FMS F-16 operators to receive Vulcan cannon
M61A1 Vulcan cannon for F-16 aircraft being examined by USAF ground personnel. (Photo: USAF)
GD-OTS is providing M61A1 Vulcan 20mm rotary cannon for F-16s.
General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS) has received an $88.27 million IDIQ sole-source contract from the USAF to provide M61A1 Vulcan 20mm rotary cannon for F-16s, including aircraft operated by unnamed FMS customers.
The DoD announced on 15 December that work will be performed in Williston, Vermont, for completion by 12 December 2031.
The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center issued the contract.
The six-barrel M61A1 is the standard cannon armament for US fighter aircraft, featuring a linkless ammunition feed and the ability to fire up to 6,000 rounds per minute of armour-piercing or high-explosive ammunition.
More from Air Warfare
-
![US Coast Guard faces key procurement decisions after C-130J and MQ-9B orders]()
US Coast Guard faces key procurement decisions after C-130J and MQ-9B orders
The service is updating several parts of its aviation fleet including fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft and procuring uncrewed aircraft to boost its maritime surveillance.
-
![AUSA 2026: New multiwarhead loitering munition enters increasingly competitive market]()
AUSA 2026: New multiwarhead loitering munition enters increasingly competitive market
Heaviside Industries has unveiled its new Tyr loitering munition at AUSA 2026 in Washington, DC, joining a growing field of manufacturers seeking to capitalise on billions of dollars in anticipated military spending.
-
![Middle Eastern demand opens fresh export prospects for Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter jet]()
Middle Eastern demand opens fresh export prospects for Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter jet
A proposed Saudi Arabian purchase of 48 stealth fighters could signal a broader regional opportunity for the F-35 as European programmes mature.
-
![US military plans multi-UAV trials with Northrop Grumman quantum-navigated Lumberjack]()
US military plans multi-UAV trials with Northrop Grumman quantum-navigated Lumberjack
An undisclosed US military branch is preparing to evaluate multiple Lumberjack Group 3 drones equipped with SandboxAQ’s AQNav magnetic-navigation system. Shephard spoke with Northrop Grumman and SandboxAQ to find out more.
-
![Akinci: How Baykar turned the UAV into an African and Middle Eastern export success]()
Akinci: How Baykar turned the UAV into an African and Middle Eastern export success
From billion-dollar industrial partnerships in the Middle East to rapid military off-the-shelf deliveries in Africa, Baykar has tailored the Akinci to the needs of very different customers. Defence Insight data shows how flexibility, price and Turkish supply-chain independence have helped drive exports.
