United States General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems
GAU-19
US three-barrel, electrically driven Gatling-type .50 caliber machine gun pod fitted to helicopters and light attack aircraft for suppressive fire.
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-05
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Operator data not public
Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Effective range Distance at which the weapon reliably hits point targets. Higher extends engagement envelope. | 1,800 m |
|---|---|
| Rate of fire Rounds per minute (cyclic). Higher increases suppression and hit probability. | 1,300 rpm |
| Muzzle velocity Projectile speed leaving the barrel. Higher means flatter trajectory and better armor penetration. | 887 m/s |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Caliber Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better, ammunition commonality matters. | 12.7 mm |
|---|
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 1.37 m |
|---|---|
| Width Overall width, matters for rail/road transport of vehicles. | 0.34 m |
| Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles. | 0.38 m |
| Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew. | 63 kg |
Munition
Round type, penetration, velocity and projectile data.
| Round type APFSDS (kinetic sabot), HEAT / multipurpose, HE-FRAG, canister or gun-launched ATGM. | gun pod |
|---|
Specifications compiled from public General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-05.
Compare with rivals
Israel Aerospace Industries LAHAT gun-launched ATGM 
