraft armament in the US military. Most US fighter aircraft were armed with four, six or eight AN/M2 MGs mounted in the wings. Some examples being the [[Curtiss P-40]], [[Republic P-47 Thunderbolt]], and [[North American P-51 Mustang]] for the [[USAAF]] and the [[F4F]], [[F6F]], and [[Vought F4U Corsair]] for the [[US Navy]]. For bombers, the AN/M2 was used in both flexible and fixed positions for both offensive and defensive use. In flexible defensive positions, the [[Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress variants#B-17G|Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress]] heavy bomber was armed with 13 AN/M2 guns in both turreted and flexible positions. In fixed offensive configurations, like on the [[North American B-25 Mitchell]], commonly carried 6 to 12 fixed guns for strafing.

In foreign use the AN/M2 is often just referred to as the M2 Browning. In Sweden it was re-designated '''''12,7&nbsp;mm automatkanon m/45''''' (short ''12.7mm akan m/45'') meaning 12.7&nbsp;mm autocannon m/45.<ref name=":0" /> The [[Swedish Air Force]] used a different designation system which recognized the incendiary rounds as grenades, thus it was called autocannon.<ref name=":0" /> The AN/M2 was also produced in Finland under the export name '''Colt MG 53-2'''.

===M296===
The XM296/M296 is a further development of the AN/M2 machine gun for the [[Bell OH-58 Kiowa|OH-58 Kiowa Warrior]] helicopter. The M296 differs from previous remote firing variants in that it has an adjustable firing rate (500–850&nbsp;rpm), while lacking a bolt latch (allowing single-shot operation).<ref name="FAS-M296">{{cite web |url=https://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/equip/M296.htm |title=M296 .50 cal. (12.7 mm) Machine Gun |date=1999 |website=FAS.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308070405/http://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/equip/M296.htm |archive-date=2016-03-08}}</ref> As an air-cooled gun used aboard a relatively slow rotary-wing aircraft, the M296 has a burst restriction rate of 50 rounds per minute sustained fire or 150 rounds per minute maximum while conducting peacetime training requirements; the combat firing rate is unrestricted but a ten-minute cooling period after prolonged firing is mandated to avoid stoppages due to overheating.<ref name="FAS-M296" />

===XM213/M213, XM218, GAU-15/A, GAU-16/A, and GAU-18/A===
{{unreferenced section|date=December 2010}}
The XM213/M213 was a modernization and adaptation of existing .50 caliber AN/M2s in inventory for use as a [[pintle]]-mounted door gun on helicopters using the [[U.S. Helicopter Armament Subsystems#UH-1 Iroquois|M59 armament subsystem]].

The GAU-15/A, formerly identified as the XM218, is a lightweight member of the M2/M3 family. The GAU-16/A was an improved GAU-15/A with modified grip and sight assemblies for similar applications. Both of these weapons were used as a part of the [[U.S. Helicopter Armament Subsystems#UH-1 Iroquois|A/A49E-11 armament subsystem]] (also known as the Defensive Armament System).

The GAU-18/A is a lightweight variant of the M2/M3 and is used on the USAF's [[MH-53 Pave Low]] and [[HH-60 Pave Hawk]] helicopters. These weapons use the M2HB barrel and are typically set up as left-hand feed, right-hand charging weapons, but on the HH-60 Pave Hawks that use the EGMS (External Gun Mount System) the gun is isolated from the shooter by a recoil-absorbing cradle and all weapons are set up as right-hand charge but vary between left- and right-hand feed depending on what side of the aircraft it is on. A feed chute adapter is attached to the left- or right-hand feed pawl bracket allowing the weapon to receive ammunition through a feed chute system connected to externally mounted ammunition containers holding 600 rounds each.

===AN/M3, GAU-21/A, and M3P===
[[File:B-52 tail turret.jpg|thumb|left|AN/M3 quad mount on a [[B-52D]]]]


During World War II, a faster-firing Browning was developed for aircraft use. The ''AN/M3'' increased the rate of fire to around 1,200 rounds per minute while firing the same round with minimal change in weight or size.<ref name="Carel, M3" /> The AN/M3 was used in [[First Republic of Korea|South Korea]] on the [[F-82 Twin Mustang]] (the XP-82 mounted a total of 14 AN/M3 machine guns),{{cn|date=October 2024}} [[F-86 Sabre]], [[F-84 Thunderjet]], and [[F-80 Shooting Star]], and in Vietnam in the [[U.S. aircraft gun pods|XM14/SUU-12/A]] [[gun pod]]. Two are installed in the [[Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano]] aircraft as a fixed wing-mounted standard weapon as designated as M3W with minor modification with reduced weight barrel, electronic box triggered from the cockpit with 250 rounds each.{{cn|date=April 2022}}

[[File:Doorgunner CH-53GS.jpg|thumb|A [[German Army]] ramp gunner manning an M3M on a [[Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion|CH-53 Sea Stallion]]]]
The M3 series is used by the U.S. military in two versions, the M3M and M3P. The fixed, remote-firing version, the FN ''M3P'', is employed on the [[AN/TWQ-1 Avenger|Avenger Air Defense System]] and was used on the [[OH-58 Kiowa|OH-58D]], augmenting the XM296 .50 cal. machine gun.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.army.mil/article/19271/6-6-cavalry-aircrews-field-new-kiowa-warrior-weapons-system/ |title=6-6 Cavalry aircrews field new Kiowa Warrior weapons system |first=Stephanie |last=van Geete |date=6 April 2009 |website=U.S. Army |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090504140124/http://www.army.mil/-news/2009/04/06/19271-6-6-cavalry-aircrews-field-new-kiowa-warrior-weapons-system/ |archive-date=2009-05-04}}</ref> The FN ''M3M'' flexible machine gun has been adopted by the U.S. Navy under the designation GAU-21/A for use on helicopters. The GAU-21/A is also being used by the U.S. Marine Corps to upgrade from the XM-218/GAU-16 .50 cal. machine gun for the CH-53E,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.marines.mil/unit/3rdmaw/Pages/2006/Sea%20Stallions%20implement%20new%20ramp-mounted%20weapon%20system.aspx/ |title=Sea Stallions Implement New Ramp Mount Weapon System |first=James B. |last=Hoke |date=21 May 2006 |website=U.S. Marine Corps |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120804203921/http://www.marines.mil/unit/3rdmaw/Pages/2006/Sea%20Stallions%20implement%20new%20ramp-mounted%20weapon%20system.aspx/ |archive-date=2012-08-04}}</ref> on the UH-1Y Venom, on the Canadian Forces' CH-146 Griffon via the INGRESS upgrade{{Citation needed|date=January 2011}} and is to be used on the CH-53K.{{cn|date=April 2023}} The Air Force is looking to replace the GAU-18 on the HH-60G Pave Hawk with the GAU-21 because of its higher 1,100 rpm rate of fire, longer 10,000-round barrel life, and lower recoil through the use of a soft mount.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eglin.af.mil/News/story/id/123466807/ |title=Test teams aim at new machine gun for Pave Hawk |first=Rebecca |last=Amber |date=14 January 2016 |website=U.S. Air Force |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160208044457/http://www.eglin.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123466807 |archive-date=2016-02-08}}</ref> The M3M is also the primary machine gun used by the British Royal Navy's [[Fleet Air Arm]] for helicopter armament on [[AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat |Wildcat]] and [[AW101 Merlin|Merlin]] aircraft.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2019/april/10/190410-847-nas-joint-warrior |title=Royal Marine Fliers Direct 'Rain of Fire' during UK's Biggest Exercise |date=2019-04-10 |website=Royal Navy |access-date=2020-02-19}}</ref> It is also used by the German Bundeswehr on their [[NHIndustries NH90|NH-90]] helicopters.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Doorgunner |url=https://www.bundeswehr.de/en/organization/army/doorgunner |access-date=2022-12-26 |website=www.bundeswehr.de |language=en}}</ref>