List of U.S. aircraft gun pods

"Package gun" installations on US medium and light bombers, such as the B-25 Mitchell and A-26 Invader, were likely the first pods used by the United States military.

One of its primary tasks was to suppress ground defenses during attack runs while conducting maritime interdiction, and the extra armament provided additional firepower.

[1][10] These pods were used on a wide array of US aircraft, primarily during the Vietnam War, including the A-1 Skyraider, A-37 Dragonfly, AC-47 Spooky, AC-119G Shadow, the T-28 Trojan and the US Navy's OP-2E and AP-2H.

It was also tested on the ACH-47A "Guns A-Go-Go" by the US Army and on the UH-1E Iroquois by the US Marine Corps, and were part of standard armament fits for the AH-1 Cobra with both services.

[2][14] The pod still has a weight restriction, weighing more than its predecessor at 1,730 lb (780 kg) loaded with 1,200 rounds of ammunition, and still has the fixed rate of 6,000 rpm.

A lightweight gun pod fitted with the M197 20 mm cannon, the unit weighs only 586 lb (266 kg) loaded with 300 rounds of ammunition.

[15] The pod is self-contained and powered by a Ni-Cad rechargeable battery, with sufficient charge to expend three complete loads before needing to be replaced.

[17][18] Developed under Project Pave Claw, the GPU-5/A was designed to adapt the power of the A-10 Thunderbolt II and its GAU-8/A gun to smaller aircraft.

Podded, the system weights 1,900 lb (860 kg) loaded with 353 rounds of 30 mm ammunition in two helical layers surrounding the gun (for reduction of overall size).

In the case of the OV-10, the unit was used by VAL-4, a Navy squadron assigned to Bình Thủy District, Vietnam, and was used extensively for close air support missions.